Paul Pogba Thanks Jose Mourinho for Keeping Him on Man United PK Duty
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has thanked manager Jose Mourinho for letting him stay on penalty duty for the Champions League clash with Young Boys this week, having missed from the spot during a Premier League encounter with Burnley last month.
Pogba's kick, preceded by his customary new tip-toe run up, was saved by Clarets stopper Joe Hart. But when a controversial handball presented United with another penalty against the Swiss champions, the Frenchman stepped up with Moutinho's blessing and made no mistake.
"I had no doubt about taking the penalty," Pogba, who had scored Premier League penalties against both Leicester and Brighton prior to the Burnley miss, told MUTV.
"I know I missed that one, but I told [Mourinho] I won't do the same mistake this time. I had the confidence of the players as well, they let me take it too, so I thank them for this and I thank the manager," he added.
"The most important thing was to put the ball in and that's what happened, so I'm happy.
"Very happy to score, very happy to help my team and very happy with the result as well. We had the result that we all wanted. It was a very good start for us and we have to carry on like this."
Pogba wore the captain's armband for United in place of absent skipper Antonio Valencia, as he also did earlier in the season when the Ecuadorian was sidelined, and his penalty gratitude towards Mourinho has even been perceived as a thawing of their apparently frosty relationship.
Pogba also scored United's first goal on the night and earned Mourinho's praise for his performance.
"It was good. He felt a bit tired in the last part of the game, that's why I took him off, but yeah, he was solid, class, giving the team the pace that we need sometimes," the United manager explained as he faced the media afterwards, via ManUtd.com.
"To increase the pace, keep the possession and just keep control of the tempo. Of course he scored a very good goal and the penalty showed personality, because when you miss a penalty you have doubts about taking the next one, but there were no doubts for him."
