Paul Pogba missed yesterday’s 2-0 win over Reading in the FA Cup third round due to an injury that has been classified as “a knock.” The setback will also delay the Frenchman in joining up with the rest of teammates on their training trip to Dubai. The issue originated during Wednesday’s win at Newcastle United when Jonjo Shelvey made a very fierce challenge on the midfielder.
In fact, some pundits are even interpreting this statement as an action of passive-aggressiveness- the club potentially signaling to the Football Association their wishes to see Shelvey suspended for his actions.
NBC Sports describes the challenge in question as a: “studs-up into the back of Pogba’s right leg — hamstring, not calf — and left the Frenchman with the aforementioned knock.”
The United statement reads that: “Paul Pogba has not completely recovered from the knock he sustained against Newcastle and stayed back for treatment, but he will join his Manchester United team-mates in Dubai soon in preparation for the Tottenham game.”
The club remains hopeful that he’ll be ready to go when United take on Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium a week from today. That match will mark the first time that caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer takes on a side that is above mid-table in the standings.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.