Pogba perplexed as United problems mount

French midfielder urges Solskjaer's strugglers to fix 'tactics and mentality'

MANCHESTER, England－Paul Pogba delivered a withering assessment of the state of Manchester United's form after a 4-2 defeat to Leicester left the Red Devils already five points adrift in the Premier League title race.

United has not won an English top-flight title since 2013, but was expected to challenge this season after splashing out to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane in the transfer window.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men have taken just one point from a possible nine against Aston Villa, Everton and Leicester in its last three league games.

United also crashed out of the League Cup last month and is under pressure for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Atalanta after losing its opening group game to Swiss side Young Boys.

"If we want to win the title, these are the games we need to win, even if they are very hard," Pogba told Sky Sports.

"We have been having these kinds of games for a long time and haven't found the problem. We have conceded easy and stupid goals."

United's defense was easily exposed by a Leicester side that had not won since August before Saturday.

Solskjaer started with all of Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho, Mason Greenwood and Ronaldo and hinted afterward he may have to sacrifice some of his attacking stars to better balance the side.

"We know that the fans were going to push and put pressure on us and we need to be more mature, play with more experience and arrogance－in a good way－by taking the ball and playing our football," added Pogba.

"We need to find the key for this change because we deserved to lose.

"I don't know if it is the mindset of the players. We need to change something. We need to find the mentality and tactics to win. We have to look as individuals and as a team to fix this."

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville said Solskjaer's forward players were not working hard enough defensively.

"I love them as players those five, but having them all in the same team there's not enough workhorses," said Neville.

"We needed workhorses alongside the great players. Manchester United at this moment in time is imbalanced."

Solskjaer's men had not lost an away league game since January 2020, but their shoddy defending at Leicester was in keeping with a string of unconvincing performances before the international break.

The Norwegian's future is back under the spotlight and Solskjaer hinted that he knows he has to sacrifice some of his big names going forward to rebalance his side.

"We need to look at the whole setup and balance of the team and maybe something has to give," said Solskjaer.

"We might have to change. Do we need more legs in there?"

All of Ronaldo, Sancho, Mason Greenwood, Pogba and Bruno Fernandes started, while Marcus Rashford scored on his return from injury off the bench.

"I wouldn't want to be a defender in that team," said Neville.

The pressure is rising on Solskjaer to turn things around quickly ahead of a demanding run of fixtures. Solskjaer's men face Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal in their next six Premier League games.

Meanwhile, it was a case of new owners, same old problems for Newcastle on Sunday.

Callum Wilson headed Newcastle in front only 107 seconds into the new era under Saudi ownership before the host went on to lose 3-2 to Tottenham.

The result left Newcastle stuck in the relegation zone and with no ability to spend their Saudi owners' millions on new players until the January transfer window.

Agencies