Inter Milan consider Joao Mario-Henrikh Mkhitaryan swap deal

The Guardian think that Paul Pogba’s suspension poses a big problem for Manchester United against Manchester City at the weekend. David Silva is rumoured to be injured, but Jose Mourinho has essentially said that if a Spaniard says it’s pasta, he’ll still check under the sauce. Silva missed City’s Champions League game but while Guardiola claims he is injured, Mourinho seems reluctant to accept that as the truth. It’s not like Mourinho to needlessly stir up antagonism between himself and Guardiola.

Speaking of needlessly stirring up antagonism, Arsene Wenger has reacted to Mourinho’s dig about Alexandre Lacazette apparently being injured before the clash at the weekend, only to suddenly play the full 90 minutes.

Misery-guts and pretty decent pundit Graeme Souness thinks that Pogba lacks a basic understanding of what it means to play central midfield. Given he is only starting to come into the game as the dominant central midfielder of the team, it’s not a surprise that he may lack a little maturity on the ball, but given all his other exceptional technical skills, it is likely to simply be a matter of time.

Juan Mata might be offered by Mourinho to Inter Milan as a makeweight to secure the transfer of Joao Mario. The 24-year-old might be available if they offer Henrikh Mkhitaryan instead. But who knows. Mata played well enough against CSKA Moscow last night, but there is a time when improvements have to be made no matter how genial Mata is.

And lastly, after Mourinho effusively praised Luke Shaw for an adequate performance in a dead rubber, in what seems a transparent attempt to raise interest from buyers, Paul Scholes has hinted at the problem by casting aspersions on the lifestyle of Shaw - the one that has now given three managers pause over his commitment to life as an adult.