Former Manchester United stars Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand have expressed their disappointment with Paul Pogba's performance in the 2-2 draw with Atalanta, with the former claiming the Frenchman "will be doing the same stupid stuff" at 35.
United trailed twice in Bergamo but came back to earn a point in the Champions League group-stage clash, with Cristiano Ronaldo proving the hero as he again struck a decisive late goal to rescue the Red Devils.
It was far from a vintage display from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men, with Pogba's performance under the microscope after an ineffective display against the Serie A side.
What was said?
"He needs somebody talking to him all the time, someone there who he totally respects and is experienced," Scholes told BT Sport after the game.
"He is a really experienced player, but he will get to 35 and will be doing the same stupid stuff, stud-rolling the ball - and people know it.
"The biggest thing with the player is his concentration - he goes away with the fairies sometimes.
"At Juventus he was excellent and that’s why we signed him, but you look at [players around him] – [Andrea] Pirlo, [Giorgio] Chiellini, [Gianluigi] Buffon, an aggressive manager, telling him all the time and he will need that kind of treatment until he is 35."
"I thought he (Pogba) took liberties a few times, he was a bit sloppy," Ferdinand added. "Sometimes you just need to be told ‘sharpen up, play one or two touch’.
"He needs to be telling himself that he didn’t do well enough. There are not those [critical] conversations going on in our changing room.
"There’s not a player in the world that starts every game perfectly."
The bigger picture
Pogba began the 2021-22 season in blistering form, notching seven assists in United's first four Premier League matches as the Reds came storming out of the blocks.
He has, however, struggled to maintain those standards, starting just one of the club's last four games prior to Tuesday's return to the starting XI.
The Frenchman, who is serving a domestic ban following his red card against Liverpool, struggled to make an impact in the 2-2 draw with Atalanta, with question marks continuing to surround his long-term future.
Indeed, the likes of Real Madrid, PSG and Juventus have all been linked with Pogba, who is out of contract in 2022, and the 28-year-old will be able to discuss a free-transfer move with interested parties in the New Year.
Further reading
- Injured Varane likely to miss Manchester derby
- Ronaldo proves again he isn't a Man Utd problem
- Solskjaer hails Ronaldo's 'Michael Jordan' moment
