Scholes suggested he shouldn’t play again for the club
Manchester United put in possibly their worst performance in the Premier League era on Sunday, losing 5-0 to a Liverpool side who looked like they were playing a different sport.
Liverpool tore United limb from limb, scoring four goals in the first half with alarming ease. After making it 5-0 early in the second half, Jurgen Klopp’s team took their foot off the gas – an underwhelming end for the neutrals who wanted to see just how ugly it could get.
While United were tactically a shambles, unable to coordinate a functioning press off the ball, being dragged all over the pitch by the simplest of moves. But possibly the lowest moment of the game for United came on the hour mark when Paul Pogba, just 15 minutes after coming on as a substitute, committed the reddest of red card tackles you’ll ever seen. The recipient of his recklessness, Naby Keita, had to be taken off on a stretcher.
While United would have lost regardless, this act of stupidity certainly did not help United’s cause as they attempted to save face.
Paul Scholes, whose prophetic analysis of United’s win over Atalanta last week went viral again on Sunday, has now suggested Pogba shouldn’t play for the team again.
Speaking on Premier League Productions, Scholes said: “To say a disappointing day would be a complete understatement.”
“I think we all realise it’s been difficult, I just think the manager got caught up in the emotion of the comeback [against Atalanta] on Wednesday night.
“We keep going back to that game but you were never going to do that against Liverpool, they have too much quality.
“I don’t think it was a lack of effort, I think tactically they were set up in a way where this could happen and unfortunately it did happen.”
Focussing on Pogba’s contribution to the humiliation, the former United midfielder said: “Paul Pogba coming on to the pitch at half time to try to help the team and maybe get a little bit of respectability about it, tries to stand on the ball, tries to show how strong he is in the middle of the pitch… gives the goal away.
“The later on gets sent off with a ridiculous tackle, now you’re 5-0 down with 10 men.
Can't argue with this red card.
Wishing Naby Keita a speedy recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/8ZtxAGMiax
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) October 24, 2021
“You’d have to think, if Ole’s still a manager there, will we see Paul Pogba again in a United shirt? He’s caused mayhem over the last couple of years. Everybody knows what a talent he is, everybody trusts him, every manager trusts him, tried to give him his head and let him be the player he’s been.
“But with all the commotion, not signing his contract, almost holding the club to ransom, and then he comes on and does something like that.
“It’s not Ole’s fault, don’t get me wrong, but that’s part of it which almost summed the United performance up today.
“Look, he probably will play [again] won’t he? But I don’t think they will be missing anything if he doesn’t.
“He’s had numerous chances, he keeps saying he lacks consistency, but that is just [a lack of] discipline and disrespect for your manager and your teammates, what he’s done today.”
