Two new signings at opposite ends of the career
spectrum have given the Red Devils their belief back
under Jose Mourinho
The merchandise sellers around Sir Alex Ferguson Way had new
faces to stich into their scarves for the first Manchester United
home match of the season. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba
may be at the opposite ends of their respective career paths but
both represent the new face of this famous old club.
United have had big signings before but they have their chests
puffed out again now, employing as they are the most-expensive
footballer in history and, arguably, the third-greatest forward
on the planet. It has made for a sensational start to the season;
the familiar relentlessness of a successful Jose Mourinho side is
already in full flow.
Southampton won here last season and the season before that but
the days of underdogs coming to Old Trafford and taking away
wins away look long gone. Mourinho presides over one of the
proudest home records in football management and that extends
to this ground now.
Old Trafford feels again like the kind place where decent teams
come to get only a chastening. United were dominant, at their
regal best, with King Zlatan and Prince Paul reigning over all
others.
This was, of course, Pogba's second debut for his first senior club.
He would have preferred not to give the ball away with his very
first touch and cause a Southampton breakaway but the longer
the game went on the more comfortable the French midfielder
looked.
He set some United attacks going with his range of short and long
passing, dribbled through the Saints' back line to create danger
and was a menace in the box on the Wayne Rooney cross which
Ibrahimovic converted to give United the lead.
The 34-year-old displayed no nerves and has wasted no time
adapting to his new surroundings. His scarcely believable goal rate
from his Paris Saint-Germain days shows no signs of letting up in
the Premier League.
He added to his powerful header - for which he pinned Jose
Fonte down powerfully - with a second-half penalty won by Luke
Shaw. Any doubt who the top dog in the dressing room is now
should be cleared up by the sight of captain Rooney tossing the
ball to Zlatan for his spot kick.
Ibrahimovic has been here before - in an imposing side and
expecting to win - and will go the distance in any title race. As
for Pogba, this was as good a debut as he could have hoped for.
He had a skimpy pre-season in which he spent more time playing
basketball with Romelu Lukaku than football with his new team-
mates. This, though, will settle him and give him belief.
There is still a sensation that for all his intricate footwork and
deadly strikes from distance he still lacks the crucial aspect of
midfield player - that quiet domination of his sector for 90
minutes.
However, what is apparent is a genuine excitement for
Manchester United this season. There would appear to be a
perfect blend of solidity at the back - led by the outstanding Eric
Bailly - and the fantasy element added to the squad by Pogba,
Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and, of course, the man in
charge. Mourinho and United appear a perfect fit.
The club gave itself a huge boost with their work in the transfer
market and in their recruitment of the two-time Champions
League winner as coach. It might be a Europa League reality for
United this season - with more matches to come on Thursdays
than Fridays - but they are operating in the realms of the super
clubs again.
They have convinced the biggest names to come on board - the
best players in France, Germany and Spain - and the most
magnetic personality in football to oversee it all.
They do not feel like a fading force any longer - the fans are
coming here expecting to win.
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