United's Derby Doldrums

Manchester United 1 Manchester City 2

Manchester United's unbeaten start to the season was derailed by a combination of Mourinho's own tactics and his arch rival Guardiola. A defeat that left a sour taste in the mouth after a handful of players fell short of the level expected along with some very debatable refereeing decisions.

Not only was this the first meeting of the season between the two Manchester clubs, but it was also the continuing rivalry of two of the game's most successful managers in the modern era.

Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola did use to get along in their time together at Barcelona when Mourinho was a fledgling coach and translator. However, since then their talents have clashed on numerous occasions, especially during their days as coaches for the Spanish giants Real and Barca.

Now they will pit their wits against each other from the less sunny climes of the North West of England. The weather may not be on a comparison with Spain, but once they make their way home after their first derby experience they will realise that the passion and hatred between the two rival fans are certainly hotter.

Mourinho's first derby starting XI saw some minor changes with the inclusion of Mkhitaryan, who would start his first league game and the return of Lingard after injury: De Gea, Valencia, Blind, Bailly, Shaw, Fellaini, Pogba, Lingard, Mkhitaryan, Rooney and Ibrahimovic.

The trio of Martial, Mata and Herrera would all start on the bench alongside last week's goal hero Rashford who had another wonderful debut in midweek this time scoring a hat-trick for the England U21's.

Once again Mourinho's defence was unchanged, which meant Smalling would have to bide his time a little longer. Fellaini kept his spot alongside Pogba in midfield with Ibrahimovic once again leading the line up front with Rooney slotted in behind him.

So the stage was set for the 172nd instalment of the battle of Manchester.

City got the match underway amid a highly charged atmosphere that was certainly the loudest heard at the Theatre of Dreams in a very long time.

The visitors created the first opening as De Bruyne whipped a low cross across the United box which thankfully evaded everyone. Lingard started out on the left with Mkhitaryan occupying the right channel. Lingard seemed to struggle to begin with after he misplaced passes and was slow to interact with his teammates.

Pogba had the first chance for the Red Devils as early as the sixth minute when he side-footed an effort from outside of the area that was only a whisper over the bar. The opening ten minutes was a fairly even affair as both sides battled for superiority.

At the back, Bailly was in the same fine form that has won him so many plaudits in his new United career. His gung-ho approach to defending is exactly what United have missed since Vidic departed.

The home side was guilty of giving the ball away too easily and this hit home as City drew the first blood on the quarter hour mark.

Rooney's attempted pass to set Mkhitaryan off and running down the right was blocked and the Armenian gave up the chase for the ball all too easily. The ball was collected down by his own corner flag by Kolarov and after exchanging passes with his keeper he hoofed a long pass forward which was headed on by Iheanacho and there was De Bruyne who managed to nip in ahead of Blind to collect the ball and coolly slotted it into the corner of De Gea's net.

The setup that Mourinho had chosen with the two wide midfielders Lingard and Mkhitaryan was just not working as they were both off the pace and maybe Rashford and Martial would have been a better option.

There was an extremely close call for offside against Mkhitaryan as he raced onto a ball through the middle and was upended in the penalty area.

The opening half an hour belonged to the blues as they were the first to every ball and the reds were very careless with their positional play. At least Fellaini was covering the pitch and getting in some sturdy defensive work to help out his back four.

Then, ten minutes before half time disaster for United as City extended their lead. De Bruyne was the thorn in United's side once again as his snapshot rebounded off De Gea's far post into the path of Iheanacho who had the easiest of tasks to slot the ball home as the home defence appealed for offside. It was Blind who had played the attacker onside.

Two nil down it would have to be another one of United's famous comebacks if they were going to get anything out of this derby.

United captain Rooney was guilty of giving the ball away twice while his team were in promising positions. That summed up the way United had played up to that point.

However, it was from a Rooney free-kick that United pulled a precious goal back. The captain floated over a high ball into the area which looked easy for new City keeper Bravo, but he somehow misjudged the ball, flapped and there was new hero Ibrahimovic to smack the ball into the net. The big Swede's technique made it look so easy as he netted his fifth goal in as many games.

Just before half time, Ibrahimovic had two chances to grab the equaliser.The first was a far post header that Bravo only just managed to keep hold of following neat work and a cross from Rooney.

That was followed by complete mayhem in the City defence as the keeper inexplicably presented the ball on a plate for Ibrahimovic, but his first time shot was far too weak.The visiting keeper started to show some nerves and dodgy decision making on his debut.

Half time and at least United had started to show some fight towards the end of the half. Some of the players were not having a good time of it and their concentration was not on song as City made them pay for some poor play.

Mourinho had seen enough and made two important changes at the start of the second half. Rashford and Herrera replaced the ineffective duo of Lingard and Mkhitaryan. United kicked off the half attacking the Stretford End.

Rashford had an immediate effect on the match as his speed took him down the left and he produced a wonderful cross which Ibrahimovic met but put it over the bar.

The introduction of Rashford completely changed the tempo of United's game as his awareness, speed and overall ability gave the City defenders a lot to ponder.

There were two bookings in quick succession for United as they chased the game. One each for Ibrahimovic and Fellaini. The Belgium was adjudged to have used his elbow, not for the first time in his career.

United should have been awarded a clear penalty after City's Bravo lunged two-footed into Rooney after another blunder from the keeper. Clattenburg saw it differently from everyone else and waved play on. An interesting aspect of the challenge is that anywhere else on the pitch and it would have resulted in a free kick. A poor decision by the referee and one that would have a huge impact on the result.

It was all United now as the fans urged their heroes to attack and attack they did this time down the right when a cross was averted by the elbow of Otamendi. For the third time in the game referee Clattenburg waved away the home side's claims for a spot kick.

There was a distinctive difference to United's play as they had an urgency about them that had been lacking in the first half.

Ibrahimovic took a slight knock to the shin after he tried to connect with a Fellaini header. True to the big man's character he got up, ran it off and got on with his game.

The pace of Rashford almost paid off as he raced towards the penalty area and struck a well-aimed shot into the net only for it to be rightly called for offside against Ibrahimovic. So unlucky for both the youngster and his side who deserved to be back on level terms.

United keeper De Gea produced the goods to keep his side in the game from a spate of City corners with a double save followed by a catch at full stretch to prevent a certain goal.

The match was a full bloodied end to end spectacle as it entered the last fifteen minutes as both sides pushed forward. De Bruyne saw an effort hit the near post and trickle agonisingly across the goal line and Silva wasted a golden chance to put the game beyond United's reach.

At the other end, United were also guilty of wasted opportunities when on the attack and needed to aim more balls at the hapless keeper who looked like a fish out of water.

The last change of the match for United saw Martial enter the fray in place of Shaw to add an extra body to the attack for the remaining ten minutes.

Rooney was cautioned for catching the keeper late after Bravo had dithered on the ball in his own area. As a referee, Clattenburg gave the home side nothing in the way of balanced decisions and the Rooney caution was another example of this.

In the next attack, Rooney stayed on his feet after being caught inside the area. He probably realised that if he had gone to ground the referee wouldn't have given anything anyway.

As the match entered the added five minutes of injury time United threw everything forward in search of the valuable equaliser. As they did it left the back door open for counter attacks which City managed on at least two occasions. Both times Bailly was there to snuff out the danger. He is such a great addition to the side and will only become stronger as he gains more experience as the season progresses.

In the end, it was a disappointing first defeat of the season for Mourinho's men, but in fairness they didn't start to play until the introduction of Rashford at the beginning of the second half. In hindsight, maybe he should have started from the off.

United's cause wasn't helped by a terrible performance by referee Clattenburg who made a number of poor decisions. The main one being the Bravo challenge on Rooney. The inconsistency of Premier League referees is a huge problem that has to be looked into as each game throws up more than one contentious decision week in week out.

It has to be said Mourinho got it wrong in his team selection with the choice of Lingard, who had only just come back from injury and Mkhitaryan who had picked up a knock while on international duty and was clearly not in the right mindset.

Another issue has to be when United were chasing a goal what was the point in forsaking a defender for an extra attacker and then have Rooney play deep trying to dictate the attacks when he would have been better suited in the danger areas. Also, is Rooney now the only player capable of delivering free kicks from deep positions into the opposition's penalty area?

Obviously, Mourinho's tactics are still a work in progress and one poor result doesn't spell a disaster. However, some of the players need to raise their game to justify their inclusion.

A bad day at the office and one in which lessons will hopefully be learnt by Mourinho and his coaches as they try to pick up the players ahead of their opening Europa League game against Feyenoord.

Until then thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

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.

Zlatan At The Double

Manchester United 2 Southampton 0

Not even the fanfare surrounding the return of the world's most expensive player was going to steal the limelight from a character as big as Zlatan Ibrahimovic as his two goals ensured that Jose Mourinho's Old Trafford reign got off to a flyer.

There was an air of optimism surrounding the Theatre of Dreams as fans flocked to Old Trafford to witness Mourinho's first official match at his new home.

After kicking the Premier League season off with a fine win on the south coast against Bournemouth all eyes were focused on this clash against Southampton and whether United's world record signing Paul Pogba would make his second career debut for the Red Devils.

Here was Mourinho's first starting XI for the opening home game: De Gea, Valencia, Blind, Bailly, Shaw, Pogba, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, Martial and Ibrahimovic.

Herrera was the player to make way for the return of Pogba in midfield. Home debuts were handed to Ibrahimovic and Bailly but there was still no place for Armenian Mkhitaryan who would have to continue to bide his time as a substitute.

Smalling returned to the squad, but would have to start on the bench after the splendid display of Blind and Bailly at the back last time out.

United got the game underway in front of a vibrant crowd that was determined to make the night one to remember.

It was the visitors who had the audacity to create the first real chance of the half as they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of United's area which the wall dealt with well.

Ibrahimovic started the first United attack of note by winning the ball and cleverly feeding Rooney, who in turn rolled the ball into the path of the advancing Valencia who has been impressive at the start of the season. The Colombian raced to the byline, but his cross was blocked for a corner. This early action got the home faithful worked up as they increased the volume.

In the opening ten minutes after an initial poor first touch Pogba seemed to settle into his position fairly well and linked with his new teammates if not a little nervously as was to be expected with all the hype surrounding him in the build up to the match.

The Saints game plan came unstuck when Romeu had to leave the play early and was replaced by Clasie.

Pogba's first real contribution almost had the fans cheering for a goal as he struck a well-aimed shot from the edge of the area that was saved by opposition keeper Forster. Now that would have been a tremendous start to the French internationals United return. The move was instigated by Ibrahimovic as he did well to bring the ball down well inside the area.

At the other end, Southampton had their own chance to take the lead as a cross by Redmond only failed to be met by the head of Tadic by inches as he ran in unmarked at the far post. A definite let off for the Reds. The Saints were clearly not there to make up the numbers and looked a decent side.

Anthony Martial started the match a shadow of himself from last season as his first touch let him down on a few occasions. Hopefully, whatever is on his mind clears up very soon as the team needs his focus, pace and dribbling skills firing on all cylinders as soon as possible.

As the half hour mark approached the fans saw a delightful passing move from United as the ball found Pogba on the left hand side of the penalty area and his nice chip was met by Mata, who deftly headed the ball towards Ibrahimovic who in turn attempted one of his trademark overhead kicks. However, he was off target on this occasion.

The big Swede was on fire with all the attacking moves stemming from his runs and his link up play with the supporting players.

Captain Rooney, who is only three goals behind Bobby Charlton's record, tried his luck from distance but his effort lacked the power needed.

United's first Premier League home goal of the new season came from who else but the irrepressible Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who powered in a header from a brilliant cross by Rooney in the 36th minute. What a way to score his first Premier League goal at Old Trafford and what an assist from his captain whose determination to reach the ball and deliver the cross was a delight to see.

Half-time and United deserved to be ahead and had just about done enough to go off in the lead. However, they would have to be careful of Southampton in the second half and will be looking to kill the game off quickly.

As the half progressed Pogba became a lot more involved in the majority of the play and almost got his head to the cross that Ibrahimovic headed in to put his side into the lead.

One interesting difference to last season is the height in the team now, whereas it was only Fellaini who offered the aerial threat in the opposition's box now you have both Ibrahimovic and Pogba to aim for and their technique is a lot more pleasing to the eye and at the same time more effective.

At the start of the second half, Mourinho decided against making any changes but it was Southampton who started the most promising of the two sides and even had the ball in the net which was ruled out for offside.

Within minutes of the restart and it must be said slightly against the run of play United were awarded a penalty for a trip in the box on Shaw. Up stepped the man of the moment Ibrahimovic to stroke the ball home and score his and United's second of the night.

Interestingly, it seems that Rooney has been relieved of spot kick and free kick duties, but then again, it's not wise to argue with Ibrahimovic.

Southampton still didn't give up and wasted a number of chances to pull a goal back and did everything apart from test De Gea in the United goal.

United began to move up through the gears and produced more openings which started when Martial sprinted away from his marker and raced into the penalty area only to unleash his shot straight at the keeper. This was followed by a neat cut back from the byline by Shaw that was blocked inside the six-yard area. Good all-round attacking play by the Red Devils and at a pace which had been missing last year.

With twenty minutes left on the clock, United looked comfortable and allowed Southampton to have more of the ball and defended well as a unit to thwart any attempt on goal.

In the 75th minute, Mourinho brought Mata off to a warm reception and gave another new summer signing Mkhitaryan his home debut in the league.

Pogba seemed to be enjoying himself on the pitch and almost netted as he had a run and shot which whistled wide.

De Gea has been voted the player of the year in recent seasons, but if the team continues to play like they are he will have less to do and not get the votes at the end of this campaign. Which is a good thing, right?

The second substitution for United came in the 81st minute when fans' favourite Herrera replaced the largely ineffective Martial to huge cheers as the crowd had been chanting his name and got their wish.

The home side played out the last five minutes of the game by confidently stroking the ball around as the home fans went through their repertoire of chants saluting their heroes and manager.

There was still time for one last change as captain Rooney made way for the returning Smalling with only two minutes left in the game.

Pogba was determined to score on his return and almost succeeded with a smart shot that was only just wide. His focus was on scoring and not on Ibrahimovic lurking inside the area hoping for a pass that would give him the chance of a hat-trick.

Game over and another win which keeps United at the top of the league and proves that Mourinho has given the team the belief in their own ability and more importantly given the fans something to cheer after some difficult times.

The United team as a whole put in another all round display of unity against a Southampton side that enjoyed a lot of possession and but for poor finishing could have and should have given De Gea more to do between the sticks. His back four, although a little shaky at times, performed well enough with both Shaw and Valencia once again providing width in attack.

Pogba and Fellaini put in a sterling job in the middle of the park and the French star looked in fine fettle and didn't seem to be tired at the end of the game which answered any questions about his fitness or lack of.

Mata and Rooney ran their socks off all night and were at the heart of most of the attacking forays. Both players fully deserved the applause they received when substituted. Martial looked to be off his game with some poor touches, but he's a young lad and his form is sure to return.

However, there could only be one candidate for the Man of the Match award and that had to be Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has now scored three goals in his first two league games and looks like he can score at any given moment. What he brings to the forward line is a quality that will not only guarantee goals, but with it a style that has the fans on their feet every time he has the ball akin to a certain French gentleman some twenty years ago.

The season has started well and Mourinho must be a pleased manager with the way in which his side has kicked started the new campaign. The players are still getting used to each other along with the new tactics employed by the boss. While the learning process continues if they can obtain wins like this then that only bodes well for the rest of the season.

There is one noticeable difference already this season and that is the player's demeanour. It seems as if a huge weight has been lifted from around their necks and they are playing the game in a way in which they can express themselves without fear of repercussions. They are actually enjoying themselves and the fans are too.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Manchester United's Les Bleus.

There has been a strong link between Old Trafford and France over the last quarter of a century and that bond is about to get even stronger with the return of Paul Pogba to the fold.

The midfielder will pull on the famous United shirt and make his second debut for the Red Devils this coming Friday if selected of course. The first time round came back in September 2011 when the highly rated teenager was given his big chance by Sir Alex Ferguson in the League Cup albeit as a substitute.

After being picked a further six more times the problems started and after much deliberation and finger pointing the young prodigy was allowed to depart for pastures new in Italy with Juventus. Quite how United relented and let him leave is a topic for others to debate.

Pogba quickly built up a reputation during his time at Juventus and has been courted by a host of top clubs all wanting his signature. Fast forward to the present and the undoubtedly talented French star has decided to come back home for a world record transfer fee of almost £90m on a five-year contract after cementing his reputation with the Old Lady of Turin and the French national side.

Mourinho has managed to pull off a huge transfer that his two predecessors never looked likely of achieving and has given the fans something to be optimistic about at last.

Pogba will be joining an impressive legion of French players to have graced Old Trafford which all began with 'Le Roi' Eric Cantona, who was a chance purchase by Alex Ferguson in 1992. While overhearing a telephone conversation between then United chairman Martin Edwards and his Leeds United counterpart who was making enquiries about United full-back Denis Irwin, Ferguson declined their advances for the Irish defender but told Edwards to ask about the availability of their troubled French star Cantona.

Within days the deal was done and a beaming Ferguson paraded his new signing to the world media telling them that Old Trafford was the stage on which Cantona was made to play on, and how right he would be proved to be.

The talisman of the team from his debut in 1992 right up until his retirement in 1997. A Premier League champion in all his seasons at United except the one in which he had to serve an eight-month ban and a double winner twice.

Fans to this day still honour his achievements for the club by singing his name at matches both home and away even though it has been almost twenty years since he left. A true testament to a legend and the love goes both ways as Cantona has often said that his heart is still at Manchester United.

'1966 was a great year for English football. Cantona was born'

The next Frenchman to join United was full back Mikaël Silvestre who joined the club in September 1999 and immediately gained the respect of the Old Trafford faithful when it was clear that he had rejected an offer from Liverpool for his services. Ironically, he made his debut against Liverpool.

Silvestre was a silky defender who could play at both left-back or in the middle of the defence and would make almost 250 appearances for the Red Devils over nine years. In that time, he won five league titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Champions League winners medal in 2008 although he was an unused substitute.

Never one to give up Silvestre had to battle through long absences due to injuries and along with the challenges for his position from Heinze and fellow countryman Evra but he persevered and that commitment endeared him to the fans.

Following the retirement of the treble winning goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, the hunt was on to find his replacement a task that would prove extremely difficult to fulfil. One man who tried was Fabien Barthez who joined the team in 2000 and quickly realised that he had a huge task on his hands to literally try and fill the big gloves vacated by Schmeichel.

Barthez had enjoyed success with France at the World Cup and The Euros but was well known as an eccentric keeper which he showed many times between the sticks for United especially when he would let United defender and best friend Laurent Blanc kiss his bald head before the start of matches. Having said that he did end up as a champion in his debut season, pulling off some fabulous saves which ensured United won many matches.

The following season wasn't so good for Barthez as he was blamed for making too many unforced errors in matches. One game, in particular, was against Arsenal when he had a nightmare and allowed his countryman Henry to score two goals that were basically gift-wrapped for him.

At the end of his final season, 2002/03, he and United finished as champions, but Ferguson had had enough of Barthez and the mistakes he was making, this was highlighted in the match against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final second leg when Brazilian Ronaldo scored a hat-trick. This was a match in which the keeper received criticism from all quarters and, in fact, that would be his last game for United.

Barthez was joined at United by his friend Laurent Blanc who joined in 2001 after Jaap Stam had been sold to Lazio by Ferguson after a bust-up over the Dutchman's comments in his autobiography.

A central defender who oozed class and valuable experience but came to the club towards the end of his illustrious career which had the United fans raising their eyebrows, he was 35 when he signed.

After helping United to the title in 2003 his legs finally gave up and he retired from playing to focus on management mainly back in his home country with PSG. Now he is a free agent it will be interesting to see if he fancies a return to the Premier League. Arsenal anybody?

The next Frenchman to come through the Old Trafford doors was a striker. Louis Saha's United career was blighted by injuries, but when he was fit he certainly knew how to score goals. Saha was transferred to United for a fee of £12.4 million in January 2004 having scored 15 goals already that season for Fulham. His United career got off to a similar start by scoring seven goals in just ten matches.

The following season was the start of his injury woes, especially to his knee then his hamstring. When fit he started a partnership with Ruud van Nistelrooy and then the teenage Wayne Rooney.

In 2006, a fully fit Saha was among the goals again and was on a roll. However, the injury jinx returned.

When he returned for the last time Ferguson had a built a forward line around Rooney, Tevez and a certain Ronaldo so Saha played mainly from the bench, but when called upon he did his job. His United career ended when he was sold to Everton in 2008.

A quality striker and his love for United was plain to see, it was only the injuries that held him back. During his time at United, he won two Premier League medals and a League Cup.

Possibly the second most popular French signing behind Monsieur Cantona was Patrice Evra who was brought to Man United from AS Monaco for a fee of £5.5 million in January 2006. Evra took his time to settle at the club making his debut in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City. So poor was his performance in that match Fergie took him off at half-time.

Fast forward eight years and the Frenchman left United having won almost everything in the game. The only trophy to elude him was the FA Cup. Probably his greatest achievement was winning the double of the Premier League and Champions League in 2008.

At left-back, Evra became an important cog in United's defence, forming an uncanny understanding at the back with Ferdinand and Vidic which was the rock that Fergie built his last great teams on. Evra had the honour of captaining United on many occasions and did so with a great gusto.

It was a sad day when he departed for Juventus as I'm sure he still had plenty of playing time in him and is still greatly missed. It would be nice to think that Evra helped United to bring Pogba back in some way.

Morgan Schneiderlin joined United from Southampton last summer and enjoyed a decent season under van Gaal's reign. His no-nonsense style of play got the job done in the midfield without any fanfares. Often overlooked for plaudits because of others around him Schneiderlin went about his business and in a fairly average season for the club he at least could hold his head up.

Quite how he will fit into the plans of new manager Mourinho only time will tell but he still has a lot to offer in the engine room of the team. Especially when you consider the age of Carrick and the uncertainty over Schweinsteiger's future at the club. This will be an important season for Schneiderlin, but one that he can rise to.

Louis van Gaal may have had his critics during his time at United but there was one bit of business the fans can thank him for and that was the purchase of the most expensive teenager in world football. When Anthony Martial blasted onto the scene with such a bang as a substitute against Liverpool the fans had a new favourite to call their own.

Not only did he open his United account against the arch enemy but he did so at the Stretford End and a new star had arrived.

In his first season, he managed to score a total of 17 goals, not bad considering he was plying his trade wide on the left. Probably the most important goal of his season came in injury time against Everton in the FA Cup semi-final to send the Reds through to the final. He was taken to the Euro's with France but wasn't given a chance to showcase his ability.

With the arrival of Ibrahimovic, he has had to relinquish the No: 9 shirt and accept the iconic 11. The hopes are high of another high goal scoring season by the young forward.

Last but not least the trio of 'Les Miserables' William Prunier, Gabriel Obertan and David Bellion.......only kidding.

There you have it the French stars that have lit up our great club and Paul Pogba has the proud honour of continuing the tradition of his fellow countrymen at Old Trafford.

Thanks for reading and au revoir.

Miles Dunton.