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18th Aug 2016

Jose Mourinho sets more than reasonable target for Paul Pogba’s debut

No pressure, Pogz.

Patrick McCarry

We would advise against holding off Paul Pogba from your fantasy football team for another week.

Jose Mourinho is ready to give Pogba his first United start in his second coming at the club. United take on Southampton at Old Trafford on Friday night and the French midfielder should feature after his being suspended for the opener against Bournemouth. Mourinho said:

“Paul has been training for more than a week, around 10, 11 days, adaptation is really easy because he is a boy from here, he knows the club, he knows everybody. There’s no need for time to adapt.

“He needs time to build his condition and his understanding in the way the team tries to play. Yes, he’s ready to play. 90 minutes? I don’t believe.”

Having helped France to the Euro 2016 final, on July 10, Pogba did not get much rest after an 11-month season.

Perhaps that is the reason why Mourinho is not setting any lofty targets for the world’s most expensive player in his first game of 2016/17. He commented:

“I am not expecting him to score a wonder goal, maybe I expect the first time he touches to ball, to make a correct pass…

“Super performance? I don’t believe. But in condition to accelerate his process of integration in the team, that’s for sure.”

No pressure then.

Speaking to the media today, Mourinho says he’s sure United can bring the fear factor back to Old Trafford: