Paul Pogba has posted a social media message after reacting to Manchester United fans who booed him at Old Trafford during Saturday’s Premier League victory over Norwich.
Despite United picking up a vital three points to maintain their outside hopes of a top four finish in the Premier League this season, it was a mutinous day at Old Trafford as a huge protest staged by fans ahead of kick-off against the club's Glazer ownership and the supporters turned their ire on underperforming players during the game.
Those frustrations filtered into fans inside the stadium at their underperforming side. Chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” were directed towards the team after they let their two-goal lead over the Premier League's basement side slip, but it was the underperforming Paul Pogba who bore the direct brunt of the frustration. As he was substituted off midway through the half, the news was met by ironic cheers from large sections of the home side's fans before he was booed off. In the immediate aftermath of the moves, the audible chant "f*** off Pogba" came from the home stands.
It was enough to severely detract from Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning hat-trick that dragged Ralf Rangnick’s side to an important if underwhelming victory against the Premier League’s basement side. The result saw United leapfrog Arsenal into fifth place and move to within three points of Tottenham, with both North London sides falling to surprise defeats on Saturday in an unlikely and unforeseen boost to United’s top four hopes.
Pogba has now made a social media post after the match, in which he attached one picture of him waving to the fans before kick-off alongside two further pictures showing him in action against Norwich. The photos are posted alongside the message: "Very important win for all of us today."
On the face of it, the post makes no reference to the incidents between him and the fans – after he appeared to react to the volume of booing and jeering by cupping his ears towards the supporters. However, it was an unsavoury incident on a bad afternoon for the Frenchman – whose time at the club now appears to be irreparable.
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When quizzed about the chants after the match, United’s interim boss Rangnick responded: "I didn't hear, but I was told after the game. 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."
The France international midfielder is out of contract at Old Trafford this summer and the relationship between him and the club's supporters appears to be entirely broken. He is set to leave the club as a free agent for the second time in his career.
