Solskjaer expects Pogba to be out for three to four weeks after ankle surgery
Friday 3 January 2020 22:34, UK
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Paul Pogba was right to seek a second opinion on whether he requires surgery on his ankle injury.
Solskjaer raised some eyebrows when he appeared to suggest after Manchester United's defeat to Arsenal on New Year's Day that Pogba's "people" had recommended the Frenchman undergo surgery.
The United boss has moved to clear up the situation, insisting the club and Pogba are on the same page regarding the injury.
Speaking at his press conference ahead of Saturday's trip to Wolves in the FA Cup, Solskjaer said: "Here we go again - FA Cup third round and you are talking about Paul. Paul came back after a long spell out. [He played] two games, had a reaction and could not go to Burnley.
"He felt his ankle was sore. We did a scan. It is not the same injury, it is a different injury. Of course when you get that scan, you speak to him.
"You always consult your own medical people as well, like I did when I had my operation. You want the best second opinion.
"The advice was to have it done. It is not going to be a major one and probably as I said three or four weeks."
Solskjaer understands why Pogba sought a second opinion and revealed he did the same himself when he was a player.
"You know you have people you trust and you speak to," Solskjaer said.
"As I said, when I had knee operations I had my people in Norway and Sweden that I spoke to and Paul obviously has people as well that he trusts and that is important.
"That is as clear as it can be at this point."
Solskjaer expects Pogba to miss "three or four" weeks with the injury, while Scott McTominay will miss two months with a knee ligament problem.
That leaves Solskjaer short of options in central midfield, but he says the club will only bring in reinforcements in the January transfer window if their long-term targets become available.
Asked about signings, Solskjaer said: "Well, we are still looking and as I have said so many times, we have our targets. If they become available, then it is something we want to do.
"If the right ones are not there for the right money, then we can't."
United travel to Wolves on Saturday in the third round of the FA Cup.
Nuno Esprito Santo's side dumped United out of the competition last season and Solskjaer's side are winless in three visits to Molineux since he took over in December 2018.
The Norwegian knows his side must improve on the performance they delivered in their 2-0 loss Arsenal on Wednesday if they are to turn that record around.
Asked about the difficulty of playing at Molineux, Solskjaer replied: "First of all, you blame the FA for the hot and cold balls we have had in succession - Arsenal, Chelsea and Wolves away and then Wolves away so they are not going to make it easy for us.
"[It will be] the fourth time there in my time already and we have not won yet at Molineux. But it is a tough place. Liverpool lost there last season and Man City have just lost there now.
"We have got to earn the right to win there. We have got to play well, perform and go there positive because we want a reaction after a defeat against Arsenal which everyone says was such a bad, bad performance."
In other injury news, Solskjaer confirmed the game comes too soon for Axel Tuanzebe, Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo and Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio Romero will start in place of David de Gea.
