PAUL POGBA surprised a lot of people with his glowing tribute to Michael Carrick in the aftermath of his Manchester derby heroics.
After all, apart from the fact they are both midfielders, you could not imagine two more different characters.
Pogba, 25, is United’s ‘King of Bling’ with the haircuts, dance moves and prolific presence on social media.
And that’s about as far removed as it can be from the understated, almost old-fashioned ways of Old Trafford stalwart Carrick, 36 – one of the last links with the Alex Ferguson era.
Yet the pair have struck up a working relationship that could yet see the £89 million French ace finally become a Red Devils superstar.
It is one which has been developing since Pogba arrived at United first time in 2009 as a teenager.
It was a frustrating three year spell for him as he was desperate to breakthrough into the first team – but was largely kept under wraps by Fergie.
Carrick was a regular back then and was one of those who would put an arm round the youngster after training and urge him to be patient.
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Maybe Pogba wouldn’t listen in those days as in 2012 he left and made his name as a regular at Juventus for the next four years.
But then he returned as the world’s most expensive player to find Carrick was still very much part of the furniture at Old Trafford.
Last season, they were team-mates on many occasions as Jose Mourinho’s men emerged from a challenging year with two trophies.
This time though, after tests revealed a heart condition, Carrick has been able to make only four first team appearances and will retire in May.
At least it has meant he has been able to take his first steps towards the coaching role he has been offered by Mourinho for next season.
And Pogba has been one of his ‘projects’ as United desperately try to get a return on their enormous outlay.
Deep down, they wish Pogba could be more like Carrick – for whom everything has revolved around the football.
And really, he could not have a better role model than the former Tottenham midfielder.
His CV shows five Premier League title medals and every major club honour you can win – from more than 460 appearances and 11 outstanding years of service for United.
They may be different types of player as well as characters, but Pogba will know that the Geordie-born veteran talks sense.
And he has been listening to what he has to say.
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He said on Saturday, “Michael Carrick showed me a video, it helped me a lot.
“Every time after training or every time after a game, he talks to me, he comes and he says do it this way.
“He says ‘You can kill, you can kill’, because nobody can stop you’.
They may be an odd couple – but Carrick is the man who can breathe new life into Pogba’s United career.
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