Paul Pogba has not played for Manchester United since September due to an ankle injury. Reuters
Paul Pogba has not played for Manchester United since September due to an ankle injury. Reuters
Paul Pogba has not played for Manchester United since September due to an ankle injury. Reuters
Paul Pogba has not played for Manchester United since September due to an ankle injury. Reuters

Paul Pogba Manchester United return delayed by illness that has 'set him back quite a bit' says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer


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Paul Pogba is no nearer a first-team return, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saying the Manchester United midfielder's recovery from an ankle injury has been compounded by illness.

Pogba, 26, has not featured for United since September due to an ankle injury that has restricted him to just six appearances this season.

Solskjaer had said last month the Frenchman was targeting a return before Christmas and was due to resume first-team training this week, only to succumb to a new problem.

"Of all things he's struck down ill now," Solskjaer said ahead of Wednesday's League Cup quarter-final against fourth-tier Colchester United.

"He's been off for two or three days - three days probably - so that's not beneficial. That's probably set him back quite a bit."

Solskjaer's comments came just hours before videos were posted on social media on Sunday evening, with Pogba dancing and showing few ill effects at his brother Florentin's wedding.

"As I've said so many times, Paul's a top, top player that we want to see playing his best football at Man United," Solskjaer said.

"We just need to get him fit and match fit. It might be half an hour, 45, 60, 90 - who knows, the first game. We're working hard to get him back but now he's ill."

Pogba will again be sidelined as United take to the field at Old Trafford, when Diogo Dalot could make his first appearance in 10 weeks.

Marcos Rojo, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Eric Bailly remain sidelined as United look to progress past League Two Colchester - who have already claimed one Premier League scalp en route to the last eight - and reach the semi-finals.

"Any player or any team - and for us now it's a good team that's building - would benefit a lot from winning a trophy or getting to a final, of course winning it is major," Solskjaer said.

"Now we've got a chance of getting into the semis so for us this game is a big one."

Solskjaer collected a host of trophies as a United player but never the League Cup. Asked about the importance of leading the side to a first trophy, Solskjaer said: "Yes definitely, we're hoping to get to the final."

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Manchester United 1-1 Everton

  • Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder Fred (R) controls the ball against Everton. AFP
    Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder Fred (R) controls the ball against Everton. AFP
  • Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka. AFP
    Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka. AFP
  • Everton's Mason Holgate in action with Manchester United's Anthony Martial. Reuters
    Everton's Mason Holgate in action with Manchester United's Anthony Martial. Reuters
  • Everton's Leighton Baines applauds the fans after the match, which finished 1-1 at Old Trafford. Reuters
    Everton's Leighton Baines applauds the fans after the match, which finished 1-1 at Old Trafford. Reuters
  • Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford (C) takes on Everton's Italian midfielder Moise Kean. AFP
    Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford (C) takes on Everton's Italian midfielder Moise Kean. AFP
  • Everton caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson gives substitute Moise Kean instructions. EPA
    Everton caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson gives substitute Moise Kean instructions. EPA
  • Everton's Oumar Niasse comes on as a substitute to replace Moise Kean after the Italian was on the pitch for only 18 minutes. Reuters
    Everton's Oumar Niasse comes on as a substitute to replace Moise Kean after the Italian was on the pitch for only 18 minutes. Reuters
  • Duncan Ferguson celebrates at the final whistle. AFP
    Duncan Ferguson celebrates at the final whistle. AFP
  • Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. EPA
    Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. EPA
  • Manchester United's Luke Shaw (L) in action with Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin. EPA
    Manchester United's Luke Shaw (L) in action with Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin. EPA
  • Everton's Tom Davies (L) in action with Manchester United's Scott McTominay. EPA
    Everton's Tom Davies (L) in action with Manchester United's Scott McTominay. EPA
  • Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood scores their equaliser. AFP
    Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood scores their equaliser. AFP
  • Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood (R) celebrates scoring their equaliser. AFP
    Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood (R) celebrates scoring their equaliser. AFP
  • Manchester United's Mason Greenwood scores. EPA
    Manchester United's Mason Greenwood scores. EPA

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Solskjaer plans to make changes and rotate against Colchester with Mason Greenwood set to start up front having followed up a brace and man-of-the-match display in the Europa League against AZ Alkmaar by hitting the leveller in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Everton.

"He's making it hard for me to leave him out," Solskjaer said of the 18-year-old striker.

"I remember when I came to the club as well and I kept scoring a few goals but still I felt I could perform better, I'm not involved in the game, but the manager's comments were that it was hard to keep players who score out of the team.

"It's very, very difficult now to put a team out there without having Mason in my mind, yeah."