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Paul Pogba made all the headlines for the wrong reasons Sunday when he fouled by giving away the winning penalty in Manchester United’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal.
There have long been questions about how the Frenchman fits into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad at Old Trafford, especially when it comes to playing alongside players like Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek.
But is he still in the United best eleven? Here, Sportsmail experts Chris Sutton, Micah Richards, Ian Ladyman and Chris Wheeler give their idea of how the Red Devils should line up.
There have been doubts as to whether Paul Pogba deserves to start at Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still doesn’t know what his strongest XI is after 100 games in charge
CHRIS SUTTON
At least Manchester United is consistent in being inconsistent. They will lose to Crystal Palace one week and beat Brighton the next. He gives six to Tottenham and then four to Newcastle.
Defeat Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig on the European stage, but become the first Big Six team to lose at home to Arsenal since 2015.
The system I would opt for is 4-2-3-1. David de Gea on Dean Henderson in goal: I have criticized the Spaniard in the past, but lately he has not dropped any noise.
Chris Sutton would opt for Fred (left) and Scott McTominay (center right) to start in a 4-2-3-1
A solid back of four. A midfielder pair of Fred and Scott McTominay, the same screen that protected the bottom line against PSG. That means there is no place for Paul Pogba.
I may be a great talent, but I prefer my midfield to provide defensive stability. Bruno Fernandes is my number 10. To his left is Marcus Rashford, and to his right is Mason Greenwood.
That leaves Anthony Martial as my main forward, completing a winning combination that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finished last season using.
MICAH RICHARDS
What a challenge! In fact, this has made me feel sympathy for Solskjaer as I sat down trying to find 11 names and trying to put them into a viable lineup. Once I thought I had broken equipment, I would write it down and start over. Thank goodness I’m not a manager.
Manchester United’s best eleven? You’d assume De Gea would be an automatic pick, but I found myself wrestling with the Henderson name over and over again. De Gea did nothing wrong against Arsenal and he gets my vote, but Henderson’s time will surely come soon.
Once the goalkeeper was out of the way, I immediately thought of a back four. Then I went to a three from behind, with hind wings. But I changed my mind as that wouldn’t sit well with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, so I went back to being a back four.
There are goals in my three forwards, I’m sure. The biggest enigma was the midfield. The more he tried, the less he could find a space for Donny van de Beek. So I have opted for the experience: Nemanja Matic holds with Fernandes and Pogba in front.
Micah Richards believes United work best if Pogba is part of a three-man midfield with Matic and Bruno Fernandes in a 4-3-3 formation.
IAN LADYMAN
“Bruno in a double while the Reds rampage” was the headline of these pages on July 1. The night before, United beat Brighton 3-0 as part of a streak in which Solskjaer’s side won six and drew three of their last nine Premier League games. .
That was a United team that was very confident and that night against Brighton the three forwards from Rashford, Greenwood and Martial were devastating.
For the first time in a long time, United were benefiting from a quiet squad and it puzzles me that Solskjaer has turned away from that this season.
Once again, he seems totally confused as to whether to play Pogba and, if so, where.
This has allowed McTominay and Fred to infiltrate the starting eleven again and that’s not a good sign. They are both honest players but they have clear limitations.
Pogba doesn’t often help himself, but he proved at the end of last period that he CAN play as part of a retention duo, even if he doesn’t want to. Solskjaer found his winning formula in the summer and he should get back to it now.
Solskjaer should go back to his winning formula where Pogba sat behind Fernandes in midfield
CHRIS WHEELER
The selection and the formation of the team count for nothing if there is not consistency and intensity, as Manchester United has discovered at their expense.
Still, Solskjaer has yet to find a system that brings out the best in his players, and midfield is a particular problem.
Not surprisingly, Pogba is at the root of this.
I would persevere for now and use Pogba in the most advanced role he wants, sitting next to Fernandes in support of Martial, Rashford and Greenwood.
Chris Wheeler thinks Pogba (left) should be used in a more advanced role, sitting alongside Fernandes (right) in support of Martial, Rashford and Greenwood above
It means there is only one midfielder and Fred, who has improved a lot, gets the nod ahead of McTominay and Matic.
I would make up for the loss of defensive midfield coverage by playing with Axel Tuanzebe alongside Harry Maguire as central defender; an excellent defender who is more than capable of making up for his lack of United first team experience.
Goalkeeper No. 2 Henderson and new signing Alex Telles are on the bench, but both could come into play.
