Antoine Griezmann: 'Paul Pogba needs to prove he is still a top player'

France forward Antoine Griezmann has claimed that only Paul Pogba is responsible for proving his critics wrong.

The Manchester United midfielder has suffered a drop in form recently, which has resulted in him being left out of Jose Mourinho's team on a handful of occasions.

This week, Pogba has reunited with his international teammates, and Griezmann, who plays alongside the 25-year-old for France, has given his take on the situation.

"He came back [to the France squad] with a huge smile on his face," the Manchester Evening News quotes the Atletico Madrid star as saying.

"He was happy. It's not easy when you don't play at your club or you don't feel at your best. It happened to me and he knows that. He still enjoys having fun and working hard, which are what matter the most.

"It's up to him to prove and show that he's still the player that he can be. The coach here trusts him, like the entire squad. We need a smiling Paul and an efficient one on the pitch."

Pogba has started 18 top-flight matches this season.