This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
Manchester United's 2-0 Premier League defeat at bottom-placed Watford on Sunday was a sobering reminder of the team's struggles, but one positive note emerged from the game: the return of midfielder Paul Pogba from injury.
Frenchman Pogba, who had been sidelined with an ankle problem, came off the bench in the second half and looked lively, despite his team's inability to prevent a loss that dropped them to eighth in the table.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised Pogba's impact, saying, "The big plus is Paul coming on, and that's the one plus. He added urgency, quality, some great passes."
However, Solskjaer was disappointed with his team's overall performance, citing a lack of urgency and tempo in the game. "The first half it could easily have been my testimonial. And it might have been a better atmosphere at my testimonial," he added.
Watford boss Nigel Pearson, on the other hand, was thrilled with his team's first home win of the season and expressed confidence that they can climb out of the relegation zone.
"We're in a difficult situation but we can get out of it," Pearson said. "We have to do anything we can to win... I've seen lots to encourage myself that we're capable. We have to sustain our positive intent and our ability."
