POGBA GOES MISSING
Paul Pogba had led the Manchester United revival with eight goals and five assists since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was hired as caretaker manager in December.
The stage was set for the Frenchman to reaffirm his place among the world's top players on Tuesday, but instead the midfielder produced an oddly diffident performance that recalled the dark days of the Jose Mourinho era.
The 25-year-old made only 31 completed passes, his fewest in a match under Solskjaer.
In a fittingly downbeat coda, Pogba was sent off just before full-time, catching Dani Alves for a second booking that rules him out of the return leg on March 6.
REALITY BITES FOR OLE
Solskjaer's Midas touch finally wore off a little as the flaws that plagued United under his predecessor, Mourinho, returned to bite the interim boss.
Since arriving to replace Mourinho, the Norwegian had masterminded such a remarkable revival that United headed into Tuesday's game on the back of 10 wins in 11 unbeaten matches in all competitions.
But a host of defensive mistakes and a lack of creativity in midfield showed that the team lacked quality against the top sides in crucial areas.
Paris Saint-Germain duly exploited sloppy defending and United's flat attacking play to seize control.
SPEED KILLS
No Neymar? No Edinson Cavani? No problem for PSG, as Kylian Mbappe rose to the occasion with a blistering display of his electric pace and predatory finishing.
Brazil forward Neymar is out for 10 weeks with a broken metatarsal while Uruguay striker Cavani was sidelined after suffering a hip problem last weekend.
Fortunately for PSG, France forward Mbappe, who has 23 goals in 27 games this season, was simply unstoppable.
United defenders Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof were brutally exposed by Mbappe's searing pace as he raced clear to meet Angel di Maria's cross with a clinical finish and delivered the killer blow in the 60th minute.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Soccer: Hegerberg-less Norway canter past Nigeria Saturday, June 08, 2019 4:12 p.m. CDT Soccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Guro Reiten
Soccer: Hegerberg-less Norway canter past Nigeria | News | i106.7
Soccer Football - FA Cup Third Round - Manchester United v Reading - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 5, 2019 Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the match REUT
Solskjaer unimpressed as United ease past Reading in Cup
Football: Four Albirex Niigata players to watch in the 2019 Singapore Premier League. Albirex Niigata could sign up to four Singaporean players in a boost for 2019 SEA Games. Dec 12, 2018, 12
2019 Singapore Premier League - Wikipedia
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 08, 2019, with the headline 'Guardiola expects twists in title race'. Print Edition | Subscribe.
Guardiola expecting twists and turns in title race
LONDON: Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba quickly deleted a controversial social media post of him smiling after manager Jose Mourinho was sacked by the club on Tuesday.
Football: Pogba deletes cryptic post of him smiling after
worldsportstale.com/soccer/football-pogba-deletes-cryptic-post-of-him-smiling-after-mourinho-is-axed/
12/19/2018 Comments Off on Football: Pogba deletes cryptic post of him smiling after Mourinho is axed LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba quickly deleted a controversial social media post of him smiling after manager Jose Mourinho was sacked by the club on Tuesday (Dec 18).
Pogba deletes cryptic post after Mourinho axed - guardian.ng
Tottenham's Harry Kane has been ruled out until March with an ankle injury. Scans have revealed the England captain damaged ligaments in his left ankle during Sunday's defeat to Manchester United
Football: Placing faith in home-grown talent is the way forward for Valencia, says club president Anil Murthy Mar 11, 2019, 9:54 pm Barcelona can end Real's title hopes
Valencia appoint Anil Murthy as president | Daily Mail Online
Man City appeal possible Champions League ban By superliga On Jun 6, 2019 0 Lausanne (AFP) - Manchester City have launched a legal bid to stop UEFA banning them from the 2020-2021 Champions League , the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Monday.
Man City appeal possible Champions League ban - worldfootball.net
Singapore S.League 2019 table, full stats, livescores. League, teams and player statistics. Check S.League 2019 page and find many useful statistics with chart.
PSG's Dani Alves house burgled during match. Paris Saint-Germain's Dani Alves, Neymar and Thiago Silva walk on the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on February 13, 2018 on the
PSG's Dani Alves house burgled during match - L'Equipe
Winks: Spurs players "fuming" at Wolves loss but denies "Spursy" tag Spurs players "fuming" at Wolves loss but denies "Spursy everyone is fuming. "Listen, when people say
Latest TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR | The Straits Times
- 'Typical' English title race - City won the title last season with a Premier League record total of 100 points last season, but Guardiola sees that kind of dominance as an anomaly in English football. "I would say it's typical in England, this kind of situation," he said of this season's close fight.
Guardiola expecting twists and turns in title race
Three-times champions Iran came through an early scare before marching confidently into the Asian Cup quarter-finals for the 13th time in 14 attempts with a 2-0 victory over a spirited Oman team. on Sunday. Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand saved an Oman penalty in the opening minute but a goal from winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh and a successful
Soccer: Jahanbakhsh on target as Iran ease past Oman into
0 comments:
Post a Comment