Sam Allardyce critical of ‘inconsistent’ Paul Pogba

Former England manager Sam Allardyce has been critical of midfielder Paul Pogba after he failed to show up during Manchester United’s shock 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur. The France international started the campaign with a man of the match showing versus Leicester City but he has since looked off-peak with his performance.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Allardyce was defensive of under-fire manager Jose Mourinho and suggested that United were the dominant side despite the result. However, he did not have any sympathy for Pogba, who struggled to gain control over the likes of Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier in the centre of the park.

He said: “United fans have been waiting for a consistent level of performances from Paul Pogba for so long now. Is it ever going to materialise at 25 now? He is at his peak. You have to hold your hands up and say you have not quite got what you expected on a consistent basis.

When he plays well, he plays exceptionally well. His goals against Manchester City last season and his performance when he got moved just behind the front man was terrific, but we just haven't seen enough.”
Pogba joined United from Juventus two years ago with the expectation that he would become the leader of the team, but he has not managed to live up to the hype. No doubt, the Frenchman has been able to produce standout performances with the most notable coming during the Manchester derby last term but there has not been the consistency which the fans and pundits have demanded.

Despite this, the Frenchman remains an undisputed starter for United under Jose Mourinho and he has the opportunity to make amends when the Red Devils take on Burnley on the road this term. Pogba has already netted two goals this season but both of them have resulted from penalties conceded by the opposition.