Mourinho reveals plan to build around Pogba is maturing

Jose Mourinho feels Manchester United are morphing into a team that suit Paul Pogba’s strengths after the Frenchman’s personal unbeaten record was extended to 35 Premier League matches.

United’s record signing was instrumental in Monday night’s 3-0 victory over Stoke, laying on goals for Antonio Valencia and Anthony Martial in the first half with clever passes on each occasion.

Midfielder Pogba, who is now joint top of the Premier League assist charts with Manchester City pair Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane having set up nine goals, was absent for each of United’s three top-flight defeats to Huddersfield, Chelsea and City this season.

Pogba has not been on the losing side in a top-flight fixture since United were thumped 4-0 by Chelsea in October 2016, and Mourinho thinks the former Juventus man is relishing playing in a team that is increasingly revolving around him.

“He was moving the ball fantastically well,” Mourinho told MUTV.

“(With) long passes, changing of direction, creating problems to the opponent in relation to their (midfield) block. Assists. If he scores the free-kick with the last shot of the game it would be really a reward for him.

“I think he’s happy, he’s happy the way the team is playing – very adapted to him. He’s happy because the team is changing the profile and the profile is going more in his direction.”

Pogba took the club’s man-of-the-match accolade on Monday having ran the game against a struggling Stoke side who have now shipped 50 goals in 23 top-flight games.

New boss Paul Lambert watched from the Old Trafford stands ahead of taking over a team in the bottom three on Tuesday and he will have been encouraged by debutant Moritz Bauer’s performance.

The Austrian full-back was a target for previous boss Mark Hughes before the Welshman was sacked but still completed his move from Rubin Kazan regardless and Eddie Niedzwiecki, who took interim charge of the team at United, believes Bauer will prove to be a hit at the bet365 Stadium.

“Moritz was absolutely outstanding and we saw what an acquisition he is going to be for the football club,” Niedzwiecki said in quotes published on stokecityfc.com.

“He hasn’t played for a long time now due to the winter break and I was a little cautious of that, but I thought he was sensational. He is a real find.

“You have to give credit to Mark Bowen and Mark Hughes, who brought him to the club’s attention six or seven weeks ago.”

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