Man Utd boss Solskjaer eager for Pogba and Fernandes pairing

Paul Pogba has yet to play alongside Bruno Fernandes, but the talented midfield duo could soon operate in tandem for Manchester United.

Published : May 08, 2020 16:54 IST

Manchester United star Paul Pogba has missed the majority of the season due to injuries.
Manchester United star Paul Pogba has missed the majority of the season due to injuries.
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Manchester United star Paul Pogba has missed the majority of the season due to injuries.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is ready to thrust Paul Pogba back into Premier League action alongside Bruno Fernandes at the heart of Manchester United's midfield.

Ankle and foot woes have kept World Cup winner Pogba sidelined for large parts of the season and he has yet to feature alongside January recruit Fernandes.

In Pogba's absence, playmaker Fernandes made an eye-catching start to life in the Premier League after joining from Sporting CP for £67.6million (€80m).

There is persistent speculation that Pogba could leave Old Trafford at the end of the campaign, but Solskjaer will want to see how he and Fernandes function together beforehand.

Asked whether the star duo could be paired up, Solskjaer said: "Good players can always play together, so definitely it's a big yes.

"But then I've got Scott [McTominay], Fred, I've got Nemanja [Matic], so I've got three players there as well.

"You can't just play with midfielders either. There's many games coming up and I'm sure we'll find a good connection between them."

Manager Solskjaer said he "definitely" thinks Pogba will be ready for the resumption of the Premier League season, potentially just weeks away having been on hold since March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

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The same applies to United's England striker Marcus Rashford, who sustained a back injury in January.

"Paul's had a difficult season with injuries, he's said that himself. Of course Marcus [Rashford] as well is getting back," Solskjaer told Sky Sports.

"So for us, or for them two, this gives them a chance to start on a par with, or even ahead of, other players if and when we get going.

"They've been focused. Mentally it's maybe easier for them to train harder now because they can see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Asked about his burgeoning ranks of midfield talent, a beaming Solskjaer said: "I think it's exciting. We do have an exciting squad.

"Of course, Bruno coming in, making the impact he made, has been great for everyone. It was a boost for the club, for the supporters, for the players, and getting Paul and Marcus back would be fantastic.

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"We're in really good shape fitness-wise, Marcus being out for four months and now getting back. We're positive, we're looking forward to starting when and if that will be."

Solskjaer hopes football in England will be back sooner rather than later.

"You do have that little b2it of feeling and definitely hope that we'll be back soon," he said.

"It's been so long, but then then if you go a month back you think, 'We'll be there soon,' and that's been one of the most difficult things for players and for myself: the unknown, the uncertainty of when are we going to get back training, when are we going to get back playing."

He said United's players were either already at home in the Manchester area or would have returned from foreign bases by the end of Friday, insisting the squad could "turn around quickly if something happens".

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