Rooney explains how Pogba can copy Chelsea hero to thrive for Man Utd

Wayne Rooney has advised Paul Pogba to make more runs into the box to reach his very best standards at Manchester United.

Pogba has been out of action for the whole of 2020 due to injury issues, but United fans are relishing the prospect of him teaming up with recent signing Bruno Fernandes.

Pogba has not quite hit the heights expected of him when he completed his return from Juventus in what was a world record deal at the time, but the World Cup winner remains one of the best players in the league on his day.

And former United hero Rooney believes Pogba could produce his best more often if he was used in a similar role to how Frank Lampard used to play at Chelsea.

“I would love to see Paul Pogba playing deeper and attacking the box the moment the ball went wide,” he told the Sunday Times.

“He would score more goals and with his good feet, his athleticism, he would be an absolute nightmare. I would use him in that role — it’s one where, if he developed in it, he could be incredible.

“The Frank Lampard type [is a nightmare], the midfielder who runs past you: with Frank, when the ball went wide you knew he would be off, sprinting into the box and he was one of those about who Fergie would say: ‘This player is not a one-man job — you have to pass them on’.

“He would say that about some you wouldn’t imagine: Stephen Ireland was one, Jermaine Jenas another, purely because they were willing to run beyond your midfield and with those players there’s going to be a crossover movement from when your central midfielder is dealing with it to when your centre-back is.

“One lapse of team concentration in that moment and the best — like Lampard — punish you.”

Rooney also spoke about the importance of Park Ji-Sung to his Manchester United side, even claiming the midfielder was nearly as important as Cristiano Ronaldo.

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