Paul Pogba calls on his Manchester United team-mates to be ‘bad losers’ ahead of crucial week
Paul Pogba has called on his Manchester United team-mates to be ‘bad losers’ and to build a winning mentality heading into a significant week in the club’s season.
The Frenchman sparked a comeback against West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday, equalising with a brilliant curling effort from range as the visitors eventually ran out 3-1 winners, with Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford scoring the other goals.
They also took all three points from trips to Southampton and Everton last month after falling behind.
Manchester United mounted a comeback after Paul Pogba’s brilliant equaliser on Saturday
The team’s Champions League hopes are in the balance after defeat by Paris Saint-Germain
The Red Devils will need to refocus quickly though, as they face a trip to RB Leipzig in their final Champions League Group H on Tuesday having lost 3-1 to Paris Saint-Germain last week. All three teams have nine points with both qualification spots up for grabs.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men then host Manchester City in the Saturday evening kick-off and currently hold a one-point lead over their local rivals, with the clubs sitting fifth and sixth respectively.
Speaking to MUTV, Pogba talked about the importance of developing that hunger to win.
‘It has to be inside. I mean, always. We cannot afford to lose and be happy with a loss or a draw’, he said.
‘We have to be bad losers – that’s what we have to be – and always want to win. Even 1-0 or 6-5, we have to win. That’s what we want.’
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be looking to win a third straight Manchester derby on Saturday
‘We have Champions League [against Leipzig] and we have City. We know that those are two very important games, decisive games.
‘We have to carry on this mentality of winning, always. That’s what the club is about and we want to carry on this and what we did in the second half [against West Ham].’
Leipzig go into Tuesday’s match off the back of a thrilling 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, with Christopher Nkunku, Justin Kluivert and Emil Forsberg getting on the scoresheet for Julian Nagelsmann’s men.
