The Warm-Up: Paul Pogba puts Einsteins back in their box, Gary Lineker v The Sun
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Updated 21/10/2016 at 07:33 GMT
Friday's Warm-Up includes Jose Mourinho using Paul Pogba to settle a score, and Sir Alex Ferguson and Sam Allardyce in full-on bromance mode.
Paul Pogba et Anthony Martial (Manchester United) tous deux buteur contre Fenerbahçe
Image credit: AFP
FRIDAY'S BIG HEADLINES
JOSE PIGGYBACKS ON POGBA TO SETTLE SCORES
Bombastic, brilliant and perfectly executed - and that was just his celebration with Jesse Lingard. It was quite a night for Paul Pogba as he scored twice for Manchester United in their Europa League win over Fenerbahce in arguably his best performance for the club since his world record move from Juventus.
Pogba’s second goal was finally a moment worthy of the ‘Pogboom’ moniker that has attached itself to this very modern superstar, whose return to English football had previously been about as convincing as Sharon Osborne’s return to X-Factor. Still, as Jose Mourinho was quick to point out, some of the reaction to his mixed form has been rather hysterical.
First of all, in some of your mouths, he goes from the worst player in the Premier League to a great player in 48 hours. I am not specifically saying it is you. I say media, especially the Einsteins. We know he is a very good player. He is a self-confident boy. He was not depressed because some people said he was a bad player. He was calm.
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Mourinho: 'Media Einsteins say Pogba goes from worst player in league to great one in 48 hours'
As if to provide meaty, human personification of the overreaction to Pogba’s form, Michael Owen said just before his Fenerbahce brace that he “feels sorry” for the United players who have to play alongside him:
There you have it: confirmation Michael Owen is a football Einstein.
VAN PERSIE MAKES IT A PERFECT NIGHT FOR UNITED
Football is a cynical game. You can’t be infused with the kind of cash which makes Donald Trump look tasteful and retain any innocence. But there is still beauty to be hewn from this sport we love so dearly and on Thursday night at Old Trafford, a moment of pure emotion was the lasting memory, beyond Pogba's excellence.
Already 4-0 to the good against Fenerbahce, United’s night got even better when they conceded a late goal, scored by Robin van Persie. Old Trafford rose to its feet to acclaim the man who inspired the club to the 2012-13 Premier League title and when you saw the glint in Sir Alex Ferguson’s eye as he clapped along from the stands, it was enough to make yours glisten.
PEP’S BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES
Not content with packing Joe Hart off to Italy and exiling Yaya Toure from his squad completely over a row with his agent, Pep Guardiola’s mission to desecrate Manchester City’s icons looks to be continuing apace. According to reports on Friday, captain Vincent Kompany could be on the way out after failing to even make the bench against Barcelona despite being fit, with Sergio Aguero’s future also uncertain after he was only a substitute at Camp Nou. In fact, the only question is which big-name player bites the dust first.
“Vincent Kompany is set to become the latest high-profile casualty of Pep Guardiola’s reign after the Manchester City captain was left out of the squad for the Champions League defeat in Barcelona,” writes the Mail.
“Sergio Aguero is set to be the next high-profile casualty of Pep Guardiola’s ruthless Manchester City revolution,” counters the Mirror, in almost identical language.
Even for a man as picky as Pep, taking a torch to all of City’s most beloved players in six months would be quite something. David Silva should probably be having second thoughts if he’s about to put in a new kitchen.
HEROES AND ZEROS
Hero: Sir Alex Ferguson
He’s not one to forget his old friends, is Sir Alex, so after spending a decade helping to wind up Arsene Wenger or Rafa Benitez, whoever was top of the Scot’s hit-list at the time, Sam Allardyce was rewarded with a very public show of support following his sacking as England manager.
Sadly, though, The Warm-Up hears from sources at Old Trafford that this bromance was damaged irreparably when they retired to Sir Alex’s office after the match and Big Sam spurned a glass of Fergie’s finest red to ask for a pint of Chardonnay.
Zero: Avram Grant
Let’s just say it’s not a great look when the great and good of African football have assembled in Gabon for the draw for the African Cup of Nations but the Ghana manager is in Osterley discussing Barcelona v Manchester City on Sky Sports News.
IN THE CHANNELS
And so to The Sun, who are trying to have BBC and BT Sport presenter Gary Lineker sacked for showing an ounce of humanity and anger at the treatment of desperate refugees in Calais. Admittedly, Lineker did rely on an incorrect tweet claiming that one refugee who appeared rather older than 18 was in fact a Home Office interpreter. Thankfully for The Sun, they have never allowed their journalistic standards to slip in such fashion. Ahem.
And Lineker's response to The Sun, through a spokesman?
He won’t be commenting, especially not to you.
Quite.
HAT TIP
The Set Pieces have concluded their exhaustive analysis of Steve Bruce’s literary oeuvre after getting their hands on, and reviewing, the third book in his 1990s trilogy, ‘Defender’. It’s just as bizarre as the other two, and, somehow, even worse. The brazen mission to hit the word count by any means necessary really is quite something to behold:
There follows a series of painstakingly rendered descriptions of every meal Barnes has on his flight, what he sees out his windows, the dream he has while asleep on said flight – "I’d been dreaming of my two children. There was a fire and the children were in danger. It seemed very real" – then a trip to the toilet to freshen up – "Because I was one of the first to awake, I did not have to queue for toilet facilities. I washed and shaved in leisurely fashion; there was no need for haste" – and then more food, "it was the same with breakfast. There was no need to hurry".
Famous author Steve Bruce is the literary version of that guy in front of you at the post office who gets to the cashier and then remembers to write the entirety of Beowulf on the parcel he’s sending.
A bonus Hat Tip for you, apropos of nothing…
COMING UP
There’s the usual smattering of European matches on Friday with BT Sport showing Hamburg v Eintracht Frankfurt and Monaco v Montpellier, and Sky Sports broadcasting Osasuna v Real Betis. But if you are at a loose end, why not watch England women take on France? Their friendly match kicks off at 8pm on the BBC red button.
We couldn't afford Einstein so you will have to make do with Adam Hurrey for Monday's Warm-Up.
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