Manchester United caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has heaped praise on “terrific” Paul Pogba, and says he is determined to get the best out of the Frenchman.

Former United player Solskjaer was given the top job until the end of the season after Jose Mourinho was sacked earlier this week amid reports of discontent behind the scenes.

The difficult Mourinho-Pogba dynamic has been one of the numerous reasons behind a poor start to the season for United, who are sitting sixth in the Premier League table after 17 games.

However, new boss Solskjaer, who coached Pogba as a youngster in his two-and-a-half-year spell in charge of the Red Devils’ reserve team (2008-10), spoke highly of the midfielder.

On Pogba, Solskjaer said: “He’s a World Cup winner, Paul is a terrific lad.

“When I had him as a kid he was always the happy-go-lucky lad and he’s not changed personality wise.

“He’s a better player, and of course he’s one I want to get the best out of.

“We have so many quality players that I want to get the best out of and he’s no different to anyone else.”

Solskjaer’s first game in charge of United’s senior side sees them travel to Cardiff – a team the Norwegian managed in the second half of the 2013/14 season.

Solskjaer met Sir Alex Ferguson for a cup of tea before his first match at the Manchester United helm, with the caretaker boss warning his players that he will replicate the Scot’s hairdryer treatment if needs be.

“I have been in touch with the gaffer quite a bit,” the Norwegian, a hero of the 1999 treble season, said.

“Well, he signed me 22 years ago, so he is the big part of course.

“I don’t know what input he had but when I got the call, of course, I texted the boss.

“I have been in touch with him and I am going to enjoy a nice cup of tea back at his house to sit down and discuss a few ideas.”

Solskjaer says “there’s no one to get better advice from”, nor was there anybody better to learn from up close – even if it that meant the hairdryer treatment back in the day.

“We’re all different to how we manage people and the manager was different to every individual,” the 45-year-old said.

“Of course, maybe I should get the hairdryer out of my pocket because I’ve got a hairdryer – you know, when my hair needs lifting I use it on myself, but I am also not afraid of, if you like, laying down the law.

“You know with your kids, when they disappoint you, you tell them off. You don’t give them some chocolate then, do you?

“So you treat players similar to how you treat your kids, really, because you want the best for them, you want to guide them, you want to help them, but if I get disappointed…

“Ask (my children) Noah, or Karna, or Elijah, or some of the players I’ve had in Molde. Once in a while you really have to tell them standards we’ve got.”

You can listen to full commentary of Cardiff City vs Manchester United live on talkSPORT on Saturday, kick-off 5:30pm.