When Jose Mourinho was asked at the Mestalla on Tuesday night why he hasn’t been able to get the best out of Paul Pogba this season, the Manchester United manager visibly bristled with indignation.
‘I don’t think your question goes in the direction of what I want to answer or listen,’ came the curt reply. ‘I don’t like your question. I don’t like the direction.’
Clearly, Mourinho feels the onus is on Pogba to give more to United and not the other way around. He said as much on tour in the summer after Pogba had won the World Cup with France, and the situation has only deteriorated since then.
Jose Mourinho spoke to the media on the eve of Manchester United’s clash with Valencia
United’s record £89million signing has started the last two games on the bench, and was left on it for the duration of last weekend’s win over Fulham.
On Wednesday in Spain, Pogba will return in a weakened team for what Mourinho believes will be a largely irrelevant game against Valencia, hoping to prove he is worthy of keeping his place for Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.
United and Juventus have already qualified for the knockout stage. Mourinho’s side will only top Group H if they win and the Italians fail to beat Young Boys in Switzerland.
‘I’m not about Liverpool, I’m about the match tomorrow,’ said Mourinho. ‘Obviously we have qualified and football is football, anything can happen.
‘But normally Juventus should win the match in Switzerland, so I don’t think the result of the match tomorrow will have an impact on finishing first or second.’
Which makes Pogba’s appearance here all the more awkward for the Frenchman who trained on Tuesday in a squad that included 17-year-olds Mason Greenwood and James Garner.
‘I’m looking for him to play well and have a good impact on the game and a good impact on the team,’ added Mourinho. ‘A team without many players that don’t have many miles in their legs, a team with some players that are not playing a lot.’
It was left to Juan Mata, on his return to his old club Valencia, to strike a more positive note about Pogba.
French midfielder Paul Pogba is expected to start at the Mestalla on Wednesday evening
‘We all have better and worse moments in our careers and season,’ said Mata. ‘As a team-mate, hopefully I can do something from my side to support him and show that he will keep showing how good a player he is, and what a nice guy he is.
‘Paul is looking forward to playing and giving his best for the team, and trying to perform at his best because we all know that when he does that he is a fantastic midfielder.’
Mourinho was equally obtuse when asked about the statement his agent Jorge Mendes issued on Friday insisting that he has no plans to leave United anytime soon.
‘Which statement?’ said Mourinho. ‘No, I’ve nothing to do with the statement. It’s just a statement, it’s not my statement. I didn’t know at all and I don’t care about it.
‘Nobody in Manchester or connected with Manchester cares more about the club than myself.’
Like United, Valencia have more important matters on their mind than this evening’s encounter.
Spaniard Juan Mata answered questions ahead of United’s match against his former club
Already assured of third place and entry into this season’s Europa League, coach Marcelino will rest players and prioritise this weekend’s La Liga clash with Eibar after seeing his team sink to 15th position in the table.
‘We are altogether united in this opinion,’ he said. ‘Everything is decided for us in the Champions League. Even if this is an important match, we have many players that will not be able to play so we will be balancing every situation before making our decisions.
‘Our players are having a hard time, it’s not easy for us,’ he said. ‘When things are not going well you have to be a man and stand up to it.’
It still rankles with the Spaniards that Marouane Fellaini appeared to handle the ball before scoring United’s injury-time winner against Young Boys a fortnight ago, rendering Wednesday’s result somewhat academic.
‘It’s true that the hand of Fellaini, if he hadn’t scored, our hopes would still be intact, said midfielder Carlos Soler.
‘Obviously we are a bit p****d off with the situation, but we cannot change it so we will have to look forward.’
Pogba watched from the bench as United thrashed Fulham 4-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday