Man Utd: Pogba is a better player than Fernandes says pundit
Manchester United duo Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes have been training specifically with Angel Gomes and Nemanja Matic, reports say. Big things are expected of the pair, who are finally set to play together for the first time when the Premier League season resumes. And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been putting them through their paces as he targets a place in the top four.
Manchester United have had to cope without Pogba since December, with the France international missing since their 4-1 win over Newcastle.
It’s been a frustrating campaign for the 27-year-old, who has been limited to just eight appearances across all competitions as a result of injury.
Since then, though, United have discovered a new talisman in the form of Fernandes.
The Portugal international has been a class above since joining from Sporting Lisbon in the January transfer window, being directly involved in six goals from eight games so far.
And the Evening Standard have opened up on the pair training together behind the scenes at the club’s Carrington training complex.
It’s claimed that Solskjaer has put players in specialised groups.
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And Pogba and Fernandes are now said to be working alongside Gomes and Matic on routines and patterns ahead of the Premier League’s return.
Matic was widely expected to leave Old Trafford behind in January after falling down Solskjaer’s pecking order.
But the Serbia international has flourished of late and will now be at the club until 2021 after the club extended his contract.
Gomes’ future is far less certain, though.
The United youngster has been limited to just six appearances this season, with Solskjaer harbouring doubts over whether he’s currently up to the task.
But, in regularly omitting the 19-year-old, the Norwegian has run the risk of losing the teenage talent.
Gomes is wanted by Chelsea, with Frank Lampard putting young English players at the forefront of his Stamford Bridge rebuild.
And Barcelona are also admirers with the Nou Camp giants always on the lookout for the best youngsters on the planet.
Meanwhile, Jaap Stam recently had his say on the possibility of a Pogba and Fernandes midfield partnership.
And he said: "Pogba is a player who is creative, who wants to play a little bit in his own way, and sometimes you need to give him that little bit of freedom.
"If you look at Fernandes, Pogba and McTominay, I think those three together in midfield could be very interesting.