Pogba Insists He Will Be a Positive Influence on Man Utd Squad Despite Being Banned for Huge Derby
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has insisted that he intends to remain a positive influence in the dressing room throughout the duration of his three-match domestic suspension as the whole squad will still need to be pulling in the same direction for this weekend's huge Manchester derby clash.
Pogba will be forced to miss the game, as well as subsequent Premier League fixtures against Bournemouth and West Brom, as a result of the red card he picked up following a dangerous challenge on Hector Bellerin during Saturday's 3-1 win at Arsenal.
"Unfortunately, I won't play [against City], but I'll be there to help the team mentally. To win those games, you need to give everything. You need to be there offensively and defensively," the Frenchman explained to ManUtd.com.
"Mentally, I need to be there to boost the team and, hopefully, it will help. I have complete trust in the team. Even if I'm not there, I'll be there watching the game, giving positive energy and, hopefully, we're going to win," he added.
"We want to win. We need to win as well. They need to win because they know that we are behind and we are closing and closing.
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"We are still eight points behind so, with an eight-point gap, we cannot win the league. We are still behind. But if I didn't believe that [we can win it], I'd stop playing football now."
One player who definitely will play against City is Nemanja Matic after he was rested for the Champions League win over CSKA Moscow on Tuesday night.
Manager Jose Mourinho has declared that the Serbian 'will play for sure'. That is despite still carrying the injury he suffered during the win over Watford late last month.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored against City at Old Trafford last season, has a 'big chance' of being involved, while Mourinho has also stated that there is a 'chance' of Phil Jones and Marouane Fellaini returning to action. Eric Bailly and Michael Carrick remain out.
