Paul Pogba has begun kicking into gear for Manchester United in recent weeks, but the Frenchman had a mixed first half against West Ham at Old Trafford.
Zlatan Ibrahimović scored from Pogba’s sublime through-ball to level the scores after Diafra Sakho’s second-minute opener, but the £89m signing would later find himself in referee Jon Moss’ book for a dive.
Pogba might be great at a lot of things, but it seems simulation isn’t one of them, as those watching the game noticed.
26 mins: Pogba booked for dive. Hardly his fault he was outwitted by some cockney shenanigans. It's what they do.
— Out of Context Bandwagons (@bifurcated_MBM) November 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/ManUnitedFront/status/802920916971724800
Though some still felt Moss was to blame.
Fuck this! There's a conspiracy against #MUFC & Mourinho. That Pogba dive should never have resulted to a yellow card!!!
— J.J (@_jegz) November 27, 2016
I understand that yellow for Pogba but did you see all the fouls he rode before that dive?! Fuck off Jon Moss.
— MiyaMotoMoto Musashi💫 (@ElGrandeNinho) November 27, 2016
José Mourinho was in the latter camp, taking issue with the yellow card and taking out his frustration at a water bottle – something which saw the Manchester United boss sent to the stands.
Mourinho: that was a dive by pogba
Inner Mourinho: complain at the referee and get sent to the stands pic.twitter.com/vQDrINn627
— Brother Mahad (@_MoMars) November 27, 2016
If you thought Mourinho being sent off by Moss was a familiar sight, you’d be right. The same referee ordered the Portuguese manager to the stands just over a year ago, when Mourinho was still in charge at Chelsea.
The opponents that day? Why, West Ham United, of course. Surely you remember the subplot involving Danny Dyer, if nothing else.
Few had much sympathy with Mourinho, even if Moss has previous on this front.
https://twitter.com/hmclandress/status/802921124820582401
https://twitter.com/TintinnyTins/status/802921979594547200
Mourinho not even the best manager in the stand now.
Sir Alex sitting there…
— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🇳🇴 (@JanAageFjortoft) November 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/AlwynPayne/status/802919565298696192
But is there a consistency issue? Both between Mourinho and other managers, and between current Mourinho and past Mourinho? A firm ‘maybe’ from us there
https://twitter.com/NutmegRadio/status/802919917905383425
Conte kicks a water bottle in frustration, people bang on about how passionate he is. Mourinho does it, he's a prick.
— Si Lloyd (@SmnLlyd5) November 27, 2016
Sometimes get a bit nostalgic for the days when we thought every time Mourinho lost his rag it was part of some Machiavellian masterplan.
— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) November 27, 2016
Catch up with this week’s episode of Football Friday Live
