Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have only been teammates for Manchester United for a couple of weeks, but the two superstar summer signings have already struck up an endearing bromance.
Advertisement
The 23-year-old looked every bit the star attraction as he prowled the midfield with pace, poise and power and Mourinho was suitably impressed by what he saw.
Mourinho had warned supporters not to expect Pogba to “dribble five players and score a wonder goal” with his first touch. “He was fantastic”, Mourinho said. “His first action was bad, he loses an easy ball and gives a counterattack and a free-kick to the opponent”.
“He is so confident, the way he plays”.
Mourinho was more coy when asked if Pogba would continue to play the role he was given against Southampton, as a deeper midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation alongside Marouane Fellaini. I know I’m not a very nice guy, not smiling or waving, but it’s not in my nature.
“He has to play free, but for a player to play with freedom we have to build organisation around him”.
United host Southampton in their second league game of the season and defeated their guests 2-0.
Pogba laughed then said: “I’m happy for the team”.
“I came back home”, said Pogba, who was sold by United for virtually nothing in 2012 after making just seven substitute appearances in three years at the club. “We need to get used to winning, because the mental part is also important”.
“First ball, I lost it, but got used to it”. I feel very good, maybe at the end I missed a bit of fitness but I was okay, my legs feel good and I can carry on. “I am really happy with his performance”.
Ibrahimovic, playing his first home game for the club since leaving Paris St Germain in the close season, opened the scoring in the 36th minute when he produced a towering leap to power a header into the net from a cross by Wayne Rooney.
The Swede is not renowned for his modesty but did his best to share the praise.
Ibrahimovic has never finished a season scoring less than 20 league goals in his 20-years-career as a footballer and that won’t change at United. “We need to put the puzzle together and then work on it”.
Pogba played for the full 90 minutes after his return to United in a world-record 89 million pounds (105 million euros, $116 million) transfer from Juventus, but it was Ibrahimovic who stole the show.
A picture of Pogba in a red United shirt adorned the front of the match-day programme for the Southampton game.
Luke Shaw’s enterprising foray into opposition territory drew a penalty from a very clumsy Jordan Clasie, and Ibrahimovic sent Fraser Forster the wrong way for his second of the game. The United manager said: “I don’t know what you mean”.
He displayed signs of nerves early on tonight, conceding possession sloppily and enabling Southampton to launch a counter attack after just a few seconds of the match. “Even afterwards we still caused some problems, but at the moment it’s hard to look at any positives from the performance”.
Advertisement
Striker Shane Long added: “The penalty was a bit of sucker punch for us so soon after half-time”.
