'Put your medals on the table' - Graeme Souness hits back at Pogba

Graeme Souness has told Paul Pogba to 'put his medals on the table' after the Manchester United star claimed he 'didn't know' who the Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit was.

Souness has been one of the Frenchman's fiercest critics since he returned to England in 2016 and has frequently condemned his behaviour both on and off-the-field.

And after the midfielder claimed he still had no idea what the Scot looked like four years later, Souness has issued a withering response.

'I'm happy with it. The oldest thing in football comes to mind - put your medals on the table', he said on Sky Sports' The Football Show on Tuesday morning.

Jamie Carragher was also critical of Pogba's comments, adding: 'We're quite critical of Paul Pogba, when you're a player you've certainly got to be respectful of certain players with certain opinions at different times, and at times you have to take that criticism on the chin, so to come out and say you've never heard of Graeme Souness really was below the belt.'

The Frenchman has proven to be immune to criticism from Souness, and made headlines for his comments about Souness, who lifted three European Cups and three league titles at Liverpool.

'I didn't even know who [Souness] was,' Pogba said to UTD Podcast.

'I heard he was a great player and stuff like that. I don't know the face but the name [I do].

'Like I said I'm not someone that watches a lot of [punditry], I watch a lot of football but I don't stay after the game to listen to what they say about "Why they did this" or "why they did that".

'I like to focus on football.'

One of Souness' most recent jabs at Pogba came in March when the Frenchman was filmed dancing at his brother's wedding while supposedly out injured.

Souness claimed his actions showed he doesn't want to play for United and he claimed he expected Pogba to make a return to full fitness shortly before the now postponed Euro 2020.

He told his fellow pundits while on Sky Sports: 'It's just the cynic in me, I'm thinking Paul Pogba… I see him dancing at a wedding, I see him shooting hoops, and the cynic in me thinks he doesn't want to be at United. How can you not want to play for Man United, if that's the case?'

The barbs from Souness started when Pogba first rejoined United. The Scot led the charge when it came to the criticism, insisting that United 'had their trousers taken down paying £100m' for him.

Souness said in May 2017: 'United have to pay a premium. For United, stick 25 per cent on the price.

'Because it's Man United and they have the money. In my opinion, they had their trousers taken down paying £100million.

'I'm yet to be convinced by that. He may be a player one day but right now as we sit here after one year in our football, I'm still waiting to be convinced.'

Late in 2017, Souness doubled down on his efforts to single Pogba out, claiming the Frenchman didn't have 'a basic understanding of his position'.

While he did initially praise Pogba for what skills he did possess, Souness couldn't help but stick the knife in. He said: 'When he is on the ball, there's lots of things to admire. He's powerful, he's got good technique, he can wrong foot people, he can ping the ball.

'This isn't me being an ex-Liverpool player caning a Man United player. I thought the same when he was a Juventus player. That is basic stuff you learn in the youth team. When is he gonna get it?

'He hasn't taken a big game by the scruff of the neck and dominated it. He hasn't got a basic understanding of his position, I can't see that changing.'

Following the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan last summer, Souness once again took aim at Pogba's character by claiming he 'wasn't up for the fight' at United.

Writing in The Times, Souness said: 'If I'm sitting in Manchester United's dressing room today, I'm glad Romelu Lukaku has gone and don't want Paul Pogba in there with me either if he's not up for the fight ahead and is also keen to get away.

'They're as responsible as anybody for the predicament United are in, yet have effectively said to their team-mates: 'It's everybody else's fault.' 'No, let's get it right, lads, you're part of the reason United are not in the Champions League this year'.'

But Pogba also admitted he spends very little time taking note of his critics, saying 'when you know football, you don't need someone to tell you what's happening'.

'I guess they miss me, I don't know? I'm not someone that looks at always at Sky News,' he added.

'After the games, when I watch it again I watch the game, not the comments. When you know football, you don't need someone to tell you what's happening.

'Obviously what I hear when people are saying "Paul is doing this…Paul…Paul" I don't know. One day maybe I will meet them [the critics] and ask them because I really want to know why.

'I am used to it now. I am really used to it, it doesn't bother me. It's good to hear good stuff instead of bad stuff but when you play football, you know yourself. It's what your manager and team-mates want, the rest is just talk. It's selling stuff I think.'

Pogba has been sidelined for the majority of the current campaign with an ankle injury. He has made just eight appearances all season, failing to score and providing two assists.