Manchester United got a reason to change Paul Pogba’s decision against West Brom – Dominic Booth

Pogba might still be needed

He says a lot about Paul Pogba’s current situation Manchester United The pre-match revelation that confirmed his absence from the team generated nothing more than a flash of interest.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed the existence of Pogba He complained during training of a “knockout”, which kept him out of West Bromwich Albion’s victory, meaning Nemanja Matic had Fred in midfield, while Scott McTominay rested after his travels in Scotland.

More fuel for Solshire’s argument after Everton’s victory, then his players are under heavy pressure.

But the truth is that United felt Pogba wasn’t a very pivotal loss, given his form this season.

But the 90 minutes against West Brom could have changed their minds. It was precisely the kind of game Pogba could have thrived, with Matic appearing a little out of necessity, as United’s quad defense didn’t need the extra layers of protection he got in recent weeks.

Donnie Van de Beek McTominay was introduced late in midfield, but it would have been a much clearer evening had United had Pogba’s cunning alongside Fred. Sometimes, the absence might make the heart more fond of it, but that game probably told United that Pogba still had a role to play.

Winning with VAR technology

Maybe they should change the old adage and say that VAR is a good margins game, not football. Because it is clear that some people prefer to talk about a decision-making technique rather than the action itself.

VAR is here to stay whether people like it or not, although fans may be right to note how United appears to have been struggling with a sanction problem in recent months.

But on this occasion referee David Cote and his assistants at Stokely Park got all right.

Anthony Martial fell to the ground very easily in the first half when he felt a touch on his shoulder and did not deserve a penalty. Bruno Fernandez Then he got the ball rolling when Connor Gallagher was challenged which prompted VAR to rethink; For better or worse, Darnell Furlong’s handball following a Juan Mata cross was a penalty according to the rules. Then the video assistant referee discovered that Sam Johnston was too far from his line to allow Fernandez to regain vitality.

United needed a slice of fortune after a less old-fashioned show, but was acquitted on the occasion.

It tells first impressions

It was evident from the first and second touches Alex Tillis received against West Bromwich Albion that this was a player who had been delayed in the Premier League by several weeks. He looked sharp from the start and was one of United’s best players on a bleak evening.

After impressing for nearly an hour against Paris Saint-Germain, only COVID-19 has kept Teles out of first-team affairs so far, displaying his offensive traits and set-ball experience at Old Trafford.

You doubt the Brazilian will only grow into his United role and make life difficult for Luke Shaw when he returns from a hamstring injury.

Manchester United away from home a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion To finally claim a home victory in the Premier League this season.

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Not pretty but it means two consecutive wins for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who have to balance the league’s commitments with the Champions League during a busy period in the coming weeks.

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Johnston is the key to Bagges’ resistance

You could have expected West Brom Game Plan Before the ball was kicked angrily, so it was no surprise to see the yellow and green jerseys fill the midfield as they sought to deny United the space they had been craving throughout the match.

But it was also perhaps inevitable that former United goalkeeper Johnston, after failing to make a major appearance during a long time at Old Trafford after attending the academy, would try to make a name for himself as well. He succeeded.

Johnston did a good early rescue from Martial but United should have given him a lot of trouble. He might have expected a pounding of shots, but thanks to Slavin Bilic’s squad and their fighting approach, United failed to really deliver Johnston in the first half.

Then he saved Fernandez’s first penalty, albeit when he was within a yard or more of his line, denied Rashford a penalty close to the 66-minute mark, and walked away from Harry Maguire in the 70th minute. The score may have been 1-0 a reflection of United’s under-performance. , Although Johnston banned Solskjaer for a much simpler night, as the Norwegian indicated after the match.

Table Movers

A few members of the United hierarchy could have been unhappy to see Jose Mourinho lead a superb win for Tottenham over Manchester City, to lift Tottenham to the top of the Premier League before starting the Old Trafford clash. The scathing way in which the Portuguese left United will not be forgotten, and it was disappointing to see him do for Tottenham what he did not do with United.

However, regardless of your thoughts on Mourinho, Tottenham’s victory afforded United the opportunity to leapfrog City, to the first half of the Premier League, with their victory.

That fact, the clean sheet and finally the home win in the league this season for United, as well as Teles’ debut, were the only positives Solskjaer had to take. It’s also good for United for the Tuesday night game, because this game won’t last long in the memory.