Jose Mourinho defends Paul Pogba after Manchester United’s draw with Arsenal

Amazingly Jose Mourinho defended Paul Pogba after their 2-2 draw with Arsenal by saying that the France international’s contribution brought profit to his team. Pogba and Romelu Lukaku were named among the substitutes at Old Trafford following a disappointing draw away to Southampton at the weekend. The midfielder was forced to watch on from the bench on Wednesday night but then he replaced Lingard in the 75th minute remaining at Old Trafford and Mourinho was satisfied with the Frenchman’s display off the bench. "I think Paul played well,’ Mourinho said following the draw. The 15 minutes he was on the pitch he played well, in a moment where our defenders couldn’t push up. "Every time David de Gea had the ball all my defenders were dead in front of him and I want the team to come up, I want the defensive line to push up, I want to play in the opposition half. At that moment we have Fellaini, we have [Romelu] Lukaku, we have Paul, but every time David had the ball, everybody was dead." When a reporter suggested that United’s players looked ‘happier’ without Pogba in the starting XI, Mourinho replied: "I don’t understand where you want me to go. No. As I was saying, I think Paul came on and gave a good contribution and didn’t give a bad contribution. I brought freshness and power and different qualities to the attacking players but our defenders were dead. Was impossible to take them out."

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