Pogba owes a debt to Man Utd' - World Cup winner urged to step up by McGrath

The former Red Devils defender believes too many players have let the club down this season, while a departed boss has seen his motives questioned

Paul Pogba “owes a debt to Manchester United”, says Paul McGrath, with a World Cup winner needing to prove that he can be relied upon.

Having starred for France en route to securing global glory over the summer, the 25-year-old midfielder has suffered something of a domestic hangover.

His form and working relationship with Jose Mourinho provided an unwelcome distraction at Old Trafford during a difficult start to the 2018-19 campaign

Pogba has now been freed from the shackles of the Portuguese boss, with United taking the decision to start afresh in the dugout, but he still has to convince his critics that he can be an elite Premier League performer.

Former Red Devils defender McGrath told the Irish Independent: “I don’t like having a straight-out go at a lad who is still actually a young footballer – but Paul Pogba now owes a debt to Manchester United.

“He’s a world champion. And I’m sorry, but it is not as simple as saying that with France last summer he was surrounded by class acts with who it was easy to play – Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, N’Golo Kante, Blaise Matuidi and Raphael Varane, etc.

“It doesn’t matter who you are playing with. I saw Paul Pogba chasing back, heading balls out of his own penalty area, tackling, covering, grafting, when France were under real pressure protecting a 1-0 against Belgium in the World Cup semi-final.

“That was nothing to do with the quality of his team-mates. It was Pogba wanting to be the best player and team-mate he could be, to be a winner, not the player of the last two months at Manchester United.”