POGBA GOES MISSING
Paul Pogba had led the Manchester United revival with eight goals and five assists since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was hired as caretaker manager in December.
The stage was set for the Frenchman to reaffirm his place among the world's top players on Tuesday, but instead the midfielder produced an oddly diffident performance that recalled the dark days of the Jose Mourinho era.
The 25-year-old made only 31 completed passes, his fewest in a match under Solskjaer.
In a fittingly downbeat coda, Pogba was sent off just before full-time, catching Dani Alves for a second booking that rules him out of the return leg on March 6.
REALITY BITES FOR OLE
Solskjaer's Midas touch finally wore off a little as the flaws that plagued United under his predecessor, Mourinho, returned to bite the interim boss.
Since arriving to replace Mourinho, the Norwegian had masterminded such a remarkable revival that United headed into Tuesday's game on the back of 10 wins in 11 unbeaten matches in all competitions.
But a host of defensive mistakes and a lack of creativity in midfield showed that the team lacked quality against the top sides in crucial areas.
Paris Saint-Germain duly exploited sloppy defending and United's flat attacking play to seize control.
SPEED KILLS
No Neymar? No Edinson Cavani? No problem for PSG, as Kylian Mbappe rose to the occasion with a blistering display of his electric pace and predatory finishing.
Brazil forward Neymar is out for 10 weeks with a broken metatarsal while Uruguay striker Cavani was sidelined after suffering a hip problem last weekend.
Fortunately for PSG, France forward Mbappe, who has 23 goals in 27 games this season, was simply unstoppable.
United defenders Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof were brutally exposed by Mbappe's searing pace as he raced clear to meet Angel di Maria's cross with a clinical finish and delivered the killer blow in the 60th minute.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Klopp unfazed by early FA Cup exit. It probably says much about the FA Cup's place in Klopp's list of priorities that he looked more perturbed by a hamstring injury to Dejan Lovren in the
Why Jurgen Klopp has no option but to risk another early FA
Gotze predicts Borussia Dortmund success in Champions League despite 'very difficult' group Borussia Dortmund did not make it through the Champions League group stage last term, but Mario Gotze
Gotze predicts Borussia Dortmund success in Champions League
I'm interested in getting a new turtle for my office. I'm considering a mata mata or a alligator snapping turtle. I know both species are fully aquatic, but still come out of the water occasionally. My office tank is a custom tank that's 36 inches high.
What do adders look like and can they kill? The only venomous
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to serve a second term after world football's governing body said on Wednesday he would be the only candidate for June's vote. The 48-year-old has been
Infantino re-elected FIFA president for four-year term | News
Is Jose Mourinho delivering on promises in his second Chelsea spell? A team who could develop together similar to the lines of his erstwhile rivals Barcelona. He certainly looked like a man on
He established himself as an integral part of the Manchester City squad and was regarded as one of the bargain buys of the revolutionised City era, blossoming into one of the Premier League's best centre-backs. Kompany was included in the Premier League Team of the Year for two years in a row in 2011 and 2012 as well as being included in the
Ban completely unfair: Pochettino, Football News & Top
Can Wolverhampton Wanderers be the first newly promoted team to beat Tottenham Hotspur in 40 Premier League attempts at their temporary home of Wembley.. Leave your thoughts below.
Tottenham stadium: Spurs granted extension to stay at Wembley
Hypocritically, authorities allowed Syrian women — the beneficiary of so much ideological and material support from Iran — into the game. There is no explicit rule that allows foreign women to attend men's sporting events, but this trend started a few years ago. Still, Iranian women are banned.
Scarnecchia is the Patriots' offensive linemen whisperer
HE didn't say in so many words but he proved over two international "A" matches that he deserves a right shot to be the next full-time-appointed Singapore football coach. Nazri Nasir emphatically staked his claims in the Airmarine Cup final in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend where the 165-world-ranked Lions held world No 90 Oman to a 1-1
Singapore national football team - Howling Pixel
Noh meaning in Urdu: جاپان کا روایتی ڈراما جِس میں رقص اور موسیقی بھی شامل ہوتی ہے - Japan ka riwayati drama jiss mein raqs aur moseeqi bhi shaamil hoti hai meaning, Definition Synonyms at English to Urdu dictionary gives you the best and accurate urdu translation and meanings of Noh and Japan ka riwayati drama jiss mein raqs aur moseeqi bhi
8 Fun Corporate Team-Building Activities In Singapore Even
Football: 'We want Messi to always be at Barca', says club president Bartomeu. We want Messi to always be at Barca, whether that's playing on the pitch or being linked to the club (after he
We want Messi to always be at Barca, says Barca president
Zidane sure of Ronaldo's stay Zidane sure of Ronaldo's stay Zidane sure of Ronaldo's stay Subscribe my channel:
Barcelona wins at Bernabeu again to end Real Madrid title hopes. Barcelona players celebrate after winning the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Bernabeu
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona: El Clasico 2019 Odds, Preview
0 comments:
Post a Comment