Pogba: I love playing big matches

The Frenchman was involved in a number of United’s best attacks in Sunday’s 1-0 win against Tottenham and provided the game-defining pass to Marcus Rashford, from which the striker scored.

That goal was the difference between the two sides at Wembley, as we managed to close the gap on our top-four rivals.

“I love playing big matches,” he told Sky Sports after the game. 

“I love playing against the best players, that is where we improve, progress and get more experience. 

“Obviously it was a good one for us and everyone played well, we were all determined because we wanted to win this game. I think the players helped me and we all enjoy playing football and playing together and that is what we did today.”

Pogba not only helped decide the game with his cross-field pass to Rashford on the stroke of half-time, but he also nearly got on the scoresheet himself on several occasions. Most notably he forced his French compatriot Hugo Lloris to tip a shot just over the bar not long into the second period.

“The manager has told me to get in the box and get goals because I will score goals if I am in the box,” he said.

“My best example is Frank Lampard, he is the one who makes those runs, makes a lot of chances and scores a lot of goals. If I can do that and obviously the players help me, but if I am in the box then I can be involved in the play and get the ball to someone else but at least I am there in the box.

"Everything comes when you play free and you have the trust of the manager and players who make it easy for me. I know [Nemanja] Matic will be there and we can press high and when we get the ball I am already there so I can shoot, I can pass and that is what I have been doing since the manager came. I know I have security behind me so I have the freedom to go so the manager has helped me."

The win means United are now level on points with fifth-place Arsenal and six points off Chelsea who are in fourth. For Pogba, his aim is clear between now and May.

“That is what we want, why we play [to catch the top four]. We have to keep it up because we are still far, but we won today, we go three points and the season is still on and we just want to get back to the top where we belong.”