Pogba not responsible for my sacking - Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has denied Paul Pogba was responsible for his sacking, and explained what he thinks are the biggest problems facing Manchester United.

Mourinho was sacked in December 2018 following the worst start to a league campaign in 28 years; a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool the final straw. 

His relationship with club-record signing Paul Pogba showed signs of breaking down in September, with the Frenchman stripped of the vice-captaincy. The pair then appeared to have a public fall-out during a United training session later that month. 

Pogba criticised United’s style of play under Mourinho, admitting the team lacked the necessary desire whilst declaring they needed to attack more in order to restore the fear factor around Old Trafford. 

But Mourinho doesn’t believe Pogba was to blame for his dismissal. When asked by L’Equipe if he had become a victim of the Frenchman, Mourinho said:

No, no. The problems are there, you can imagine that the problems are the players, the organisation and the ambition.

I will only say that I cannot say 'yes' when you ask if Paul was the only one responsible.

Following Mourinho’s departure Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was brought in as an interim manager, and the club embarked on a magnificent run. Solskjaer won 14 of his first 19 matches in charge, beating Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League whilst closing the gap on the top four. 

Solskjaer was eventually made permanent and handed a three-year contract, but a poor end to the season – in which they won just one of their final seven league matches – saw the Old Trafford club slump to a sixth-place finish, five points adrift of the top four. 

And Mourinho believes the club may have been too hasty in deciding to sack him.

On Manchester United, I only want to say two things. One is that time has spoken. Two, it's the problems are still there, he added.