There are big problems at Man Utd and Pogba is one of them - Sheringham

Paul Pogba is a "talented" player but he doesn't "dig deep" in the crucial moments for Manchester United, according to Teddy Sheringham.

Pogba has endured a hugely frustrating 2019-20 campaign to date, having struggled with a persistent ankle injury which has restricted him to just eight appearances across all competitions.

The 26-year-old was billed as the man to inspire a turnaround in fortunes for United upon his return to Old Trafford from Juventus in 2016, but he has flattered to deceive, with his attitude and commitment to the club's cause often being called into question.

The World Cup winner expressed a desire to move away from United at the end of last season, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer convinced him to stay amid reported interest from Real Madrid.

The Liga giants have been tipped to launch a formal bid for Pogba in the summer, with little sign of the Frenchman extending his current contract, which is set expire in 2021, at Old Trafford.

United have struggled in the absence of the creative midfielder, and a 2-0 defeat against Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday marked the latest setback in their pursuit of a top-four finish.

Sheringham thinks the Red Devils have a number of pressing issues to address before they can rediscover past glories, with Pogba's position at the club chief among them.

“There are big problems at Man Utd and I think Pogba is one of them,” the ex-United striker told TalkSPORT. "I know he hasn’t been playing for a couple of months, and we can’t blame him for what’s happening on the pitch now, but we’re still talking about him.

“When you look to your leaders as players, you want someone who is going to give their all 100 per cent every game.

“He’s obviously a talented lad but his demeanour sometimes when you’re looking for people to dig deep doesn’t really go with the Man Utd fans and the way they’ve been brought up and the players they’ve seen over the years.

“You think about Bryan Robson and Roy Keane, with their desire to dig deep and turn things around, and you look at Pogba on the pitch trotting about – is he going to turn things around when things are bad?

“He hasn’t really dug deep at major times for Manchester United and I think people have had enough of him.”

Getty

Solskjaer has faced constant criticism since being installed as United's permanent head coach in March 2019, amid calls for former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino to come in and replace the Norwegian at the helm.

However, Sheringham believes Solskjaer should be given significant funds to bolster the squad over the next two or three transfer windows, insisting he needs more time to affect significant change at Old Trafford.

“There are definitely things wrong at Manchester United and they’ve got to change," he added. “I know from my time in managing that you need to change things around, but you can’t change things overnight.

“If they’re going to stick with Solskjaer, which I think they should do, they’ve got to back him. They have to give him two or three transfer windows and back him.

“You have to remember when Pep Guardiola came over he didn’t get Man City right straight away, it takes 12 or 18 months before your philosophies of football are ground into every player so they understand.

“You’ve got to give Ole a chance, give him another couple of windows and make sure he’s getting his players in before you blame him for what’s happening on the pitch. It takes time.”