Frank Leboeuf believes Paul Pogba’s best position right now is on the bench after he let Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side down against Arsenal on Sunday.
Pogba started his first Premier League game since Manchester United’s 6-1 defeat by Tottenham on Sunday when the Red Devils faced Arsenal.
However, having given away a penalty in that drubbing by Spurs, the Frenchman again conceded a penalty, which helped see Arsenal finally overcome United at Old Trafford in the Premier League for the first time since 2006.
Speaking of United’s performance and Solskjaer’s decision to move Pogba to the left wing, Leboeuf told ESPN: ‘I don’t know if there is any explanation [for United’s form].
‘It was a random win against Leipzig and a lucky one.
‘What we have seen in the Premier League is not good enough from Manchester United. The level drops dramatically.
‘It was very strange to see that diamond midfield because Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted Pogba in the middle of the park, where he is clearly a problem because he changed him in the second half, putting him on the left wing almost.
‘He doesn’t know what to do with Pogba. Solskjaer has to rethink his position, maybe the best position for Pogba right now is the bench.’
Pogba owned up to his ‘stupid mistake’ after he gave away a penalty in their 1-0 defeat.
The French midfielder claimed that United’s performance as a team was not good enough and he took responsibility for tripping Hector Bellerin inside the box.
Pogba admitted that defending inside the box is not one of his strong points and one that he must improve.
He said: ‘When you try to touch the ball before the guy, I felt like I touched him a bit. I knew I was in the box and I knew it would be a mistake.
‘At the end, I shouldn’t give a penalty like that. I should let him take the ball and try to block the cross.
‘Maybe I was bit out of breath because of the running just before and that made me do this stupid mistake. I will learn from that.
‘I am not the best defensively in the box and I have to work on this. I can always improve on that.’
The result has left United in 15th place in the table – sitting nine points behind frontrunners Liverpool.
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