Ryan Giggs: Man Utd need Paul Pogba back to take ‘next step‘

December 8, 2019
Posted by Steven Tan | Source from Metro
Ryan Giggs hailed Manchester United's 2-1 win over Manchester City as 'the best performance' he's seen from a United team in recent years but believes they need Paul Pogba back if they're to take the 'next step'. 
 
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were in great form as they beat their local rivals at the Etihad, with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial's first-half goals enough to take three points back to Old Trafford. 
 
It backed up another impressive display against Tottenham Hotspur – managed by former United manager Jose Mourinho – to give Solskjaer some breathing space after calls were growing for him to face the sack.
 
The result, in many ways, typified United's season. 
 
They are yet to taste defeat against any of the teams above them in the league, beating Leicester, Chelsea and City, while drawing with Premier League leaders Liverpool, while they have also avoided defeat against Arsenal and beaten Spurs. 
 
However, they continue to drop points against weaker opposition, and club legend Giggs believes Pogba's injury absence is proving costly as Solskjaer looks to take his team to the next level.
 
'It's huge. The confidence it gives you, that you can produce that performance,' Giggs told Premier League Productions. 
 
'All big games you need that concentration and that's what the players had both defensively and when they won the ball making sure that pass forward was good, the touch was good and then as we've seen players flying off and causing City big problems. 
 
'I think we all know United's record against the big teams when the big teams open up and we can expose on the counter-attack, the next step is breaking teams down.
 
'And that's where we have to get Paul Pogba back – he's the one who can unlock the door. Get him back playing well and consistently, that's the next step. 
 
'We've seen the record, I think every team above United we're unbeaten. It's the teams below who make it difficult at Old Trafford where you've got to be patient, that's the next step now. 
 
'But that was a fantastic performance, the best performance I've seen for a long time from a United team.'
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