Paul Pogba believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made the right decision replacing him at the break against Granada, believing their opponents were trying to get him sent off.
The Red devils eased to a 4-0 aggregate victory over the La Liga team on Thursday with Pogba playing only 45 minutes, setting up Edinson Cavani’s opening goal early on.
The Frenchman was perhaps unlucky to be booked after only 17 minutes, powering past two Granada players but catching one of them as he strode past after appearing to have been fouled.
Two minutes later, the midfielder committed another foul in an incident that saw Granada forward Roberto Soldado booked for demanding Pogba be given a second yellow.
With United completely in control of the tie, Solskjaer chose to replace the France international at half-time with Donny van de Beek brought on to replace him.
‘I know if I come off the other player who comes on will make the difference as well,’ Pogba told BT Sport post-match.
‘This yellow card was unfortunate, for me it wasn’t a yellow card but you have to accept it. But we win the game and that is most important.’
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When asked if feared Granada players would use the booking to try and get him sent off, Pogba said: ‘For sure. I know the foul just after it, I could see all the players trying to get me out.
‘And that was when the manager saw it as well that it is better I came out before I get the red card and put my team in difficulty.’
Solskjaer said to BT Sport after the game: ‘Sometimes, Paul wants to win so much… he went into a couple of tackles after his yellow card but I thought I don’t want to risk that [him being sent off] even though he played so well.
‘We missed three today [through suspension]. The season has been hard enough as it is.’
