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Jose Mourinho vs Paul Pogba: Man Utd fans TURN on manager after latest spat
MANCHESTER UNITED fans are turning on Jose Mourinho in his feud with midfielder Paul Pogba.
Manchester United have endured a miserable start to the new season, with the battle between Mourinho and Pogba taking centre stage.
Mourinho has been unhappy with Pogba for months and last season dropped the France international from his side.
Pogba, who cost £89m in 2016, has also irked United fans in the past for his sometimes below-par performances.
It all came to a head last month when Pogba criticised United’s tactics in the 1-1 draw with Watford - and subsequently lost the vice-captaincy.
But while United fans were largely in Mourinho’s camp during the public spat, that all turned this week during the pair’s confrontation at training.
Research from audience intelligence platform Pulsar has revealed that fans originally backing Jose Mourinho over the feud have now sided with Pogba.
And it was the training-ground confrontation, when Mourinho sparked an argument with Pogba in front of the TV cameras, that seems to be the trigger point.
Social media analysis shows Mourinho had the backing of 73 per cent of Manchester United fans before the spat.
Yet afterwards that swung to 65 per cent in Pogba’s favour.
In total, there were 5.2million tweets relating to Mourinho and Pogba across August and September.
“During the previous consternation around Pogba being awarded and subsequently stripped of the Manchester United vice-captaincy, and supposed disagreement around style of play, Mourinho still retained the majority of support in the feud,” Pulsar claim.
“But the way Mourinho seemed to treat Paul Pogba in the video seems to have tipped the scales in favour of the midfielder.”
Man United: Pogba AVOIDS Mourinho in training
Mourinho is facing his toughest challenge yet as United manager as he battles to save his job.
United are winless in four games and lacked an entertainment factor in their 0-0 draw with Valencia in midweek.
The Red Devils host Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday, before the October international break offers a respite for domestic football.
But if the result does not go United’s way the break may prove the perfect time for United to ditch Mourinho and start afresh.