Paul Pogba has revealed that Manchester United do not have a designated penalty-taker, following an on-pitch discussion with Alexis Sanchez in their Premier League-opening 2-1 win over Leicester City on Friday.
Pogba explained his side of the incident after the game and said he would not always be taking penalties for United this season.
“We don’t have a penalty-taker, it’s how we feel, and I decided to take it,” Pogba told Sky Sports. “Maybe on the next game I leave it to Alexis.”
It was the first game back with United for Pogba after his World Cup-winning exploits, and he said it was challenge to find his form before eventually giving way to substitute Marouane Fellaini in the 84th minute.
“We should start the Premier League with a win and we did,” he said. “I didn’t have any preseason games, I came back on Monday so it was very hard for the legs. We played very well, the performance was OK. We want to go up.”
He also said he’d moved past the excitement of the summer, adding: “Winning the World Cup is in the past. I like challenges, I want to progress and win more trophies.”
Pogba’s goal was the only tally until Luke Shaw’s run into the box and shot to the far post doubled United’s advantage in the 83rd minute.
It was the first senior goal for the 23-year-old left-back as he opened his seventh season in the Premier League, and it turned out to be a match-winner as well, after Jamie Vardy headed home a rebound to get a goal back for Leicester in the 92nd minute.
“It’s the best feeling I have had in my career. I have worked really hard over the preseason and I had a lot of time to reflect, and work on what I needed to,” Shaw told Sky. “Even tonight, I know I can be better and that is what I want to keep showing the manager.”
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