Solskjaer deserves Manchester United job after restoring confidence, Pogba says

Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has restored the confidence and freedom the team lacked towards the end of Jose Mourinho’s tenure, midfielder Paul Pogba has said.

The Frenchman said the Norwegian now deserves to take over full time in view of this.

Former Manchester United striker Solskjaer has rejuvenated the team since replacing the sacked Mourinho in December.

He has helped them to win 10 out of the 13 English Premier League (EPL) games since his appointment and to also reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

“We want him to stay. The results have been great. I have a great relationship with him, he has a great relationship with the players,” Pogba said.

“When a player is happy, he wants to keep being happy. Solskjaer deserves it. He knows the club, he knows everything about the club. He is a really happy coach that gave confidence back to the players.

“This gave us the freedom to play and enjoy football again because maybe we lost that with the results we had before.”

In spite of winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, Pogba struggled for form under Mourinho who benched him.

But the 26-year-old is back to his best under Solskjaer with nine goals and seven assists in all competitions.

“Maybe we lost confidence, maybe things went wrong. A lot of talking outside that we weren’t used to,” Pogba said, reflecting on the final part of Mourinho’s tenure.

“I don’t like to talk about the past. I like to talk about the future because that’s what matters. We’re better now and the results have been brilliant.”

Manchester United are fifth in the EPL with 58 points from 30 matches and within three points of third-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

They take on FC Barcelona in the last eight round of the UEFA Champions League in April.