The Mourinho Effect

The enforced break for the latest round of international matches is the perfect opportunity to take stock of Jose Mourinho's impact on Manchester United.

Since his arrival there has been a notable upsurge of optimism around Old Trafford. An optimism that can be seen on both the players' and the fans' faces. There is an air of expectancy that to be honest hasn't been felt since the heady days of Fergie.

He arrived at Piccadilly train station under no illusions of how big a task he had embarked on. A task not made easier by the state of the club that the two previous managers had left behind.

Louis van Gaal had departed on the back of an FA Cup final victory that will guarantee his place in United folklore, but apart from that the reality is that the Dutchman's so called philosophy had left many scratching their heads in both disbelief and confusion including the players.

United desperately needed a leader who had the confidence to pick up a wounded club and inject a self-belief drastically lacking from the squad. Enter the self-proclaimed 'special one'.

Mourinho's confidence was evident from the off. He began by outlining his transfer strategy by stating that he needed four new summer acquisitions to add the necessary pace and bite to his new team. He also stated that players would not play out of position. Music to the ears of fans who winced when Rooney would start in midfield.

The club backed his vision with the necessary funds to acquire Ivorian defender Eric Bailly, Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan along with the free transfer of the enigmatic Zlatan Ibrahimovic from PSG and to top it off the return of world record signing Paul Pogba.

Here were four players who would offer a mixture of both youth and experience to a side that badly needed rejuvenating after three seasons of despair.

Of course, this would mean that the squad would need trimming. Bearing that in mind Mourinho allowed a lot of fringe players to depart Old Trafford either on loan or on permanent deals. These included loan deals for the likes of Adnan Januzaj, Andreas Pereira and James Wilson and permanent moves for reserve team talents Will Keane and James Weir, who both joined former United assistant Mike Phelan at Hull City.

After a mixed pre-season which included a long trip to China to end up playing only one match, the Mourinho factor began to take take shape when United returned to England and lifted the Community Shield by defeating Premier League champions Leicester City at Wembley.

They then kicked off their Premier League campaign with three straight wins.The first came away at Bournemouth followed by a victory over Southampton in Mourinho's first match in charge at Old Trafford, Then came the late, late win against Hull City thanks to the impact of substitute Marcus Rashford.

In the opening exchanges two new signings stood out. The first was Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has netted four goals in four matches and at the back Eric Bailly, whose outstanding performances were rewarded with three man of the match awards. His impact and partnership with Daley Blind has kept Chris Smalling on the bench.

Pogba's second United debut had been delayed, but when he strode out at Old Trafford against Southampton the youngster that had left under a cloud of smoke returned a man who is clearly capable of filling the midfield void that has been left vacant for a long while.

The early indications are that Mourinho likes the pairing of Pogba and Fellaini in the middle. Many thought Fellaini could be moved on but once again he has proved his critics wrong.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been used sparingly but his talent is clear for all to see and much more exciting times lay ahead for the first Armenian to grace the English game.

The return of Luke Shaw in the defence has been like a breath of fresh air and his justified return to the England squad is no more than he deserves after the horrific injury he suffered last year.

Question marks still hang over some of the United players as Mourinho tries to put all the pieces of his puzzle together. One thing is for sure, it doesn't matter how big a star you are if you are not in the manager's plans then you will be left out in the cold.

The likes of Schweinsteiger and especially Memphis are finding it difficult under the new regime to stake a claim for first team football and will have to work harder to convince Mourinho that they still have a part to play at the club.

Juan Mata was sold by Mourinho to United during his second spell at Chelsea and this sparked debates about the future of the Spaniard. However, much to his credit Mata has proved that he still has much to offer the team.

It is a big task to win the league this season as normal service has been resumed with the big three United, Man City and Chelsea all making an early statement under new management. Having said that if any manager can achieve it then you wouldn't bet against Mourinho. The Portuguese maestro does have previous when it comes to pulling off the remarkable.

Next up for United is the derby which will see Jose reunite his rivalry with Pep Guardiola in a match that doesn't need any more intensity than usual, but will certainly get it in the build up to the Old Trafford clash.

All in all it's been a brilliant start to the season for the team and Mourinho can take pride in the fact that he is the first United manager to win his first four competitive games as club manager.

How the season will pan out only time will tell. The signs are there that the new man in the hot seat has the bit between his teeth and the fans have been given fresh hope after three years of mediocrity.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Roaring Rashford Tames The Tigers

Hull City 0 Manchester United 1

Marcus Rashford was the hero for United as he came off the bench to grab a late, late winner to ensure his team continued their one hundred percent start to the season.

Coming into the match both sides had started the season unbeaten which for former United assistant Mike Phelan's team is something of a surprise as he has only been able to call on thirteen available players from his first team squad.

Mourinho spent the week trimming his own squad with more fringe players departing on loan or in the case of Tyler Blackett on permanent deals. He indicated that with only a week to go in the transfer market he wouldn't be bringing in any new players and that he was happy with his current squad who he believed could not only challenge for the Premier League but indeed go on and win it.

The players he chose to start the clash with Hull were: De Gea, Valencia, Blind, Bailly, Shaw, Fellaini, Pogba, Mata, Rooney, Ibrahimovic and Martial.

So Mourinho was able to pick an unchanged side that defeated Southampton at Old Trafford last week, which meant that Mkhitaryan would have to wait a little longer for his first start of the season. Alongside him on the bench were Smalling, Herrera, Schneiderlin, Young and Rashford who was called up to the England U21's for the first time this week.

The Red Devil's kicked off against a Hull side who haven't beaten United for 42 years when both the teams were in the old second division.

It took Ibrahimovic only two minutes to attempt the spectacular as he connected with a superb cross from the impressive Valencia from the right wing.

The Swede then came ever so close with a towering header that only just crept over the crossbar. Martial did well to deliver the ball onto the head of Ibrahimovic.

In the opening fifteen minutes, United looked a tight unit with Fellaini sitting deeper in midfield to allow Pogba to venture forward. The pace was a little leisurely which suited the away side who seemed to be biding their time to strike.

The first booking of the match was awarded to Fellaini for a clumsy challenge from behind in a dangerous area. Having been booked the Belgian continued to protest his innocence and Rooney had to intervene to stop referee Moss from taking any further action under the new discipline guidelines.

Fellaini would have to tread more carefully during the remainder of the match on a ground where he was sent off the last time United played there.

Luke Shaw showed his defensive class as he did enough to put off Snodgrass from connecting with the ball at the far post. Brilliant defending from Shaw who fully deserves a recall to the England squad.

Once again the United away supporters were in great voice as the rain hurtled down.

Pogba came close with a snap shot that keeper Jakupovic did well to collect on the slippery surface.

It was United's turn to try their luck with a free-kick on the edge of Hull's penalty area after Mata had been brought down. It was Mata himself who got to his feet and took the kick which was far too easy for the keeper.

Last season Mata and Rooney were the main culprits in wasting dead ball opportunities and with the quality that Ibrahimovic has in his locker why not let him have a go more often.

The big Swede was causing the home defence all sorts of problems with not only his height but his terrific awareness of where his teammates were at any given time and his first touch was sublime at times.

With all the height United have at their disposal it was a surprise to see Juan Mata leap the highest to flick on a cross by Valencia that almost beat the keeper.

United were awarded a free kick that Ibrahimovic managed to get on the end of and backheeled the ball into the side netting with an audacious piece of skill.

That was the last chance of the first half a half in which United had dominated but failed to capitalise on all the possession they had. Sounds a lot like last season the main difference being with Mourinho's side you feel that a goal is going to come.

Mata seemed to struggle with his game out on the right-hand side and it wouldn't be a big surprise if a change happens and Mkhitaryan is brought into that position to provide more penetration.

Hull were there for the taking if only United could use the width more and get behind the full backs. Their forward play was all too narrow and easy for the home side to defend against.

The second half got underway with Mourinho deciding against making any changes. The injury crises for Phelan and Hull got worse as Snodgrass had to be withdrawn within the first few minutes of the restart.

United captain Rooney had the first opportunity as his head met a smart cross from Shaw but it fell too nicely for the keeper.

Nothing was working for United as they resorted to long balls into the area aimed at the head of Ibrahimovic, who was continually surrounded by two or three defenders. Something clearly had to change if they were to come away with all the points.

Mourinho had seen enough and decided that Martial didn't have his game on and introduced Mkhitaryan on the hour mark.

United won a corner after Ibrahimovic had thrashed a shot goalward from the edge of the box. This was followed by a neat move involving Pogba, Ibrahimovic and Mata which resulted in a trip on Mata in the area and a big shout for a penalty but the flag had gone up for offside.

Frustrations were running high as was shown in the reaction of Ibrahimovic when Mata took the ball from his feet as he pulled back the trigger to shoot. Pogba then blasted an attempt from 30 yards that was well over the bar.

As the rain continued to pour down Mkhitaryan showed his pace as he sped towards goal only to be upended by Huddlestone who was rightly booked.

Before the free-kick could be taken United made another change by bringing on Rashford at the expense of Mata for the remaining twenty minutes. The resulting free kick was blasted into the wall by Ibrahimovic.

The away fans had a break from singing to shout for a penalty after the ball had struck a defender on the upper arm but the referee waved play on. It was a clear penalty, but with the inconsistency the Premier League refs are showing it was no surprise nothing was given. Handball is handball whichever way you look at it.

Hull came alive in a five-minute spell that woke up their own fans when a shot was deflected for a corner with De Gea completely wrong-footed. With their best spell in the match, they didn't even manage to force a save from De Gea.

French star Pogba was the latest to try his luck from a free-kick again awarded to United on the edge of the area but he curled his effort well wide.

As the match entered the last ten minutes it was all United as Rashford showed what he can do with a run followed by a piercing drive that was brilliantly saved by the keeper.

Then Rashford and Ibrahimovic cleverly worked the ball through a group of players to pick out Mkhitaryan whose first-time effort was blocked. The tempo had been raised and the points were there for the taking as United won a string of corners.

An exceptional cross by the lively Rashford right across the six-yard box only had to be tapped in by one of his teammates, but they were slow to react and the chance had gone.

Rashford enjoyed an excellent cameo since his introduction and along with fellow substitute Mkhitaryan changed the style of United's play with such great effect.

A curling chance by Pogba almost found its way into the net but was only a whisker wide. Mourinho shouted his displeasure from the touchline when yet another Pogba effort found the back of the stand and not the back of the net.

Then just when you thought United would have to settle for a point Rashford stepped up and smashed the ball into the net from close range to give his side a valuable win and the precious three points in the 92nd minute.

It all came from great wing play by Rooney, who did extremely well on the left when he cut into the box and delivered a delightful ball on a plate for Rashford who finished with aplomb. It was to be Rooney's last action as he was substituted for Smalling.

The match had changed once the vibrant Rashford was introduced as his all round play had a positive impact on the way United attacked as he was causing damage on the left and the right and the Hull defenders struggled to cope with his constant surges into their area. With Martial slightly of the boil this could be the youngsters chance to grab a starting place.

It will be said that he had a point to prove after not being chosen in the opening games and Allardyce's first England squad, but that is just not true as when you have the talent this lad has there is absolutely nothing to prove.

For the third time in the new season, Eric Bailly picked up the Man of the Match award for another solid display alongside Daley Blind in the centre of defence. However, for the impact he had on the match since his introduction Rashford has also to be considered.

There will be many more tests like this one during the season and it was pleasing that the team never gave up the chase and finally managed to break down a resolute defence. It is still a work in progress, but if they can keep collecting maximum points while ironing out the kinks then we can all live with that.

There were two cup competitions drawn this week. In the first United were picked to play away at Northampton in the Football League Cup 3rd round add to that the draw for the Europa League took place and United were handed a mixed bag of games including a trip to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce, which is never easy, a closer to home trip to Holland against Feyenoord and a long journey to the Ukraine to play the relatively unknown FC Zorya Luhansk.

One interesting aspect of the draw will be the return of former United striker and fans favourite Robin van Persie who has in fact played for both United and Feyenoord and is currently at Fenerbahce.

There will be a break in the league action next weekend so next up for United is the mouth-watering derby and the first meeting of Jose and Pep as Manchester managers.

Until then thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Wembley Cheer For Mourinho.

Leicester City 1 Manchester United 2.

A brilliant individual solo goal by Lingard and a towering header by Ibrahimovic lit up Wembley and presented Mourinho with his first trophy as Manchester United manager.

The traditional season curtain raiser saw the English champions Leicester City take on FA Cup winners Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in a match that if a team loses it is only a friendly but if they win it turns into a major piece of silverware.

Jose Mourinho led out his United side for the first time at Wembley against Premier League champions Leicester, now there's a sentence I never thought I would write.

So much has changed at Old Trafford since Jesse Lingard scored the dramatic winner against Crystal Palace back in May that allowed Louis van Gaal to end a poor season on a high. It was to be van Gaal's final act as United manager as he was immediately replaced by the fans' choice the 'special one' Jose Mourinho.

In a short space of time, he has rejuvenated the club and given fresh hope to the faithful with a string of shrewd signings. None more so than the capture of world superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic along with solid central defender Eric Bailly and the exciting Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Add to that the confirmation that the world record re-signing of Paul Pogba has been given the green light by Juventus then all seems well at the Theatre of Dreams.

The pre-season has had its ups and downs, including a long trip to China to play only one match as the other against Man City was cancelled. Then a well planned return to Sweden for Ibrahimovic to not only make his debut as a Red Devil, but also score his first goal for the club within four minutes against Galatasaray.

However, the feeling has to be that United have not had enough game time with so many players only returning in the last two weeks after their Euro 2016 exploits and subsequent holidays.

With each team allowed to use six substitutes, it gave Mourinho a chance to utilise his squad to the full enabling him to give as many players as possible valuable time on the pitch. Some players would be left disappointed and the most noticeable absentees from the 18-man squad were Young, Darmian and Memphis whose woes continued as he failed to win a place even on the bench. Mourinho's starting XI was: De Gea, Valencia, Blind, Bailly, Shaw, Carrick, Fellaini, Rooney, Martial, Lingard and Ibrahimovic.

Rashford, Herrera and Mata along with Schneiderlin were named on the bench, but there was one surprise as Fellaini was given the nod ahead of new signing Mkhitaryan.

There was a great atmosphere inside the famous stadium as Leicester got the match underway, a match that if level after 90 minutes would have gone straight to penalties.

United in their new red strip had the majority of the play in the opening minutes, but it was a rush of speed into the box by Vardy after he had nutmegged Bailly that needed a heavy block by Blind to prevent an early chance for the champions.

At the other end Ibrahimovic's first touch was a typical back-heeled volley which was confidently executed by the Swede. His comparisons to Cantona in both stature and skill cannot be ignored. His forward partner Martial entered the fray with a run and shot from the left hand side that he fired into the side-netting.

Overall, it was a lively start from both sides in the opening ten minutes without troubling either keeper.

It was captain Rooney, who provided the first chance on goal when he headed the ball into the arms of Schmeichel after a cross from the left by Shaw. It really is a great sight to see Luke Shaw return to competitive football after his horrific injury. Let's hope that he can have a long injury free run in the side.

The next chance fell to Fellaini inside the Leicester penalty area when he neatly flicked the ball up and shot on the turn, but former United defender Simpson did enough to get his body in the way of the effort and took the sting out of the shot.

It was the turn of the Foxes to try their luck when Okazaki curled a deflected effort just wide of De Gea's post, then the same player clipped a header onto the bar following the resulting corner.

Bailly began to show his quality as a defender as the match progressed and at one point he tracked Vardy all the way to the byline and made a superb tackle to prevent the striker getting a shot in on goal. Brilliant defending from a player who looks to have settled into life fairly well at United bearing in mind his difficulty with the language.

Twice in the opening thirty minutes, Rooney was guilty of losing possession in dangerous areas to give the opposition the advantage. Something that was a familiar theme last season and something he needs to address.

Then in the 32nd minute the breakthrough came and what a moment it was. FA Cup final hero Jesse Lingard did it again as he scored an individual goal of immense quality. After he had collected the ball in a tight spot in the centre of the pitch he only had one thought on his mind and weaved his way past four challenges and once inside the area calmly placed the ball past Schmeichel.

A truly world class goal from a player who has always had that type of skill in his locker and continued his love affair with Wembley which must have impressed new England manager Sam Allardyce as he watched from the stands.

Half-time and United led 1-0 thanks to Lingard's wonderful effort. The half was an even but fairly scruffy forty-five minutes and one that didn't really give us any clearer idea of Mourinho's tactics. Rooney and Martial had a half that they would rather forget and Ibrahimovic had to backtrack too many times either to look for the ball or help out with defensive duties.

On a positive note, both full backs Valencia and Shaw, along with Bailly and Blind looked impressive at the back.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic got the second half underway as United looked to put in a more confident display as Mourinho decided against making any changes at the beginning of the half.

Bailly continued to be the rock at the heart of United's defence by making two strong tackles in quick succession to clear his lines. Up at the other end a lethargic looking Rooney wasted a chance to provide the ammunition for an attack on goal when he was far too easily dispossessed on the edge of Leicester's penalty area.

Then in the 52nd minute, Vardy equalised for Leicester when he jumped on a poor back pass by Fellaini and neatly passed the ball into the net. An opportunist goal, but the mistake by Fellaini provided the striker with the chance after the Belgian had done well to intercept a through ball by the pacey Musa.

All square and all to play for as the game became a little feisty with some hefty challenges flying in especially by King on scorer Lingard. The first change made by Mourinho came on the hour mark as Herrera replaced Carrick in midfield.

Following the equaliser, Leicester looked the more dangerous of the two sides and United needed to get hold of the ball and work more openings up front. Substitute Musa was a handful and he almost directed a header past De Gea as he fell backwards unmarked in the area.

The second change for United was one that was forced on the manager as Lingard had taken one too many sly kicks from the opposition and had to be taken off to be replaced by Mata.

There was a warm round of applause in the 66th minute in tribute to the England World Cup winning team to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their one and only triumph.

Shortly after Fellaini smartly teed up Rooney on the edge of the box only for the captain to shoot weakly at the keeper.

More changes followed as Rashford and Rojo came on for Martial and Shaw with twenty minutes left on the clock.

Bailly received an unfair caution for a shoulder-barge on Vardy then Vardy himself picked up his own booking with a reckless challenge on Mata which probably deserved a red and could have caused serious damage to the Spaniard.

Since his introduction, Rashford brought his usual spark to the proceedings winning a succession of corners and free kicks that were all taken by Rooney and all wasted. It looked as though Ibrahimovic would put the ball in from close range after he had been set up inadvertently by Rooney but his underhit shot was cleared off the line by Drinkwater.

Not to worry as two minutes later the new Red Devil hero made amends by scoring with a well-directed header in the 83rd minute. Valencia did all the work as he sent in a delightful cross from the right side of the penalty area which Ibrahimovic rose majestically for and placed the ball expertly into the net. Valencia has impressed in the pre-season with his forays forward and assists from his right-back position.

Schneiderlin eventually came on for the ineffective Rooney to tighten the midfield for the final few minutes as Leicester hunted for another equaliser.

With the clock showing four minutes of added time new signing Mkhitaryan made his first Wembley appearance for United by coming on for fellow substitute Mata who looked far from happy about the change as he had only been involved for a short time.

Leicester spent the last couple of minutes of the match throwing everything and everyone, including Schmeichel, forward into United's penalty area only to be thwarted by De Gea and Bailly.

At the end of the game, United survived the onslaught of Leicester to see the match out with a hard fought victory and presented Jose Mourinho with his first silverware thanks mainly to the man of the match Eric Bailly who put in a solid performance at the heart of the defence. Chris Smalling must be looking forward to building a partnership with the Ivorian.

The two goals United scored were both top draw and will undoubtedly grab the headlines over the coming days, but they shouldn't take the attention away from the fact that this wasn't a fluid performance by United who are clearly still coming to terms with the new manager's ideas and certain players performed below par most notably Rooney.

There is still a concern about the value to the side of Fellaini who continues to make mistakes like the one he made to present the chance for Vardy to score. If the rumours are true about Moyes wanting to sign him for a third time he wouldn't be that great a loss to United.

Of course, this match will pale into insignificance come the start of the Premier League campaign. However, it does show that the team is at least headed on the right track and to lift a trophy at the start of a new season does wonders for confidence, especially when you add to that the imminent arrival of Pogba to inject much needed flair and creativeness into the midfield.

The real hard work starts next week with a long away trip to Bournemouth to kick-start the new season. By that time we can expect some slight changes to the squad and it will be interesting to see the team that Mourinho decides to put out against the Cherries.

Until then thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Jose's Winning Start

Wigan 0 Manchester United 2

This was not just any old run of the mill pre-season friendly this was a match that all Man United fans had been eagerly anticipating since the announcement of Jose Mourinho's appointment as the new manager.

There was certainly more focus on the manager by the fans and the press than the action on the pitch. As the away support blasted out Mourinho's name relentlessly the cameras followed his every move and gesture as he spent more time on the touchline than van Gaal had in his entire spell as United manager and there was no clipboard in sight.

On the pitch there were many important landmarks, Mkhitaryan and Bailly made solid debuts, Wilson made his return from loan and many academy players were given a run-out with the chance to impress their new manager.

But none were more important than the fact that defender Luke Shaw played his first match for the Red Devils since the horror injury he endured ten months ago to the day. Shaw didn't look like a player who had overcome a serious injury as he never shirked from some crunching challenges. All credit to the 21-year-old and let us hope that this will be his season and one that he fully deserves.

On the game front, United won at a canter and Mourinho made full use of his available squad to ease them through what in all fairness was a training exercise designed to increase fitness levels. There will be tougher clashes ahead during the tours of China and Sweden.

Will Keane will hold the distinction of being the first player to score under Jose Mourinho's reign and his goal was followed by a superb strike on the turn from the impressive Andreas Pereira to make the result a comfortable 2-0 victory over a Wigan side who never really tested goalkeepers Sam Johnstone and Joel Pereira.

New signings Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly slotted in nicely and judging by their performances the fans will be licking their lips for the rest of the season.

With Mourinho reportedly keen to keep his squad for the new season down to a minimum it will be interesting to see how many players from this friendly will still be at Old Trafford come the end of the transfer window, especially when you consider all the big name players who featured in the Euro 2016 tournament have yet to return.

Many of the youngsters will simply return to the under 21's or academy, but it is highly likely that some of them will face more loan spells away from the club or even be released. With the anticipated strike force quartet of Ibrahimovic, Rooney, Martial and Rashford to be the preferred choice of the manager then it's doubtful that scorer Keane and James Wilson will want to hang around.

The same can be said about the defence. With the return of Shaw and the acquisition of Bailly, what does the future hold for the likes of Rojo, McNair, Blackett and some of the many young defenders that played at the back during last season?

United seem to have an abundance of players to call upon in the attacking midfield slots. However, it is the defensive midfield area that needs reinforcing as Carrick and Schweinsteiger will not be able to play a whole season due to age and inevitable injuries so with just Schneiderlin to call upon there is a need there.

Mourinho obviously has a plan and we will all have to wait and see what transpires, but for now it's a first win for the new man in charge and there is a positive vibe once again around the club as they embark on their pre-season tour of China and a little matter of the coming together of Jose and Pep.

The good times seem to be back and long may they continue.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Summer Lovin' At Man United.

The weather in Manchester may not be hot, but the activity around Old Trafford certainly is and if the rumours are true it could get even hotter.

So far new manager Jose Mourinho has given back the Manchester United fans that happy feeling again in his short time at the helm and has gone a long way to erase the memories of the last few seasons.

Mourinho didn't waste time implementing his United revolution by signing a quality defender in Ivory Coast international Eric Bailly from Villareal then plucked superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer from PSG. He followed that up with the news that the first Armenian to ply his trade in England had been secured when he tied up the transfer of highly-rated Henrikh Mkhitaryan, or simply Micki, from Borussia Dortmund.

A press conference to unveil the new Red Devil manager was one that exuded confidence, which is no more than you would expect from Mourinho, as he laid out his agenda to bring back the good times in front of the world's press and watching fans.

The last few weeks have been buzzing with the transfer activity surrounding United which could reach a whole new level if the rumours surrounding a world record bid for Paul Pogba become a reality.

Figures approaching £100m have been thrown around like confetti in the press for a player who left United on a free transfer after a huge fallout with then manager Alex Ferguson.

Fergie later admitted that Pogba's agent orchestrated the move to Juventus for the then 19-year-old midfielder in his own interests rather than the players and he was disgusted by the manner in which the whole messy situation was resolved.

There are two sides to every argument and it can be said that bygones should be bygones and a club as big as United should always try and sign the big name players. On the other hand, it could be put over why are the club willing to pay so much money for a player who turned his back on them for the lure of money.

Of course, other world class players have been linked with a big-money move to United in the past and nothing materialised as their agents only used the club to up the price to lure other more lucrative moves to rival clubs. This could turn out to be the case with Pogba as Real Madrid are also reported to be interested.

However, there is one important factor to consider and that is players do want to play for Jose Mourinho. Consider this, if van Gaal or indeed Moyes had still been at the helm would the likes of Zlatan have joined or even Pogba be considering a move to United? The answer has to be a resounding no especially with no Champions League football. But Mourinho has that pulling power not seen at United since Ferguson.

Whatever happens in the Pogba saga the future of the club looks to be in very safe hands with Mourinho and the upcoming season should see United return to the days of when they were challenging for the biggest honours.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Jose Mourinho Meets The Press.

It was a calm, confident and assured new Manchester United manager who sat in front of the world's press at Old Trafford.

After almost half an hour Jose Mourinho had laid out his plans for his revolution at Old Trafford in a manner that suggested he was relishing the tough task ahead.

However, it wasn't what he said, but more what he implied during his first question and answer session as the new man in charge of resurrecting the Red Devils.

Mourinho was careful enough not to mention anybody by name but everyone knew who he was talking about. He started by confirming that he wasn't a manager who hid behind philosophies, a dig at his predecessor Louis van Gaal. He then took aim at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger when he reminded everybody that some managers had not won the league for ten years whereas he had achieved it one year ago.

Next, it was his old adversary Pep Guardiola's turn down the road at Man City when Mourinho stated that he had twenty rivals not just one. He also brought age into the mix when he claimed that at 53 he was more motivated than older managers at the end of their careers which could have been a reference to van Gaal, Wenger and any manager over 60.

Mourinho then proceeded to tackle the Wayne Rooney dilemma by confirming exactly what many United fans have been saying for the last three years and that is the captain is not a midfielder but a striker who the new manager will utilise as a number 9, 10 or even a 9.5 but never 50 metres away from goal where his scoring talent is wasted. Music to the ears indeed.

He addressed the elephant in the room in an honest manner and that was the departure of Ryan Giggs after almost 30 years by admitting that the Welsh legend would only have stayed on as manager but the board had decided to appoint a manager with experience over sentimentality.

When asked about his transfer plans Mourinho confirmed that he had four players targeted to fill in what he called specialised positions but didn't confirm any departures. However, he was very clear on his stance that players should not play out of position. Another shot across the bow of van Gaal's baffling tactics.

Even though Mourinho had a serious look about him the session did have humour built into it, especially when he had to ask his press assistant if the club had finalised the deal with a third player to which she replied 'No, not yet'. He followed that up by replying to a question about whether or not he had received any advice from Alex Ferguson and that the Scot had told him to bring an umbrella and his usual good taste in wine.

The only time that he seemed to become slightly riled was when one journalist questioned him about his past record on promoting academy players. True to his style Mourinho had come prepared with a list of 49 players he had brought up through the ranks at his previous clubs. End of debate.

Overall, it was a Mourinho who seemed to be very much at home in his new surroundings as he said all the right things that will certainly go down well with the Old Trafford faithful. Sure, he will face tougher press conferences as the season unfolds, but at this one, he was in full control of the proceedings.

He appears to have grasped the enormity of the job in hand and the early signs in the transfer market show that he understands exactly who and what is needed to inject a sense of urgency and aggression into a side drained of confidence over the last three seasons.

Only time will tell if the special one is indeed the right one to bring success back to United but all the signs point to a successful partnership between manager and club. Confidence breeds success and Mourinho is not short of that characteristic.

Finally, In Mourinho's own words 'Giant clubs must be for the best managers.'

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Zlatan Joins Man United.

The worst kept secret in football has been confirmed. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has become the latest player to join Jose Mourinho's Man United revolution.

The fact that Ibrahimovic has announced that he will join United before the club speaks volumes about the player's character. Here is a man that exudes confidence in bucket loads and clearly likes to control his own destiny. Remind you of someone?

His persona and an air of grandeur do seem reminiscent of when a certain French master entered the Theatre of Dreams. And that is exactly what United need after a dreadful three seasons a leader of players akin to the Cantona effect in the nineties.

Exactly what will the Swede bring to the team during his one-year contract? Apart from the obvious excitement, flair and goals, it will be the undoubted experience of the 34-year-old that Mourinho will call upon especially when you bear in mind the young age of the forward line at United.

Imagine how the likes of Rashford and Martial felt when they heard the news. At last, here will be a player that will not only help them to improve on the pitch but also in training.

This is a cunning move by Mourinho and United one that will have the fans' pulses racing at the prospect of watching one of the most exciting players in the world and of course have the board rubbing their hands at the guarantee of increased profits from worldwide shirt sales.

A statement of intent has been made by the Red Devils one that will send a strong message to the rest of the Premier League and beyond and with the likelihood of more ins and outs during the transfer window the good times do seem to have returned to Old Trafford.

Time will tell if the Theatre of Dreams is large enough for two of the biggest egos in football but it will certainly be fun finding out.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

The Rise of Red Devil Rashford.

Manchester United have had a fabulous habit of introducing young raw talent onto the world stage, none more so than the new striking sensation Marcus Rashford.

The youngster from Wythenshawe, Manchester is one player who can hold his head up when he returns home from the Euro 2016 championship.

As the England squad left the home shores to make the very short journey across the Channel to France to embark on their European Championship adventure there was a young man who must have been pinching himself as he looked around him taking in the fact that he was among the elite chosen to represent his country at the highest level.

How the 18-year-old Rashford came to be sitting alongside the likes of United and England teammates Rooney and Smalling is a remarkable achievement in itself and the stuff of dreams.

He was plucked from the relative obscurity of the under 18's due to an injury to Anthony Martial in the match warm up as United prepared to play Midtjylland at Old Trafford in a Europa League tie. What followed that night is exactly why the stadium was given the moniker of The Theatre of Dreams and set the local lad on a journey that doesn't look like ending anytime soon.

Die hard United fans, of course, knew of his immense potential, but many would have been surprised by the way he took his chance with aplomb in a game in which he not only scored a debut double but in doing so cemented his hero status in front of an adoring Stretford End.

The teenager then followed that up with another double against Arsenal in his first Premier League match. A star was born and the confidence he showed in scoring the winning goal in the Manchester Derby was the shining light in a mediocre season for the team under Louis van Gaal.

Rashford ended his first remarkable season as a regular and capped it off with an FA Cup winners medal to boot. He was awarded for his efforts with a training session with the England squad which led to a first international cap against Australia in which it only took him four minutes to score yet another debut goal and in doing so became the youngest England player to score on his international senior debut.

The England manager Roy Hodgson had seen enough and Rashford had booked himself a passage to France. He made his debut at the Euros as a substitute against Wales becoming the youngest England player to play in the Championships beating captain Rooney by four days.

Unfortunately, for Rashford and the nation as a whole he was only called upon one more time and that was for the last five minutes in the shocking defeat to minnows Iceland. In the short time he spent on the pitch he performed considerably better than the other players had in the previous eighty-five minutes.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it is remarkable that Hodgson persevered with Sterling and Sturridge for so long during the tournament when they were clearly not up to the task. There will be many more international campaigns for Rashford in the future and let's hope he has learnt from his experience of being involved in a major championship.

New United manager Jose Mourinho must be licking his lips at the prospect of working with Rashford especially if he can bring in an experienced striker to help fine tune the youngster's undoubted talent.

The future looks bright for Rashford who has been rewarded for his progress at the club with a new improved contract that will keep him where he belongs for the next four years and hopefully beyond.

Many fans will be interested to see how next season will unfold for the teenager who doesn't seem to be short of confidence and approaches the game exactly how it should be by a United player. His ability, awareness, pace and an unnerving eye for goal should ensure that this shining light will not be diminished anytime soon.

If Rashford continues at the same pace he has the capacity to break many more records for both club and country and at his young age could end up making Rooney take a look over his shoulder.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.