MANCHESTER UNITED’s Old Trafford nightmare against Liverpool went from bad to worse when Paul Pogba was sent off for a horror lunge.
The substitute had only been on the pitch for 14 MINUTES after coming on at half-time in the Red Devils’ 5-0 humiliation at the hand of their bitter rivals.
Pogba was given his marching orders, after a VAR review, for a dodgy two-footed tackle on Naby Keita.
The sending off compounded a miserable afternoon for the Red Devils who remain seventh behind Brighton and Tottenham.
And it means the Old Trafford side could now be without Pogba for more crunch clashes on the horizon, first against Tottenham and then the Manchester derby with Man City.
United legend Paul Scholes was irate, and suggested Pogba – whose contract expires in the summer – should NEVER play for the club again.
Scholes told Premier League productions: “Paul Pogba coming on to the pitch at half time to try to help the team and maybe get a little bit of respectability about it, tries to stand on the ball, tries to show how strong he is in the middle of the pitch… gives the goal away.
“The later on gets sent off with a ridiculous tackle, now you’re 5-0 down with 10 men.
“You’d have to think, if Ole’s still a manager there, will we see Paul Pogba again in a United shirt?
“He’s caused mayhem over the last couple of years. Everybody knows what a talent he is, everybody trusts him, every manager trusts him, tried to give him his head and let him be the player he’s been.
“But with all the commotion, not signing his contract, almost holding the club to ransom, and then he comes on and does something like that.
“It’s not Ole’s fault, don’t get me wrong, but that’s part of it which almost summed the United performance up today.
“Look, he probably will play [again] won’t he? But I don’t think they will be missing anything if he doesn’t.
“He’s had numerous chances, he keeps saying he lacks consistency, but that is just [a lack of] discipline and disrespect for your manager and your team-mates, what he’s done today.”
Liverpool got on the scoresheet soon after kick-off with a resurgent Keita netting his second Prem goal in six top-flight appearances.
And confusion in defence between Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw led to Diogo Jota burying a low cross from Trent Alexander Arnold.
His strike saw Liverpool’s lead doubled by the 15th minute.
The on-fire Mo Salah who teed Keita up for Liverpool’s first opened his scoring account minutes after the half-hour mark.
The Ballon d’Or nominee who has netted in ten consecutive games, slotted home a Keita pass for his first before pocketing Liverpool’s fourth close to half-time.
Solskjaer, who saw his players booed off after torrid opening half, decided to make a change in attack for the second spell.
And the gaffer brought Pogba on for Mason Greenwood in the hope of reversing his side’s fortunes.
However, the contest went from bad to worse for his side with Salah nabbing his hat-trick following an excellent through ball from Jordan Henderson.
And Pogba 60th dismissal for his tackle on Keita following a VAR check saw the Red Devils end the match with ten players.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
