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'Pogba is a great player, but he still has to be consistent for years like Gerrard was' - Benitez

The former Liverpool manager believes the Frenchman needs to be consistent over a prolonged period of time to stand alongside the modern greats.

MANCHESTER UNITED MIDFIELDER Paul Pogba cannot be considered โ€œtop-classโ€ and on the same level as Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, says Rafa Benitez.

The France international made his return to competitive action against Benitezโ€™s Newcastle following a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a hamstring complaint.

Pogba slotted seamlessly back into the Old Trafford fold, with a talismanic display helping Jose Mourinhoโ€™s Red Devils to a convincing 4-1 victory .

The 24-year-old has earned plenty of plaudits on the back of his display, but former Liverpool boss Benitez believes he still has some way to go before being placed in a talent bracket alongside modern day icons.

He told reporters when pressed on comparisons between Pogba and ex-England captain Steven Gerrard: โ€œTheyโ€™re different. Stevie was a top-class player for so many years.

โ€œHe was very consistent and could make the difference in every game, with or without the ball.

โ€œHe was a top-class player. Pogba is a great player, but he still has to be consistent for years like Stevie was for 10 or 15 years.

โ€œPogba is not my player, so I donโ€™t need to talk too much about him. Heโ€™s a great player, like the majority of the Manchester United players.

โ€œBut Iโ€™m concentrated on trying to improve my players.โ€

Pogba scored one and created another as he returned with a bang against Newcastle.

Mourinho billed him as โ€œdifferent classโ€ in the wake of an eye-catching performance, while the ยฃ89 million man admitted to feeling โ€œblessedโ€ at being back out on the field.

Having sat out 12 games through injury, Pogba said: โ€œTo come back, to play again, to see Old Trafford, to see the fans again, to score on my comeback, I feel blessed.

โ€œMost of last season I had injuries, but small ones. You just have to recover well because the Premier League is different to Italy.

โ€œItโ€™s more intense and you have to think about recovery, then you have more games.

โ€œIโ€™ve trained very hard to come back fit. The season is really long so we have to be fit โ€“ not only me but all the players.โ€

Victory over Newcastle kept United second in the Premier League table, eight points adrift of arch-rivals Manchester City at the summit.

The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the yearโ€™s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Easonโ€™s, or order it here today (โ‚ฌ10):

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    Mute Tamagotchi
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:27 PM

    Iโ€™m sure Swedenโ€™s current strikers who got them there are delighted.

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    Mute Professional Chef
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:28 PM

    Just when you thought he couldnโ€™t become more unlikeable,

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    Mute Caoimhin O'Murchadha
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:44 PM

    Disrespectful to his fellow pros and arrogance beyond belief!

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    Mute Mike
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:46 PM

    @Caoimhin Oโ€™Murchadha: Weโ€™re all just speculating. Whatโ€™s the view in Sweden I wonder?

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    Mute Caoimhin O'Murchadha
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    Apr 15th 2018, 7:04 PM

    @Mike: No matter what way you look at it Mike heโ€™s taking a seat on the plane that he didnโ€™t earn, no Swedish player is going to call him out over it though because he has legendary status over there, he was a fantastic player for them over the years but this is unfair.

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    Mute james heffernan
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    Apr 15th 2018, 11:08 PM

    @Mike: Studying abroad and have met a lot of swedes and they would all welcome him back. Heโ€™s a hero in their eyes, the greatest ever swede.

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    Mute Gary Dunne
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    Apr 16th 2018, 11:09 AM

    @Caoimhin Oโ€™Murchadha: Any player in the squad earns their place. Heโ€™ll hardly be the only player to not feature regularly or at all in qualifying to be in a World Cup squad.

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    Mute David Linehan
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    Apr 15th 2018, 7:00 PM

    Theyโ€™ve qualified purely down to the fact that he wasnโ€™t there. Theyโ€™re a team without him.

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    Mute al
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    Apr 15th 2018, 8:32 PM

    Iโ€™d never wish an injury on any sports player, but I wouldnโ€™t be surprised if a few of the Swedish strikers might be getting a few voodoo dolls. Absolute awful behaviour from Zlatan and from the coaching staff if they allow him.

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    Mute Tony Mcgrath
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    Apr 15th 2018, 8:08 PM

    My guess he wonโ€™t be picked

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    Mute Sloop John G
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    Apr 16th 2018, 9:44 AM

    Must be a slow news day. This article was first posted at 6.15pm yesterday and the article about Man Unitedโ€™s loss to West Brom was posted at 5.50pm yet these are the top 2 stories on 42 this morning having been re-posted. Bad journalism. You need to do better.

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