A ball is yet to be kicked, but the curse of the international break is already in full swing as one Man United superstar has picked up an unfortunate injury after joining up with his national team.
That man is none other than Paul Pogba, the influential midfielder who had been out due to suspension. The midfielder served the second of his three-game ban in the recent Manchester Derby defeat, having picked up a straight red card for his horrible tackle on Naby Keita in the 5-0 loss to Liverpool.
This means that while he would have sat out the trip to Watford on November 20, the World Cup winner would have returned in time for their crucial back-to-back Premier League clashes with Chelsea and Arsenal. However, given the latest unfolding, the former Juventus ace looks set to miss those two fixtures, as well as their tricky trip to Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League.
Pogba picked up a thigh injury during a shooting drill, with the Frenchman screaming in pain after kicking the ball. Shortly afterwards, he was escorted off the pitch while limping.
According to RMC Sport, the 28-year-old, who underwent initial tests in the French camp, looks to be out for 8-10 weeks. He has since been released from the national team and is expected back at Man United to undergo further tests and treatment.
Paul Pogba is expected to miss 8 to 10 weeks of action, following initial tests on his thigh injury sustained in France training. (RMC)
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) November 9, 2021
The UEFA Nations League champions confirmed that he will miss their two matches in the November international break, which are crucial World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Finland – Les Bleus need three points in order to secure their ticket to Qatar 2022.
However, the bigger concern revolves around the Red Devils. If the aforementioned report is true, Pogba could be out until early or late January, depending on whether he misses 8 weeks of action or 10. Not only would that rule him out for the encounters with Chelsea and Arsenal, but also the tricky showdowns with Crystal Palace, Brentford, Bighton, and Wolves.
While Paul dropped in and out of the lineup after the embarrassing 4-2 defeat at Leicester, his presence at Old Trafford is crucial given their poor form. Solskkjaer's men have won only three of their last 10 fixtures across all competitions, but the more worrying aspect for the Red Devils is their lackluster performances, which predate this torrid run. Ole might not be able to call upon his French superstar's services when in need of magic for quite some time.
