A lot of criticism has fallen at the feet of Sir Alex Ferguson for allowing Paul Pogba to leave United in 2012 on a free transfer.

Pogba returned to Old Trafford for £89million this summer, and many consider the deal the worst business ever made by a football club.

Sir Alex Ferguson was a major contributor to Pogba leaving four years ago, but the Scottish manager was correct to allow the midfielder to leave despite the fact that Pogba achieved resounding success post-Manchester United.

United’s position under Ferguson was a far cry from the mess the club currently finds themselves in. Four years ago, Ferguson had United at the summit of the league, which was a position they spent two decades at. Re-signing Pogba was a must for United this summer as the club were required to make a statement of intent.

But here are three reasons why Sir Alex was right to wave goodbye to the French midfielder in 2012…

Played under better managers at Juventus

At Manchester United, Pogba would have been guided by Ferguson’s tutelage for just one season before the Scot retired. David Moyes famously replaced the United legend before being sacked just months later. Louis van Gaal was expected to be saviour. when the reality was he was even worse than Moyes.

At Juventus, Pogba was guided by tactical masterminds such as Antonio Conte and Max Allegri. Their outstanding success at the Old Lady proved Pogba would learn from better managers in Italy, than in England.

Mino Raiola’s control

One thing that ensured Ferguson’s supremacy at United was the fact he never beckoned to player demands during his 26-year stint.

Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola was dictating situations behind the scenes in 2012, which is something the United boss refused to tolerate.

Raiola’s demands for his client not unreasonable at the time, but they left a sour taste in the manager’s mouth. Ferguson could never have lived with himself had he let the Frenchman and his agent overrule him.

Italy improved his overall game

The Italian league is notorious for player development and turning average players into world class performers. This was certainly the case in Pogba’s situation, as the French international became a household name for his performances at Juventus.

Marcos Alonso recently branded Italy a “footballing University” and in Pogba’s case, he graduated with a first-class honours degree. He has returned to England a far better player, with the foundation of his success being based on the Italian approach and defensive strategy.

During the north London derby on Sunday afternoon, you may have noticed Jan Vertonghen tug on the shirt of Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka in the Tottenham penalty box as the ball came over from a corner. This time last year, we may not have thought too much about it afterwards, but thanks to a new start of season initiative to penalise shirt pulling in the box – and its application, most notably by Mike Dean, in the first few weeks of the campaign – you may have heard BT Sport’s commentators wonder what on Earth had happened to that new direction given to referees.

‘It seems to have died a death,’ remarked main commentator Darren Fletcher, whilst co-commentator Steve McManaman lamented, ‘I liked it when they gave penalties for those,’ as though pining for some far off erstwhile reality in which Mike Dean was a figure of reason and hope.

Whether or not you think that ‘grappling’ should be worthy of a penalty or not, we can probably all get behind the idea that two months ago, that Vertonghen shirt pull would have been penalised – or at the very least, been the catalyst for a moan about the consistency of refereeing.

So, what happened?

The new initiative was talked about at the start of the season, before it all kicked off in Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium on the second weekend of the season. That, at least, meant that players knew the risks they were taking before they did it.

The difference the application made – two penalties given in that City Stoke game – was drastic, and it seemed to make Mark Hughes change Stoke’s approach to dealing with set plays. They switched to marking zonally for a few games, presumably to prevent Ryan Shawcross from grabbing hold of a man he was supposed to be marking.

But recently that crack down does indeed seem to have ‘died a death’ since then. Stoke and champions Leicester City, who had been some of the most high profile offenders in that area last season are now starting to pick up more points than they did at the start of the season (that’s probably not solely due to the relaxation of the rule, but both sides did concede heavily from set-pieces at the start of the season, and perhaps the fact that penalties aren’t being given as readily means they are more confident at dealing with corners and free kicks as a result).

There’s no doubt that it was farcical at the start, but perhaps that’s the problem with making change when it comes to any of football’s ills. If you give red cards for diving, or if you give penalties for shirt pulling, what you’re trying to do is stamp out a side of the game no one wants to see. Cruel punishments in the short term to make the game kinder in the long run.

The problem isn’t with the theory, though. Remember that in England, referees don’t come out after the game to explain themselves, they come to referee the game and stay away from the spotlight. Only, any dodgy call thrusts them directly into the spotlight without any chance to defend themselves – and anger only breeds more anger.

We can’t stamp out the things we hate about the game until we give referees more respect, or until we stop fetishising their mistakes. It’s time to grow up. It is too easy for fans and media cheerleaders to blame their team’s defeat on a dodgy decision – referees are humans and make mistakes, just like footballers do in every game. When footballers make mistakes, we criticise them and that’s fair enough: but we don’t hang them out to dry in the same way as we do with referees, and we almost always try to explain why they did what they did, even if it doesn’t excuse them. We do not afford the same respect or understanding to referees when we criticise them

The media scrutiny and the pressure on referees to be robots and get every decision right without recourse to the technology that ‘rips the soul out of the game’ is why bad things happen to good initiatives. This is why we can’t have nice things.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Manchester United know they need just a point against Zorya Luhansk in Ukraine on Thursday night to guarantee their qualification to the knockout stages of the Europa League.

While the Red Devils have been victorious in all of their Group A fixtures at Old Trafford, defeats away at Feyenoord and Fenerbahce mean that their fate is still to be decided, and another loss on their travels could spell the end of their European campaign.

Things haven’t been going well for Jose Mourinho’s men in the Premier League, with the 1-1 draw against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday being their fourth in their last five matches, which has left them in sixth position in the table and 13 points behind leaders Chelsea.

They are also nine points from the Champions League spots and winning the Europa League could prove to be their best chance of reaching Europe’s premier competition next term on current form.

Here is FootballFanCast’s United XI that should get past Zorya…

GK: Sergio Romero

The Argentine stopper has made three appearances for Man United this season, and with two of those coming in the Europa League – including the home match against Zorya Luhansk – he should get the nod in Ukraine, especially with Mourinho’s men hosting Tottenham on Sunday.

Romero secured two clean sheets in those Europa League fixtures, and keeping a third would be enough to see the Red Devils through to the knockout stages of the competition.

RB: Matteo Darmian

As we mentioned previously, with United facing a big match against Tottenham at Old Trafford on Sunday, Mourinho could choose to rest Antonio Valencia for a fixture that United need only a draw from, which could mean that Darmian is given a rare start in his preferred right-back spot.

The Italian played on the left-hand side against Everton on Sunday, but he should revert to the opposite side in Ukraine, where he will look to offer the side an attacking threat, as well as staying solid defensively.

CB: Eric Bailly

After missing more than a month of action because of a knee injury suffered in the 4-0 defeat at Chelsea in October, Bailly was back on the substitutes’ bench for the clash against Everton and he could well be given a start at Zorya as he looks to get his match fitness back.

Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo have started the last five matches at centre-back, but at least one of them is likely to be rested with the Spurs match in Mourinho’s mind. Bailly should be the man to step in.

CB: Marcos Rojo

The Argentine defender has started the last five matches alongside Phil Jones at the heart of United’s defence because of injuries to the likes of Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling, and he could be named in the line-up again for the trip to Ukraine.

Rojo was fortunate not to be red-carded for a two-footed tackle on Everton’s Idrissa Gueye on Sunday, and he will need to be more disciplined for what could be another tough away trip for the Red Devils in Europe.

LB: Daley Blind

Luke Shaw has often been preferred at left-back in Europa League matches this term, but with the England international having picked up a knock, Mourinho might not want to risk him for the trip to Ukraine.

Blind has played in a number of positions during his United career, but he could find himself in his more familiar left-sided role in Eastern Europe.

He was an unused substitute against Everton which should mean that he has the energy to make an impact at both ends of the pitch at Zorya.

CM: Ander Herrera

With the likes of Paul Pogba, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini to choose from in central midfield, Herrera has found first-team minutes hard to come by at points this season.

However, the Spaniard started in the draw with Everton on Sunday, and he could be given the nod in the middle of the park again on Thursday night with Carrick – and maybe even Paul Pogba – getting rested ahead of the clash against his former team Tottenham at Old Trafford this weekend.

CM: Marouane Fellaini

Fellaini was public enemy number one for United fans on Sunday after clumsily giving away a last minute penalty in the 1-1 draw against Everton on his 100th appearance for the club.

The Belgian midfielder was brought on help protect his side’s lead and to deal with the Toffees’ direct play, but his mistake saw the Red Devils drop two points.

Fellaini will be desperate to put things right and he may well get the chance in Ukraine as he seems to be more suited to European matches.

RAM: Jesse Lingard

After starting the season in the XI, Lingard has found first-team minutes harder to come by in recent weeks and he has often been sat on the substitutes’ bench.

However, with United needing only a draw in Zorya and with the Ukrainian side taking just two points from their five Europa League group matches, Lingard should be given the opportunity to impress and put himself in contention for a start against Spurs.

CAM: Wayne Rooney

The former Everton man was suspended for his current club’s 1-1 draw at Goodison Park on Sunday, and that break from action should see him reinstated into the starting XI on Thursday night.

The England captain is just one goal short of matching Sir Bobby Charlton’s total of 249 for United, and he will want to match and beat that as soon as possible, as well as adding to the 39 times he has netted in Europe – another club record.

LAM: Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Jose Mourinho deemed the Armenia international unready to play for United’s first-team following a disappointing display in the defeat to Manchester City in September, but Mkhitaryan has certainly proved he can cut it in recent weeks and he will hope to provide the spark the club needs in Ukraine.

The attacking midfielder was named as the Man of the Match in the wins against Feyenoord and West Ham in the Europa League and EFL Cup respectively, while he also impressed against Everton, too.

ST: Anthony Martial

The arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the summer has limited Martial’s time on the pitch this term, but he should be given the chance to impress in the striker’s spot in Ukraine.

The French forward comes into this Europa League clash in good form having scored twice in the 4-1 win against West Ham in the EFL Cup last week, while he also assisted Ibrahimovic for his strike against Everton on Sunday.

Following the departure of striker Rudy Gestede to Middlesbrough for a fee in the region of £6.5m last week, Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce could be searching for a replacement for the tall attacker before the end of theÂtransfer window, although some of his targets may not be available until the summer.The Benin international joined the Villans from Blackburn Rovers in 2015 and with an impressive scoring record during his time at Ewood Park, hopes were high that he could fire for the Midlands outfit. But it never happened and he departed the Championship side having netted just tenÂgoals in 55 appearances.

With Bruce’s preferred option up top – Jonathan Kodjia – and fellow forward Jordan Ayew away at the Africa Cup of Nations, and summer signing Ross McCormack’s future seemingly uncertain after he has struggled to break into the starting XI, buying a striker could be a priority for the Villa manager this month.

Here are FOUR that could replace Gestede at Villa Park…

Ashley Fletcher

Following a successful loan spell with Barnsley last season, in which he scored nine goals in 27 appearances, the striker would have been confident of making an impression at West Ham after sealing a move to the London Stadium from Manchester United during the summer.

However, the 21-year-old has found first-team minutes hard to come by in an Irons side that has largely struggled, and he may need to look for another temporary move away for the remainder of the campaign.

The tall attacker is surely one that would be on Steve Bruce’s radar, and if he wants to strengthen his frontline this month, then Fletcher could be one of the best options on the market right now.

Sam Gallagher

Blackburn Rovers continue to struggle at the wrong end of the Championship table, but one of the bright sparks of their season has been the form of Southampton loanee Sam Gallagher up top.

The 6ft. 4″ striker, who made 18 appearances for the Saints in the Premier League in the 2013/14 campaign, has impressed with his hold-up play for Rovers this term, while he has also netted an impressive nine league goals.

With his height and his goalscoring ability, as well as the fact he is still just 21, the young attacker could be the perfect replacement for Gestede, although any deal would have to wait until his loan deal at Ewood Park ends in the summer.

Jordan Rhodes

Despite Middlesbrough struggling to score goals this season – they have netted just 17 in their 20 Premier League matches, which is the joint-lowest alongside Hull City – the previously prolific Jordan RhodesÂhas struggled to get many first-team minutes under Aitor Karanka.

The arrival of his former Blackburn Rovers team-mate Gestede at the Riverside Stadium seems to have sealed his future, and the Scottish attacker is surely one that Steve Bruce will be keeping a close eye on.

The 26-year-old scored 83 goals in 159 Championship appearances during his time at Ewood Park, and Bruce will know that he is getting a player that is proven at this level if he brings Rhodes to Villa Park.

Tammy Abraham

Not too many people would have heard of Tammy Abraham before the start of this season, but they certainly have now.

The Chelsea striker has scored 17 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions on loan at Villa’s Championship rivals Bristol City this term and as well as his impressive record in front of goal, he also stands at 6ft. 4″ tall – coming in at a similar height to Gestede.

While any deal wouldn’t be done until the summer, the battle to sign Abraham could be a big one following his performances this season, and the current Premier League leaders might even want him back if he keeps this form up.

Arsene Wenger seems to be quietly confident that Mesut Ozil will secure his future to Arsenal and stated the German’s recent comments have been misinterpreted.

What’s the word?

Mesut Ozil made headlines last weekend with comments in German publication Kicker, where he suggested he wants to know what Arsene Wenger’s future is before he puts pen to paper on a renewal.

Ozil’s contract with Arsenal is due to expire in 18 months time, whilst Wenger sees his deal come to a close at the end of the season and it remains to be seen whether the Frenchman will extend his 21-year stint at the Emirates Stadium.

[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]

However, despite the seemingly bleak outlook, Wenger suggested that Ozil’s comments have been misinterpreted and seemed quietly confident the World Cup winner will remain at the Emirates Stadium.

What was said?

“He would like to know what happens, of course, on the managerial front. But I don’t think that’s the main part of his decision. It is part of it, but it’s not the only thing. There are many other ingredients in any negotiation, and hopefully we’ll find a conclusion very quickly with him.”

“I do not want to go too much into detail on that because that can be quickly interpreted in the wrong way. We have to keep that as quiet as possible and try to find an agreement, and at the end of the day respect our line of conduct that we always have.”

Will Ozil extend?

It’s anyone’s guess at the moment but Ozil seems more likely to pen a new deal than Alexis Sanchez, although both superstars will need to be convinced of the Gunners’ ability to compete with the best clubs in Europe.

The second-half of the Premier League campaign and the return to Champions League action will be crucial this season, whilst Arsenal will continue to push for a breakthrough behind the scenes.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

This weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures would be a little flat if it weren’t for the saving grace of Manchester City hosting Spurs on Saturday in the late kick-off. The two teams are poles apart on the form table right now, but big games can often be a leveler, and we’re so excited by this one that we’ve made it our Fixture in Focus here at Football FanCast.

Even though they are the away team, Mauricio Pochettino’s Lilywhites will be entering this one high on confidence given their performances of late. Indeed, a run of six straight league victories has catapulted them up the table and into second place, sparking talk of another title challenge – which seemed a long shot when they had drawn six of their opening eleven matches.

We’re sure the Argentine gaffer has a plan in place to beat Pep Guardiola’s out-of-sorts Man City, but just in case he doesn’t, we’ve kindly put together a how-to-guide…

Formation: 3-4-2-1

http://lineupbuilder.com/350×500/?p=11&a=1&t=&c=031c59&1=GK_Lloris__388_174&2=DCLL_Davies__317_114&3=DC_Alderweireld__327_174&4=DCRR_Dier__317_235&5=ML_Rose__242_52&6=MC_Dembele__213_147&7=MC_Wanyama__213_204&8=MR_Walker__245_290&9=AC_Alli__141_127&10=AC_Eriksen__142_217&11=FCA_Kane__80_174&c2=b8af04&c3=fcfcfc&output=embed

Pochettino has a real dilemma when it comes to picking a system for this game. With Jan Vertonghen injured, there must be a temptation on his part to revert from the 3-4-2-1 that has been serving the Londoners so well of late and move back to a tried and tested 4-2-3-1, but we think the Argentine should be bold stick with his current set-up.

The logical choice to step straight in is Ben Davies amid doubts surrounding Kevin Wimmer’s future, which were somewhat highlighted last weekend when he was missing from the bench vs. West Brom. The Welshman will have solid team-mates in Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld alongside him and should be able to use his ability on the ball to funnel passes into the midfield.

Further forward the wing-backs pick themselves in Kyle Walker and Danny Rose, who will need to be at their energetic best to give Pochettino’s team width, while Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele will provide the physicality and aggression in midfield to hassle Man City’s ball-players.

Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli should play off Harry Kane up front in the sort of positions that will allow them to sit in when Spurs don’t have the ball and press from the front, blocking passing lanes and forcing Man City’s centre-backs to go long or back to Claudio Bravo. This set-up obviously has attacking benefits, too, with the pair close enough to Kane to offer him the support and runners beyond he needs.

Man City’s weakness: Inability to cope with the high-press

It’s more complicated that just ‘getting in Man City’s faces’ in terms of pressing, but there’s no doubt that the Citizens are weak when faced with a team who are desperate to work hard and close them down across the pitch. In that respect, the Lilywhites are their kryptonite, with Pochettino’s team based around energy and pressing. If the likes of Alli and Eriksen can block passing lanes high up the pitch, Man City will struggle to get the ball in to their dangerous attacking cast. They could go long, but in Wanyama, Dembele, Alderweireld and Dier, Spurs have the height and physicality to overpower them.

Granted, it’s not always possible to simply press players of Man City’s quality out of a game, but Everton showed last week that, in their current state, Guardiola’s side are more vulnerable than ever to such an approach. Likewise, Spurs can take heart from their 2-0 win over the sky-blue-clad outfit at White Hart Lane earlier this season.

Dangerman: Raheem Sterling

Although there’s a popular narrative that Sterling is a weak-willed player who can be bullied out of games, the winger is actually a spiky character with good physicality who can come to the fore in important matches. When Man City slipped to defeat at Liverpool on New Year’s Eve, he was their best player and looked a constant threat when on the ball. With Spurs likely to offer some space in behind their wing-backs, the England international will need to be watched closely.

Give him too much time and his ball control will allow him to drive into the box, while he has the wherewithal to thread neat passes that the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero can make use of. The best approach may be to limit his time from first touch to second to prevent him from a) spinning away and b) getting enough time to make a decisive move.

Key Spurs man: Christian Eriksen

With four assists in his last four league games, Eriksen is quietly Spurs’ dangerman. Harry Kane and Dele Alli have been sharing the headlines, but the Dane’s passing and energy make this Tottenham team tick in the final third, while his positional awareness make him a key cog for Pochettino going the other way.

The one-time Ajax ace will have to be at his best on both fronts vs. Man City, but he has shown he can do it on the big occasion, with his performance in the recent win at home to Chelsea a case in point.

[ad_pod id=’now-tv-editorial’ align=’centre’]

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho confirmed on Tuesday that Wayne Rooney will not be joining a Chinese Super League club in this transfer window, but some fans wish he would.

The Mirror has reported that the England captain is seriously considering a move to the Far East after a handful of clubs offered him staggering contracts worth £140m.

Rooney has been playing for the Red Devils for the past 13 years, but it is believed that he is questioning his future due to his bit-part role this season.

The forward has started just eight Premier League fixtures and has come off the bench in eight, but he still managed to become United’s all-time leading scorer after netting his 250th in a 1-1 draw with Stoke, which surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton’s record.

[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]

Indications are, though, that he will continue to play a cameo role under Mourinho, and at the age of 31, it would be normal for Rooney to think about the final years of his career.

With the transfer window in China not closing until February 28, there is still a chance that the former Everton star could be poached, but Mourinho told reporters in Tuesday’s press conference that his captain will stay at the club until the end of the season.

“We don’t have players in, we don’t have players out. We already lost two players from the squad.”

Mourinho also confirmed that Ashley Young, who has also been linked to China and a handful of Premier League clubs, will be staying put until the summer.

Some fans have not exactly been jumping for joy over the news, though.

[ad_pod id=’Shoot-Xmas-Survey’ align=’left’]

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Football fans were left astonished last night as PSG recorded a shock result over European giants Barcelona in the Champions League.

The Parc de Princes clash showed early signs of being an incredibly open game, but few predicted how one-sided it’d be as the home outfit recorded a 4-0 win that, in truth, could have ended up being a much greater margin as Barcelona produced one of their most passive performances in recent memory.

[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]

Although every PSG player left the pitch with their head held high, there were undoubtedly standout performers within Unai Emery’s side, not least including right-back Thomas Meunier.

It’s not often right-backs get much joy when trying to stop one of the best players in the world in Brazilian sensation Neymar, but the Belgium international was hugely influential at both ends of the pitch.

Indeed, as our infographic shows, Meunier completed eight tackles, seven clearances and won two aerial duels – all three being the highest returns of any player involved in the match – but also popped up at the other end with an assist, after a mazy dribble from defence allowed him to slot through Edinson Cavani for PSG’s fourth.

Curiously, on the morning before PSG’s demolition job over Barca, Meunier told Belgian outlet DH that he’d love to play in the Premier League one day and he’s a big fan of Manchester United. As translated by The Daily Mail, he said…

“I’ve always said that one day, I would like to play in the Premier League. I’m very happy in Paris and if I finish my career there, it won’t be a disappointment, far from it. But, if one day, I had to leave Paris, why not?

“On the other side of the channel, there are the stadiums, the fans, and I’ve never hidden that I’m a big fan of Manchester United, which remains, in my eyes, the real reference in the world of football.”

Manchester United’s current right-back situation is a rather curious one. Converted winger Antonio Valencia has made the position his own this term, but he’s not a natural defender and will turn 32 before the start of next season.

Meunier, on the other hand, is much more befitting of the Jose Mourinho mould, comparable to former Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic through his towering 6 foot 3 frame. So, should the 25-year-old be on United’s transfer agenda this summer? Should he be Mourinho’s long-term choice at No.2? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

[ad_pod id=’Shoot-Xmas-Survey’ align=’left’]

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Former Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has give credit to his old club following an important result in the hunt for Premier League promotion.The Magpies came from behind to earn a 2-1 victory over challengers Brighton on Tuesday night.Mohamed Diame scored a fluke equaliser late into the second half, cancelling out Glenn Murray’s 14th-minute penalty.Rafael Benitez’s side completed the comeback thanks to Ayoze Perez’s low strike from right yards out with two minutes of normal time remaining.The result has moved Newcastle back to the top of the Championship, and now that they are eight points above the playoff spots, automatic promotion to the top flight is looking likely.Barton, who spent four years playing for Newcastle between 2007 and 2011, can at times spark controversy on social media.This time, though, the 34-year-old, who now plays for Burnley, was complimentary about his former club, who were relegated to the second tier last season shortly after Benitez took over as manager.

[ad_pod id=’Shoot-Xmas-Survey’ align=’left’]

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

A number of Leeds United supporters were not best pleased when Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner was named Championship Manager of the Month for February.

During the two clubs’ meeting on February 5, Monk and Wagner clashed on the touchline at John Smith’s Stadium after Michael Hefele scored a dramatic late winner.

As punishment, Wagner, who joined the Terriers in November 2015, was issued with a two-match touchline ban, while Monk was ordered to miss one game for his role in the fracas.

With regards to matters on the pitch, Huddersfield had an unbeaten month, winning five and drawing one.

The Terriers currently reside third in the standings, six points adrift of the automatic promotion spots, while Leeds are in fourth place, three behind Wagner’s team.

Once the winner of the monthly award was announced, some Leeds fans expressed their anger on Twitter, which in turn caused rival supporters to hit back.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]