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Paul Merson delivers damning verdict on Paul Pogba: This Man United star is affecting him
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC is affecting Paul Pogba’s form for Manchester United.
Paul Pogba - 5 things you need to know
That is the damning verdict of Paul Merson.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been in fabulous form for Manchester United this term, smashing home 26 goals in all competitions.
Pogba, however, has struggled to produce consistent fluent displays.
And Merson reckons Ibrahimovic is hindering his team-mate.
“Paul [Pogba] needs to play higher up the pitch for me,” Merson wrote in his column for the Daily Star.
“He’s not a holding midfielder and you don’t pay £89m for someone to sit in front of your back four.
Paul Pogba has struggled for form for Manchester United this term
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has inspired Manchester United this season
The problem Pogba has is that Zlatan is not running away from anybody so the game is quite tight
“He needs to play where he can affect the game in the final third. That’s where his strengths are.
“United need a strong, physical, dominating midfielder who can boss games from deep, and that’s not him.
“He needs to play off the front man. The problem Pogba has is that Zlatan is not running away from anybody so the game is quite tight.
“There’s no-one with real pace stretching the opposition back four.
“That means Pogba doesn’t have a lot of space to operate in and it’s probably been an impediment to his game.”
United face Bournemouth later today (12.30pm).