Paul Pogba “hid” during Jose Mourinho’s final days as Manchester United boss but is back to his best after winning the “war” with the Portuguese, according to former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit.
Pogba was dropped by Mourinho for his last three Premier League games in charge at Old Trafford, before a startling return to form for the 25-year-old following Mourinho’s dismissal and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s appointment as interim manager.
The Red Devils have won all seven games with Solskjaer at the helm and France international Pogba has starred – scoring five goals and laying on five assists in that time.
“We all know that if you don’t enjoy what you are doing you will probably face big frustration on the pitch, disillusions and Manchester United had to change on the pitch,” he told Press Association Sport.
“When you are happy things are not the same any more and that is exactly what happened with Manchester United.
“For me Pogba is one of the best examples. (Marcus) Rashford as well, those guys never smiled and of course they have won seven games in a row. The confidence is back and this team is not the same as the team I saw five or six weeks ago.
Petit, who lifted the World Cup with France 20 years before Pogba followed suit with Les Bleus last summer in Russia, has warned Arsenal they should be fearful now Pogba is playing with a smile on his face after a power struggle with Mourinho.
“We all know that Mourinho is a great manager but with his management, most of the time he is facing his own limits. After two years trouble comes because of the way he talks to the players,” Petit, speaking as a Paddy Power ambassador, added.
“You cannot sack the players, you can only sack the manager – it is a war the manager cannot win so whoever you are, whatever happens, you must keep that in your mind.
“You can be the most prolific and talented manager in the world, be Mourinho, (Pep) Guardiola and (Jurgen) Klopp but they know if the dressing room isn’t there any more you are lost.
“He (Pogba) is one of the leaders, he is a world champion. He always tells anyone that he wants to be the key of the team, he loves being under pressure and living under responsibilities.
“But when he gets that attention, love and affection then all of a sudden he is not the same player.
“When he is surrounded by confidence and you give him responsibility on the pitch then he enjoys it and then he is the player he should be all the time.”
:: Emmanuel Petit is a Paddy Power ambassador. Read his columns online at news.paddypower.com
