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France's 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Marcel Desailly has criticised Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba for neglecting his defensive duties in games.
Desailly's comments on his compatriot come after Pogba was not named in the starting XI against Atletico Madrid last night (March 15). Interim manager Ralf Rangnick opted to go in with Fred and Scott McTominay in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie.
Pogba came off the bench in the 67th minute to replace Bruno Fernandes but couldn't stop his side from falling to a defeat. Desailly said about Pogba on beIN Sports (as quoted by the Daily Mail):
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"Quality-wise you cannot compare Pogba to Fred, McTominay or Matic. You allow him to be a playmaker behind Ronaldo he will take advantage."
The former Chelsea centre-back added:
"When it goes well he is fantastic, but if it doesn't go well, offensively he has not brought what everyone was expecting and at the same time he will cheat a little bit. He will not drop back and help the midfield with the defensive intensity the team is looking for."
While his defensive work continues to be criticised, Pogba has been excellent going forward this term. The 29-year-old has recorded a goal and nine assists in 16 Premier League games this season. However, Pogba is all set to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer this summer.
Manchester United exit Champions League after disappointing defeat to Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid pulled off yet another fighting performance on a big Champions League night to beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford. The result meant the Rojiblancos made their way to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 aggregate win following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid last month.
Diego Simeone's men took the lead in the 44th minute through Renan Lodi's header off Antoine Griezmann's cross. United did their best to get themselves back into the game, forcing several good saves from Jan Oblak but eventually falling short. In the process, the Rojiblancos became the first team to eliminate all three English winners of the Champions League.
As things stand, Manchester United look set to be the only English team not to qualify for the last eight of the competition this season. Liverpool and Manchester City have already sealed their spots, while holders Chelsea hold a two-goal advantage ahead of their trip to Lille on Wednesday.
The loss against Atletico means Manchester United are set to go without silverware once again. They had already exited the Carabao Cup and FA Cup earlier in the season.
Rangnick's men are fifth in the Premier League, 20 points behind leaders Manchester City after 29 games. They trail fourth-placed Arsenal by a point but have played three games more.
