Valencia vs Manchester United - Mourinho set to recall Pogba against Valencia

Posted Wednesday, December 12, 2018 by PA

Jose Mourinho will hand Paul Pogba a shot at redemption when Manchester United round off their Champions League Group H campaign in Valencia on Wednesday.

Pogba has been dropped to the bench for United’s last two matches but Mourinho wants the Frenchman to prove his worth with progression to the knockout stages already assured.

Mourinho said: “I’m looking for him to play well and to have a good impact in the game and a good impact in the team – a team with many players that don’t have many miles on their legs.

“A team with some players that are not playing a lot, so I hope that people like Paul and a couple of others that are normally in the team and have that number of miles that players need to be at that top level, I hope he can have a
good impact on the team.”

Mourinho bristled when then asked why he has not been able to get the best out of Pogba this season.

“I don’t think your question goes in the direction of what I want to answer or listen (to),” Mourinho said. “I don’t like your question.

“You can put the question from another direction, I don’t like the direction.”

Pogba is set to be joined in the starting line-up by the likes of Sergio Romero and former Valencia loanee Andreas Pereira on Wednesday as Mourinho juggles game-time and fitness concerns rather than, he insists, looks to keep players fresh for Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.

David De Gea and Nemanja Matic remained in England, while Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, Matteo Darmian and Chris Smalling were also not seen on the flight to Spain.

Alexis Sanchez and Victor Lindelof remain absent through injury, while 17-year-olds Mason Greenwood and James Garner are in the squad in Spain.

“The kids, they don’t start the match,” Mourinho said. “Garner will be on the bench and Mason is the protection player in case we have any injuries.

“We have players that need to play, we have players that deserve to play, so in spite of (the fact) we left a few players in Manchester, we are going to play with a team only with players from the first team.”

Valencia go into the game languishing in 15th place in La Liga and with pressure mounting on coach Marcelino.

But the coach, who is set to give 17-year-old Korean Kangin Lee a chance to prove his potential, insists he is not thinking about his own future ahead of the match.

“I know how the club thinks about me and the feelings they have for me, so I’m not doubtful in this aspect,” Marcelino told a press conference.

“I feel absolutely sure about my position in the club and I also think that coaches should always have their priorities clear, and my experiences as a coach tell me my priorities should be trying to improve our results and I am convinced this will happen.”