Paul Pogba taunts Manchester United's trophyless rivals in defence of Jose Mourinho's first season

Paul Pogba has defended Jose Mourinho’s first season in charge at Manchester United and taken a dig at some of the club's rivals by claiming that winning trophies is “all that matters”.

The 24-year-old midfielder’s first year back at Old Trafford ended with a sixth-placed Premier League finish, but a disappointing league campaign was tempered by three pieces of silverware.

United picked up the Community Shield, EFL Cup and Europa League last term, with the latter earning an automatic place in the 2017/18 Champions League for Mourinho’s side.

In an interview with Esquire magazine, Pogba has now claimed that though United’s performances were at times disappointing, he and his team-mates will be 'remembered' for their trophy haul and their empty-handed rivals will not.

Of United's rivals in the Premier League's 'top six', Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are ended last season without a trophy, though all three clubs secured a top-four league finish.

“I accept that we didn’t play well, we didn’t do this, we didn’t do that. I know what we did – we won three trophies,” Pogba said. “That’s all I know. And that’s all that matters.

He added: “Because you can be the best team in the world, you can play great football and you win zero trophies. And who remembers them? No-one. Right?”

Pogba went on to dismiss the suggestion that his high-profile, world record-breaking return to United last summer affected his form last season.

Having left Old Trafford for Juventus in 2012, Pogba returned as the world’s most-expensive footballer following an eye-watering £89.3m transfer last August.

When asked whether such a fee had put him under undue pressure, Pogba said: “After one week, I forgot. It's people that reminded me.

“Because at the end of the day, when you die, the most expensive and the less expensive, they go in the same grave. So I don't even think about it.”