Paul Pogba is set to be sidelined until at least after Christmas with the thigh injury he picked up on external duty with France and could be unavailable for up to three months, according to Manchester United director Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Pogba has travelled to Dubai to begin his recovery after picking up the problem in a shoot drill during the international break. – Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
– ESPN+ viewer’s guide: Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS, FA Cup and more
– Soccer’s Misery Index: Man Utd left for dust by rivals
– Dawson: Is Pogba destined to walk away from Man Utd again? He will miss United ‘s trip to Watford on Saturday and Solskjaer said it could be vitamin a retentive as 12 weeks before he is available again.

“ It was a disappointing injury for Paul, a disappointing time for him of class, ” Solskjaer told a news league on Friday. “ sometimes you hope, fingers crossed, for six or seven weeks and the worst case scenario is 10, 11, 12 weeks with muscleman injuries like this. “ One thing I ‘m indisputable of is that Paul is determined to come back and give his best when he comes back and he ‘s already started that recovery with his own big mentality to come rear stronger because Paul always has that personality to come back solid. Hopefully just after Christmas we can see him. ”Paul Pogba picked up the thigh injury on international duty with France. Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images Defender Harry Maguire fared better during the break, scoring twice for England in games against Albania and San Marino. He has come in for heavy criticism for his performances for United this season but Solskjaer insisted he will keep the captain ‘s armband while backing the 28-year-old to “ prove his critics incorrectly. ” Maguire was branded “ embarrassing ” by former United midfielder Roy Keane after cupping his ears in celebration following his finish against Albania.

“ I ‘ve not considered taking the captain ‘s armband aside from him, ” Solskjaer added. “ He ‘s been an absolute hardy for us on and off the pitch since he came in. “ His syndicate, his club, we are all very felicitous with him and all bet on him and he ‘s such a top professional and he ‘s going to prove critics wrong. “ The alleged experts have their opinions and that ‘s their job to put their public opinion that ‘s not something we have to worry besides much about. As a true exemplar of a man United musician Harry is constantly there for his team and his country. ” United head to Watford on Saturday on the second of a blue play of run that has seen them lose six of their stopping point 12 games.

Solskjaer ‘s team have only managed to keep two clean sheets all season and the norwegian suggested he has been focusing on defending better during the international break. “ We ‘ve gone games where we ‘ve conceded chances, we ca n’t concede easy chances against any team, ” he said. “ We ‘re playing against a Watford team who are well organised, very good at counter attacking and very good at set plays and focusing on this game you ‘ve got to make certain your defend is right and then that ‘s probably the blue slope of the football that you know you have to work on and we have put a lot of things right. ”