Born again: Pogba benefiting the most from Solskjaer's hiring

"Everybody is enjoying themselves and that's what we need ... The manager wants to attack and that's what we are doing."

Paul Pogba's post-match quotes were as simplistic as they were revealing.

Visibly satisfied during an interview following a second successive Man of the Match display - this time in a comprehensive 4-1 win over Bournemouth - the Frenchman appears a player reborn under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

More than just enjoying football again after a spell under Jose Mourinho threatened his standing with the club, Pogba is benefitting from a tactical approach on Solskjaer's watch that puts an emphasis on a fluid attack.

Against the Cherries, Manchester United opted for a 4-3-3 regularly employed by Mourinho, but instead of forcing Pogba to inhabit a two-way role as part of a three-man midfield with Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera, the 25-year-old was afforded free rein to surge forward. That, paired with some other instances of tactical tinkering from Solskjaer - chiefly the decision to start Marcus Rashford as a renegade No. 9 between Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard - deserve the plaudits.

Whereas Romelu Lukaku fits the profile of a traditional forward, Rashford's speed coupled with a penchant for taking up wide roles offers variety. On the Red Devils' opener, Rashford hugged the touchline to pull Bournemouth center-half Nathan Ake well out of position before elegantly dancing through markers. It was an almost sensual run by Rashford, and one that left Eddie Howe's charges in disarray for Pogba to exploit. Straightforward finish; 1-0 to United inside of 10 minutes.

Pogba would make it two 25 minutes later, again from a surging run and pinpoint header. Two goals and an assist gave the Manchester United midfielder four and three, respectively, in a trio of matches under the new manager, Pogba's best month as a professional for goal involvement. But as much as the numbers tell a story, so too does the player's mannerisms.

Video emerging of Pogba rehearsing his latest goal celebration during pre-match warm-up proved prescient. It also symbolizes a player who is again having fun. Some stars excel when enjoying their football; Pogba is this clan's poster boy.

It took Pogba 14 league outings this season under Mourinho to record four goals; he's equaled that tally in his last two appearances. The out-of-work manager wasn't wholly to blame for Pogba's decline in form. Slumped shoulders and disinterested efforts dotted the 2018-19 campaign. Look no further than the reverse fixture at the Vitality Stadium and subsequent displays versus Crystal Palace and Young Boys. Much like Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne before him, Pogba struggled under Mourinho's tutelage.

Pogba isn't the only player enjoying a return to form under Solskjaer, though he is benefiting most from the manager's attack-minded football. With a congested holiday fixture list that featured games against lowly Cardiff City, a dire Huddersfield Town, and a Bournemouth side that can't defend, United have bagged a dozen goals and nine points to draw nearer to top-four contention.

Against Bournemouth, Pogba's performance proved United are at their best when the towering figure is permitted to roam between the channels. Four shots on target, three chances created, two goals, and 86 completed passes certainly speak to that.

"Quality without results is pointless. Results without quality is boring," Dutch legend Johan Cruyff famously offered. For Paul Pogba, it's a notion that defines a now-renewed career.