Rooney urges Solskjaer to change Pogba’s Man Utd position to make him an ‘absolute nightmare’ like Frank Lampard

WAYNE ROONEY believes Paul Pogba can replicate the success of former Chelsea legend Frank Lampard in the middle of the park IF Ole Gunnar Solskjaer changes his position.

Former Manchester United hero Rooney thinks Frenchman Pogba needs to shift position to become an “incredible” player and an “absolute nightmare” for opponents.

Rooney praised his former club rival Frank Lampard and said he was a nightmare to face and thinks Pogba can replicate his success

Pogba has only made seven Premier League appearances this season after struggling with form and fitness and Old Trafford icon Rooney believes a change of role could re-ignite the Frenchman’s Red Devils career.

Derby County forward Rooney – writing in his Sunday Times column – said: “You ask any striker or central midfielder and they will tell you one of the hardest things to deal with is a centre-back who comes out with the ball.

“Another nightmare is the Frank Lampard type, the midfielder who runs past you: with Frank, when the ball went wide you knew he would be off, sprinting into the box and he was one of those about who Fergie would say: ‘This player is not a one-man job — you have to pass them on.’

“He would say that about some you wouldn’t imagine: Stephen Ireland was one, Jermaine Jenas another, purely because they were willing to run beyond your midfield and with those players there’s going to be a crossover movement from when your central midfielder is dealing with it to when your centre back is.

“One lapse of team concentration in that moment and the best — like Lampard — punish you.

“That’s why I would love to see Paul Pogba playing deeper and attacking the box the moment the ball went wide. He would score more goals and with his good feet, his athleticism, he would be an absolute nightmare.

“I would use him in that role — it’s one where, if he developed in it, he could be incredible.”

Blues boss Lampard terrorised Premier League opponents for a number of years, scoring 177 goals in over 600 league appearances.

Where Pogba is best suited to playing is a recurring debate and the man himself has even had his say on where he feels most comfortable – and it does not appear to be where Rooney recommends.

Pogba, speaking to Sky Sports back in 2016, said: “I would say midfielder on the left. If you play a three I can play on the right of left, but I feel more comfortable to play on my left.

“I can do it [holding midfielder], but I feel more comfortable a bit higher.”