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This article is part of Football FanCast's Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers...

In a conversation with Off the Ball, Gary Neville has thrown down the gauntlet to Paul Pogba on what he needs to do to become a success at Manchester United.

What did he say?

The France World Cup winner has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks and months amidst speculation linking him with a move away from Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old publicly admitted he would embrace a "new challenge" before sparking major controversy with his role in the penalty fiasco at Wolves this season.

Neville, who criticised Pogba in the aftermath of that clash at Molineux, has now revealed the Frenchman has to carry United on his shoulders as the side's best player.

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He said (as quoted by The Manchester Evening News): "When I criticised Paul Pogba after the penalty incident at Wolves, I don’t see it as being any different than the criticism of Roy Keane or David Beckham or Wayne Rooney. The best player, the leader, the captain in the team, will stand up and he will take the brunt of the criticism. Just as the manager will and the coach will.

"He’s the Bryan Robson of the 80’s now. United were in trouble, people hung everything on Bryan Robson, everybody now hangs a lot on Paul Pogba. But that’s the pressure that he wants, he wants to be the best player in the world. So now go and show us you’re the best player in the world.

"What does he need to do that? Carry Manchester United into the Champions League, win the Europa League, drive them forward. That’s what I want from Paul Pogba, that’s what I want from him because I believe he’s capable of doing it. I have faith in him to do it."

Responsibility

Whilst Neville has previously criticised Pogba, his latest comments on the Frenchman certainly do have a lot of weight to them. The 26-year-old is seen as the main man at United, and as such will take the bulk of the flak when things don't go the right way.

The pressure of being the Red Devils' star player inevitably brings about increased attention. Mistakes are heavily scrutinised whilst below-par performances are simply not accepted. The Manchester side are in a period of transition at the moment and so things are understandably a little more tense. But if Pogba can embrace the responsibility and thrive in it, he could yet turn his United career around and cement a far more positive legacy.

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