Manchester United‘s midfielder Paul Pogba has described his tackle on Arsenal‘s Hector Bellerin as a “stupid mistake” which he shouldn’t have made. Pogba’s tackle towards the 69th-minute mark led to a penalty that cost Manchester United their 6th league match.
Hector Bellerin was looking for a space in United’s box-eighteen when Pogba who was slightly behind him decided to slide into the legs of the 25-year-old Spanish right-back and the Arsenal‘s star did not hesitate to fall, drawing a penalty.
Arsenal‘s talisman, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was called upon to take the spot-kick and the striker did not hesitate to score his first Premier League goal in 6 matches. After the heart-breaking goal, Manchester United were not able to get back into the match which ended 1-0.
The three points which Paul Pogba’s tackle on Bellerin forced Manchester United to lose has left coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his boys in the 15th spot on the league table with 9 points. The club has now lost 3 matches, drawn one, and won two in 6 Premier League games.
Arsenal’s win over United did not only catapult the club to the 9th spot on the league table, but it was also the club’s first win over United at Old Trafford in 14 years. The win has increased Arsenal’s total points to 12 with three losses and four wins in 7 Premier League games.
“Maybe I was a bit out of breath and it made me do this stupid mistake,” Paul Pogba said after the match.
“I felt like I touched him a bit and I knew I was in the box. I shouldn’t have given a penalty away like that.
“I’m not the best defensively in the box but I can learn and work on that.
“We have to do better, the team and myself, but it starts with me,” Pogba said.
“I cost us the goal today with the penalty but it was a poor team performance. We need to do a lot better.”
Paul Pogba could have done better, Solskjaer says.
On the part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who is under pressure to perform a miracle to improve the dwindling fortune of Manchester United, the coach lamented that Pogba ought to have stood on his feet against Bellerin.
The Norwegian tactician stressed that the tackle on the Arsenal’s right-back was unnecessary because the player wouldn’t have done much with the ball despite being in United’s eighteen-yard box.
“Paul has held his hand up,” Solskjaer said. “He knows he could and should have done better in that instance. He knows if he stays on his feet it will be OK because the boy isn’t going anywhere.”
Solskjaer will lead Manchester United to his 101 Premier League games as the club’s coach on November 7, 2020, against Everton. Just like his subsequent league games, the match is a must-win for the tactician if he still wants to keep his job as United’s manager.
Waking up this morning like…
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 2, 2020
🕺 @Aubameyang7 pic.twitter.com/PxjXSLz0Ok
