Liverpool vs Manchester United: Paul Pogba pleads with fans to give him time to adapt after difficult start

Pogba has only scored one goal this season since completing a world-record £89m transfer to United in the summer

Paul Pogba says he needs time to adjust to Manchester United before he can show his best form (Getty)

Paul Pogba has asked Manchester United fans to give him time to adapt to life back at Old Trafford after making a slow start to the season since he completed his £89m world record transfer in the summer.

United broke the transfer record to bring Pogba back to the Premier League, four years after he left the club to join Juventus on a free transfer. The 23-year-old has only scored one goal since making his second United debut in August though, and he has stressed that he needs time to adjust to his move back to England before fans will begin to see the best from him.

"I will need a little time to adapt in Manchester, time for the machine to start working. I am adapting,” Pogba said in an interview with French TV station TF1.

"People like to talk about Paul Pogba. The critics, they stay for a day, then after that I put my music back on, I dance."

United face Liverpool on Monday night knowing that a victory can pull them level on points with their north-west rivals, and potentially lift Jose Mourinho’s side into the top four. With Manchester City failing to win their Premier League clash against Everton on Saturday in what was their second consecutive match without a victory, Liverpool can join City and Arsenal at the top of the league table should they win the encounter at Anfield tomorrow.

One of those critics has been Paul Merson, with the Sky Sports pundit comparing the France international with England and Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson. Having captained his country for the first time in England’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia during the week, Henderson also bagged the Premier League Player of the Month award for September, having helped Liverpool to an unbeaten run of three matches and scoring a wonderful long-range effort against Chelsea which also bagged him Goal of the Month.

Asked who he would pick in his team out of the pair, Merson said: “Today, Jordan Henderson.

“Over the next 10 years, I don't know – it probably should be Pogba considering how much money they spent.

“Henderson has been as good as anybody in the Premier League. Credit where credit is due, he's been outstanding. Pogba has been struggling.”