Zlatan Ibrahimovic thinks Paul Pogba struggled to find his best form under Jose Mourinho because the former Manchester United boss failed to give him the “confidence” he needed.
The Frenchman has looked like an entirely different player since Mourinho was sacked in December.
United have won all seven of their matches under caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with Pogba contributing five goals and four assists in the six matches he has played in.
“There are these players that need to be free, they need to feel free to do what they are able to do under the disciple of the coach,” Ibrahimovic told ESPN.
“Obviously, he has his tactics, he has that, but some players they go above these limits, and you need to let them be free, and I think Paul [Pogba] is one of them.
“Paul didn’t feel confidence from the coach, and the coach didn’t feel confidence for Paul.
“It’s difficult to perform as a player if you don’t have confidence from the coach and you don’t have that energy, that motivation, and Jose felt the same thing about Paul.
“These things happen, and that is part of the game also; I mean, not everybody can go among each other and do well together.
“I feel like you come to a moment where it is too blocked and one goes or the other one goes. At this moment, the coach left, and Paul is more free now.”