Roy Keane defends Paul Pogba

Sid Lowe in The Guardian has asked if Jose Mourinho has a duty to entertain Manchester United fans. He first of all has a duty to make sure that he doesn’t lose his job, and the way he can do that is by staying in the top four. So far, he’s managed it on a technicality by winning the Europa League, and is in second place now. He is held back in effectiveness by his own conservatism, though, and the poor defender he has to choose from. Should he still be this boring once he gets the team he needs, then he will be failing if he doesn’t entertain.

Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before. The Telegraph misrepresents Mourinho tad by implying he is questioning his medical team following Ander Herrera’s injury. It seems more innocent if you actually read it, but United’s history with injuries has been absolutely abysmal since they last won the Champions League.

Following a mini-falling out between Paul Pogba and Mourinho, Roy Keane has defended the midfielder and put the pressure on his teammates for making life harder for him. It really does come down to the defence and Mourinho’s attitude at the moment, but there is no reason to pretend that Pogba has not disappointed even in a role he is not best suited to.

Scott McTominay knows how to play the game, and has duly gushed about the boss that is giving him so much time in the first team. For now, he’s a useful stick to beat Pogba with regarding his commitment, but nonetheless he is a calm midfield presence regardless.

And yesterday, I spoke to Paul Parker about what he expects from the game between Manchester United and Chelsea on Sunday afternoon. He thinks more defence is on the cards.