Paul Pogba should be ashamed of himself

There would have been a moment – maybe just seconds or minutes – when Paul Pogba feared for his season on 29 September after limping off with a hamstring injury against Basel in the Champions League. A fleeting flash of panic when the 24-year-old would have realised how quickly his career could fade to black. All it takes is one overstretched interception, wrong turn or misjudged tackle for everything to change. Just ask Benjamin Mendy. Mystifying then, that a player who’s recently suffered the agony and torment of long-term injury, would wish the same on fellow professionals. The Manchester United midfielder, speaking on BBC’s Football Focus, was asked about Manchester City’s great start to the season and said: “I hope – and it’s bad to say things like this – but fortunately for us I hope they will get some very important players injured like what happened with us.” He went on to say, “People don’t see this, don’t speak about this, but every time we have important players that get injured when there is important games. So, if that starts happening with them as well, maybe we’ll get a little difference… a little touch that makes them weaker.” For a player whose game is based on style and grace, it was a classless comment from Pogba. United might be eight points behind their city rivals going into this weekend’s derby fixture, but you’d think Pogba would have more faith in the £500m+ talent United possess in their squad than to wish ill-health on opponents. In response to his comments, FA sources insisted the Frenchman had not brought the game into disrepute. Perhaps not, but it was a head-scratcher considering their decision to ask Pep Guardiola to clarify why he aggressively confronted Southampton’s Nathan Redmond, despite the player himself explaining that the City manager was merely enthusiastically complimenting him. Amazingly, Pep played Pogba’s comments down in his post-match press conference at the weekend, “I would like it if Paul Pogba could play against us because I like to face teams with the best players possible to see if we are able to beat them. In the end, I think it was an expression. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want other players to get injured.” A marked difference in mentality from Pep to Pogba heading into the biggest game of the season. Guardiola wants a challenge, while United’s midfielder wants a handicap. There is a chance, of course, that Pogba’s comments were lost in translation and he was merely eluding to City’s superiority and highlighting a way that they’d hopefully veer off track, but even still, that shouldn’t detract from the recklessness of his words. Ironic, too, that just five hours after his comments were aired on BBC One, Pogba was shown a straight red card for stamping on Hector Bellerin in United’s 3-1 over Arsenal, meaning he himself will now miss the derby. Needless to say, City fans revelled in the referee’s decision, several of whom took to social media to highlight the irony, “Pogba no longer has to worry about City players being injured to help him in the derby as he won’t be playing in it anyway.” Another Twitter user posted, “Pogba wishing fellow professionals injuries in an attempt to level the playing field due to the opposition's unobtainable standards. All this without a second thought for his unfortunate countryman [Benjamin] Mendy.” Since rejoining United in 2016-17, Pogba has been a consummate professional, putting in extra work behind the scenes, impacting big games and bouncing back from injuries stronger than before. The swagger and swashbuckling bravado he brings to the pitch has always been his biggest strength and somewhere, beyond his injudicious words, there is just a harmless guy who wants the best for his team. Sometimes, though, it’s just important to think before you speak.