Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba was reportedly told not to get himself sent off, just 15 minutes before being sent off against Liverpool.
Pogba was left out of the starting XI as Man United hosted Liverpool. Having been brought onto the pitch with his side 4-0 down at half-time, he probably felt as though he had a point to prove.
Unfortunately for the Frenchman, and his Man United teammates, he was on the field of play for merely a quarter of an hour, having seen red for a nasty challenge on Liverpool’s Naby Keita.
Getting sent off under any circumstances is, of course, a mistake, but Pogba piled the misery on his side and ended any prospect of the Red Devils giving their fans something to celebrate.
So it turns out, Pogba was also specifically told NOT to do exactly what he did after 15 minutes on the pitch. Man United journalist Andy Mitten wrote the following in his column for GQ.
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“Paul Pogba apologised to his teammates after his tackle led to him being sent off – just after he’d come on against Liverpool.”
“That was after he was specifically told at half-time, before coming on, not to do anything stupid such as get sent off.”
Pogba has never been particularly good at following instructions, but you get the impression this is the midfielder directly going against his orders, rather than making a silly mistake.
There is not thought to be any love lost between Pogba and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Did he head out on the pitch with the sole intention of getting him sacked?