'Pogba kills everything, he's just so slow and cumbersome' - Ex-Man Utd star slams World Cup winner

Former Manchester United midfielder Willie Morgan claims that Jose Mourinho must drop Paul Pogba in order to have a chance of victory at Anfield on Sunday.

The Red Devils make the trip to Liverpool this weekend hoping to reduce the gap on their arch-rivals to 13 points, after a nightmare start to the 2018-19 campaign.

Mourinho's men have only managed to win seven of their 16 matches this term and face the prospect of missing out on a top-four finish, already eight points behind Chelsea down in sixth place.

Pogba has received criticism for his poor performances in recent months and seems visibly distracted by transfer rumours off the pitch, with Barcelona mooted as his possible next destination.

Morgan believes that United's latest Premier League win against Fulham is proof that they function better without the Frenchman, who was dropped to the bench for the second successive game.

"The game against Fulham, albeit it was Fulham, they played really well," Morgan told Love Sport Radio. "They were quick, they were moving around, there was no Pogba in the team. He kills everything anyway, he’s just so slow and cumbersome. It was the first time they actually looked like a team."

The 72-year-old went on to insist that for United to end Liverpool's unbeaten record, Pogba and Matic must not be included in Mourinho's starting XI, while also stating that Marcus Rashford can make a big impact if selected.

"If he puts Matic and Pogba in midfield, the game stops every time they get the ball," Morgan added. "So you have got to get the young lads in, a bit of movement, move the ball quicker. Rashford is a free player and can play anywhere, the kid is really good. I think we’ll get a result.

"Again it comes down to who does he play. If he plays Pogba and Matic we won’t win. If he plays the team that he played against Fulham I think we’ll get a result."

Mourinho will hope that his players produce a much-improved performance against the Reds following their drab 2-1 defeat against Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Liverpool, meanwhile, come into the game on a high after securing their place in the competition's knockout phases in dramatic style with a 1-0 win against Napoli on Tuesday.

Morgan, however, has been unimpressed by the Premier League leaders this season, as he concluded: "Liverpool are not that clever, you know. They’re getting away with murder at the moment. They’re getting all the luck in the world, they’re getting all the breaks."