Manchester United and PSG go head-to-head in a blockbuster Champions League duel at Old Trafford tonight in the first-leg of their last-16 tie.
When the draw was made United would have been crippled by fear at the prospect of facing the French giants, however the beauty of football is its unpredictability, and now the Red Devils head into the clash brimming with confidence following their remarkable revival under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is yet to taste defeat since replacing Jose Mourinho.
A number of players have thrived in particular, two of which PSG boss Thomas Tuchel has pinpointed as United’s danger men ahead of the eagerly anticipated match-up.
“Well I don’t think there’s any surprise about Paul Pogba being a key player, he’s an incredible player,” the PSG boss in quotes via Manchester Evening News.
“He has wonderful qualities, he can do a lot of things, extremely strong, with the ball at his feet, he’s very good and very strong in challenges and one on ones, taking people on he’s always capable of making a difference and I think in my opinion he’s always dangerous offensively with Anthony Martial, they’re a very dangerous pairing.
“Pogba is dangerous in the penalty area as well when the ball comes in from the right and he arrives at the right time, he’s a very good header of the ball, a key player absolutely and he’s now becoming a leader, he loves playing for this club.”
An injury-hindered PSG make the trip across the Channel wounded by the absence of Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Serge Meunier, while earlier this month they suffered a surprise defeat to Lyon, a match Solskjaer was present at.
PSG, who are unbeaten in five European matches, have exited this stage of the competition in each of the last two seasons; suffering a 5-2 aggregate defeat to eventual champions Real Madrid last time out, while they were infamously stunned by Barcelona the previous season having led 4-0 in the first-leg.
Meanwhile, United haven’t reached the quarter-final stage since 2013/14 under David Moyes.