Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho hails Paul Pogba after dropping him against Sevilla

Jose Mourinho has praised Paul Pogba for responding well after being demoted to the Manchester United substitutes’ bench for the second time in four matches.

Eyebrows were raised when Pogba was left out of the starting line-up to face Sevilla in the Champions League last-16 first leg on Wednesday night, with young academy graduate Scott McTominay preferred in midfield.

Mourinho suggested that Pogba’s withdrawal from last weekend’s FA Cup tie at Huddersfield Town through illness had played a part in his decision to drop him from his starting line-up, just as he did for a league fixture against Huddersfield earlier this month.

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Pogba ultimately played the majority of the goalless draw at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, however, replacing the injured Ander Herrera in the 17th minute.

While speaking ahead of Sunday’s Premier League visit from Chelsea, and after showing United’s record signing some tough love in recent weeks, Mourinho chose to hail the ‘professionalism’ Pogba has shown during a difficult period.

“You saw the game against Sevilla. It is always more difficult to come from the bench than to start,” he said. “A player when he is starting the game has a different kind of preparation for it, it is easier.

“To be on the bench and to come on without warming up, minute 15, minute 20, to get in pace of the game is not easy. He had a very positive game for us.

“Sometimes players on the bench take five minutes to be ready to play – they don’t have shinpads, they don’t have strapping, they don’t have the shirt, they don’t have this or that.

“He took 10 seconds to be ready to come to pitch, show professionalism and despite being on the bench he was ready to play and to help the team.”

Mourinho added: “I think he responded in a very professional way both times he was on the bench. He was on the bench against Huddersfield in the Premier League and he responded in a professional way. He was on the bench in Seville and did the same.”

With Herrera injured, Pogba is all but certain to return to United’s starting line-up on Saturday and will most likely play alongside McTominay.

“Ander is out,” Mourinho confirmed. ”I don’t know the final diagnosis but I know he will be out for a few weeks. Two, three, four, five, six I don’t know but a few for sure.”