A fuming Paul Pogba required treatment after Harry Maguire accidentally kicked him in the head during Manchester United's 3-2 victory over Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored all three goals for United in the Premier League encounter but the mood at Old Trafford was gloomy to say the least. The fixture was played immediately after a substantial protest against the Glazer family, the club's owners, amid a poor run of form.
The atmosphere soured further as the Red Devils threw away a two-goal lead in the 52nd minute, although it eventually improved somewhat after Ronaldo struck the winner with a free kick. At one point in the second half, the tension between United's players was evident after Maguire caught Pogba with a stray right boot.
The incident occurred as the hosts had a corner and Maguire rose to try and meet it only to tumble back to earth over a Norwich defender and clip the back of Pogba's head on the way. The French midfielder could be seen wincing in pain as he assessed the damage before a physio came to check him over. Ronaldo - who met the corner and saw his effort saved - was quick to try and defuse the situation and calmed Pogba down as he angrily looked around for the culprit, at one point motioning in Maguire's direction.
It proved to be a challenging afternoon for the World Cup winner, who was booed by a section of United fans when he was substituted off shortly after the incident with Maguire. It appears some supporters have lost patience with Pogba as the final months of his contract wind down and some could even be heard chanting "f*** off" at the player.
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Ralf Rangnick was forced to leap to the former Juventus star's defence after the match and warned fans over "targeting players individually". "I didn't hear but I was told after the game," the interim manager said of Pogba being booed. "I can totally understand the fans being frustrated but I don't think they should be targeting players individually. This is not right or fair."
While it remains to be seen where Pogba, 29, will be playing his football next season, several top European clubs are believed to have made contact with his representatives. Juventus have long been viewed as a potential destination while Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be monitoring the situation. The former United academy prospect has made 26 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring once and registering nine assists.
