Paul Ince: Pogba’s behaviour was stupid, and Alexis is a disgrace

I’ve seen people describing Man United’s loss to PSG as a ‘reality check’, but I disagree. I don’t believe anyone truly ever thought that they were equally matched, it’s just that the injuries to Edison Cavani and Neymar gave United false hope.

They had the best chance they could of getting something out of the game because of those injuries, but the fact is, they’re just nowhere near as good. Reality check? No. I’ve been saying for weeks that it’s wrong to get carried away with United at the moment.

It’s not to take anything away from the job Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done, he’s done brilliantly, but the gap between PSG – even without two of their best players – is enormous. There’s a huge gulf between United and the top teams, and the PSG game proved that – it was men against boys.

I’m not being disrespectful to Ole, or to the sides he’s played so far, but aside from Tottenham he’s not been really tested. That Champions League game was a real, tough test. Everything has ran smoothly, no major injuries or ugly fixtures. But now, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial look like they’ll be out, and Paul Pogba got himself suspended for the away leg. We will see if he can come with adversity, I’d call it a true test of his management skills. We will get to see what Ole is made of.

There’s still a glimmer of hope for the second leg, of course there is, but if it were me I’d focus on the Premier League now and the massive games they have coming up. Realistically, winning anything in Europe just got a lot harder, so trying to finish fourth should be the goal. That, I believe, will also determine who the board pick for next manager.

Paul Pogba’s behaviour was ‘stupid’, and he’s let himself down

Paul Pogba really let himself down against PSG. Just when he’s won the fans over, and he’s doing everything you expect of a top player, he goes and behaves like that.

I know it’s because he was frustrated at the game, but also it’s because Marquinhos was too good for him, he did a real job on him. The first yellow card he got was pure petulance – and the second challenge should’ve been a straight red anyway. I’d say other teams will be taking notes, knowing they too can mark Pogba out of the game.

And just like that, he’s out of the second leg. It’s stupid behaviour. He’s been a talisman under Ole, and to lose him for that game is beyond disappointing.

Alexis Sanchez is a disgrace

The way Alexis Sanchez is playing at the moment is nothing short of a disgrace. His performances are a joke for the wage he gets. I wouldn’t begrudge his high wage, either, if I thought that he was truly putting his all in and playing well, but when you give someone that kind of money you expect a lot more. The fans deserve better, Ole deserves better, and so do the rest of his team.

Maybe he has the hump because he’s not in the starting XI, but that’s hardly a surprise! He’s been hopeless, completely all over the place. There has to be a decision made about his future at Old Trafford, because it’s not working. But this is the dilemma when you keep sacking managers, players the previous boss bought in on high wages are impossible to get rid of – so you have to try and make them work in your team.

He’s a million miles away from being at his best, he looks like a completely different player.