MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has angrily insisted that rumors his relationship with Paul Pogba has broken down are 鈥渓ies.鈥�
According to French sports newspaper L鈥橢quipe, midfielder Pogba is unhappy with the more defensive position in which he has been used by Mourinho.
Pogba, who rejoined United from Juventus for 拢89.3 million ($123.5 million) in August 2016, has struggled in recent weeks and Mourinho has taken the 24-year-old off during two of the Red Devils鈥� last three matches.
Other reports said the arrival of Alexis Sanchez has unsettled the Frenchman.
At his press conference on Friday, ahead of the FA Cup fifth round tie against Huddersfield, an irate Mourinho said Pogba would play on Saturday and dismissed suggestions there was any issue between him and the France international.
鈥淚 accept and I can speak on Paul鈥檚 behalf without any kind of problem. Paul accepts that he has not been playing well in the last few matches but that鈥檚 all.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have to speak with you about my conversations with my players. I don鈥檛 have to tell you anything about it,鈥� the Portuguese boss added.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my problem, it鈥檚 the player鈥檚 problem. It鈥檚 a big lie that the relation is not good, a big lie that we don鈥檛 communicate, a big lie that we don鈥檛 agree with his positions and his involvement in the dynamic of the team.鈥�
Mourinho admitted that in the last two matches Pogba 鈥渄id not play well鈥� but he told the press conference: 鈥淚 think you are nice with your words, because when you say 鈥榓 lot of speculation鈥� you should say 鈥榓 lot of lies鈥�.鈥�
鈥淭here are people in your role that their surname is 鈥楲iar鈥�.鈥�
Mourinho, whose second-placed side are a huge 16 points behind runaway Premier League leaders and local rivals Manchester City, believes Pogba鈥檚 difficulties in overcoming hamstring and thigh injuries sustained in September have contributed to his struggles.
鈥淗e had a big injury in the season, a big injury,鈥� Mourinho said. 鈥淗e was out for a long long time. And in this moment he is not playing well, period. He is not playing well, period. And the team needs him at a good level.
鈥淎nd when he is not playing at a good level the team is not as good as the team can be. I think it happens with every team when the best players, the most crucial players, for some reason are not performing. Period.鈥�
Mourinho also said there was no disagreement between him and Pogba about the player鈥檚 position as he again rounded on those in the media who have questioned how the midfielder is used.
鈥淒o you know which is the Pogba preferred system? 4-3-3. Do you know which is Pogba鈥檚 favorite position in the 4-3-3? No.8 on the left,鈥� Mourinho said.
鈥淚 would like someone to tell me in which position, Pogba played against Newcastle. Does one of you want to tell me?
鈥淲e played with one no.6 and two no.8s. We played with (Nemanja) Matic as a no.6, (Jesse) Lingard on the right side of Matic and Pogba on the left.
鈥淪o it鈥檚 easy and honest, and objective to say Paul Pogba did not play well against Newcastle. But some of the guys (reporters)are paid millions.Don鈥檛 let people read things that are not true. You are paid to read the game, to explain (to) people the game. Don鈥檛 say b**.鈥�