Watford man labels Man Utd star Paul Pogba a ‘show-off’

Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure has labelled Paul Pogba – a player he played with as a junior – a “show-off”.

Doucoure will come up against Pogba at Vicarage Road on Saturday evening and he knows what Watford will be up against having played alongside Pogba when he was 16 for the French national team.

“I played with him since the under-16s,” Doucoure said. “Physically even then he was the same like today because he was in advance of everyone. He was the same person as he is now. He liked to show off a little bit but he’s a very nice guy.

“He was always very natural but of course he’s a superstar now. But he’s always the same. He liked to laugh, to talk. He has a big personality. He had the [confidence] because he was good on the pitch as well. To show off, it’s good sometimes.

“If they are a little bit in trouble we have to take our chance to win the game.I knew Paul for a long time and it’s always great to play against him, but I want to be better than him on the pitch. I want to win the battle in midfield and to win the game.”

Doucoure, who represented his country at every level up to under-21s, has yet to win a full cap for Les Bleus – a fact the 25-year-old is hoping to put right.

“Of course it’s one of my dreams to have a call-up,” added Doucoure. “I think I have to be very good on the pitch and of course Watford have to be at the top as well to have more visibility for me. I can have a call-up this year.”