Pogba is Man of the Match again

Our influential no.6 picked up 84 per cent of the votes in a poll voted for by fans in our official app, after scoring two goals and assisting another in what was an all-action, accomplished display. Pogba  opened the scoring after just five minutes before doubling the lead just past the half-hour mark.

It was the first time he had scored in consecutive games since August and it meant that he had netted four United goals in a row at the famous Stretford End, following his second-half brace against Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day when the supporters also selected him as the Man of the Match.

The runner-up in the Bournemouth poll was Marcus Rashford, who grabbed 16 per cent of the votes in our official app. He got on the scoresheet after a fine team move, just before Nathan Ake pulled a goal back for the visitors in first-half injury time. Pogba later set up second-half substitute Romelu Lukaku to add United’s fourth and final goal in the 72nd minute.

The Frenchman’s victory in our poll was vindicated by the stats which informed us that he had the most shots and shots on target in the game. He also played the most passes in the match and his passing accuracy was ranked the highest among all the players on the pitch.

Pogba's four goals and three assists in the last few weeks have made December his best-ever month for league goal involvements in his Premier League career; he has been involved in 21 top-flight goals in the 2018 calendar year and that's five more than any other central midfielder.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Pogba said: “We needed a win and we had a great performance as well and we are coming back. There is still a long way to go, but to finish the year like that it is beautiful.

“We are Manchester United and we need to keep up and be at the top of the league. [This was] just a reaction of all of the players, everybody enjoying themselves, this is what we need.

"The team needs to enjoy playing football. We work for each other. We want to attack, the manager wants us to attack and that’s what we are doing on the pitch."

Pogba believes there is still room for improvement, both for him and the team.

“I always want to do more," he said, "but I try not to do too much and play for the team, play it simple.

"We are still far [from the top] and we still want to improve, so there is still a long way to go.”