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Three Wins in Three.
Ten Goals Scored.
Zero Conceded.
Manchester United continued their rollicking start to the season with a convincing 2-0 win against Leicester at home - thanks to a 70th minute goal from substitute Marcus Rashford and an 83rd minute from another substitute Marouane Fellaini.
Leicester City put a fight - combining some excellent defending with sharp counter-attacking - but the home side dominated the game from the first whistle to the last; it was the kind of performance that would have ended in a draw if it had happened last season (as Paul Pogba confirmed during the regular post match interview)... this, in fact, segues neatly into the first of the five major talking points this entertaining affair raised:
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#5. There's a marked difference in the quality of football on offer from Manchester United
This might just be stating the obvious, but Manchester United are a far cry from the side that laboured its way to the moniker "Drawchester" last season. It's not just the addition of Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku - both of whom have slipped straight into the starting XI - but the way United kept at it, without losing confidence, without losing shape till they were finally rewarded for their efforts.
A saved penalty, a controversial offside, umpteen superb saves from the opposition keeper - all things that would have ruffled their feathers last season - were taken in their stride - as Mourinho said: "There is a difference in the quality of our football. The team is playing very well, great football."
There indeed is a difference.
And he's done this without losing any of the defensive solidity he worked so hard at building up last season.
No one exemplifies that more than Phil Jones. The Englishman is now the butt of jokes and a favourite of the internet troll machine, but you don't have to go that far back in history to unearth the ripples of excitement Jones had been sending down the collective spines of the English football establishment just before his transfer to United. A number of recurring injuries have hampered his growth; but, and this is a big BUT, provided he stays fit he'll soon start reminding us all of the reason he was once praised with this from Sir Alex Ferguson: "Jones, arguably the way he is looking, could be our best ever player,"
P.S. United have built up some momentum - the international break could not have come at a worse possible time, could it?
#4. Leicester City set to have one of their best transfer windows
Harry Maguire cost Leicester all of £17 million pounds - and already looks a more reliable defender than John Stones has ever shown in his career so far. The Englishman, who got a much-deserved call up to his National squad earlier this week, was a colossus at the back and was at the heart of a tough Leicester City Vanguard that stood its ground for 70 minutes in the face of a full-blown onslaught from the men in Red.
Rio Ferdinand, for one, was floored - "I thought he was outstanding today. Without a doubt, he's a player who can come straight into my team." - and that man knows a thing or two about defending.
Add Kelechi Iheanacho (who is still recovering from a toe injury) - one of the Premier League's most exciting prospects not but a year ago - and the excellent Vicente Iborra (who should recover from a groin strain before the next game-week begins) and Leicester City may have made themselves some astute purchases this time around.
What would make it a superb window - one of their best - though, would be the retention of Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy (both of whom showed glimpses of their 2015-16 form today) after they were linked with moves to AS Roma and Chelsea, respectively.
Oh! And even with Danny Drinkwater having one foot outside the door - as we reported, Leicester need not worry. The return of Matty James from injury, and loan, has been a timely one and he showed today that he can quite easily step into the shoes that Drinkwater would leave behind.
P.S. Why the hell is no one interested in Kasper Schmeichel? He may be no Peter, but the lad sure can keep!
#3. The Anthony Martial - Marcus Rashford conundrum
This one, that I found in various forms on Twitter, is a pretty good one:
Q. What is Newton's fourth law?
A. When Rashford starts, Martial scores | When Martial starts, Rashford scores
Twitter cognoscenti were adamant in their belief that Anthony Martial should start - despite Marcus Rashford having put up two superb displays in the opening two games which he started and Mourinho made their wishes come true against Leicester. The Frenchman was suitably brilliant (in phases, though) but it took the introduction of Rashford from the bench to open the scoring for the home side.
Mourinho had used Rashford to run defenders ragged in the first 70 minutes before unleashing a Martial-with-something-to-prove against them when their legs were starting to give way... although he didn't do a straight swap this time, by the end of the game it resulted in the same after-effect. Simpson simply couldn't handle Rashford after the torture inflicted upon him by Martial.
Put simply, there is no conundrum here - Mourinho will simply rotate his two young, bright, talents all season long... and reap the benefits of keeping them both happy. This may be 2017 and the era of "promise", but which 19-year-old, and 22-year-old, can really complain about not nailing down a first-team place for Manchester freaking United - especially if he gets regular first team action all season round?
All this episode proves is that Mourinho was always right with his Einstein theory. Just let him do his job, people.... think he might have learned a thing or two along the way, eh?
P.S. This remarkable squad depth is what United had been missing over the past few years, - taking Mata off (the Spaniard had been brilliant in the first 45, don't let Twitter fool you) and putting on Rashford introduced a whole new dimension to the attack - and is arguably the best of any side in the League at the moment
#2. Craig Shakespeare's defensive organisation deserves praise
After an abysmal display of defensive ineptitude at the Emirates, Leicester have tightened the ship in the last two games. Against United, they may have relied on Kasper Schmeichel's superb abilities, a touch of luck, and a controversial call from the linesman, but the fact that they shut down what looks like the Premier League's most potent attack owes itself to the defensive organisation they displayed on the day at Old Trafford.
Shakespeare astutely identified Mkhitaryan as the chief mischief maker and assigned Wilfried Ndidi to man-mark him out of the game and kept his Foxes narrow - allowing the full backs to cross into the Morgan-Maguire territory, but not allowing either Mata or Martial a free run along the inside channels and largely reduced United to taking pot-shots from outside the area.
Sure, it was a bit of "parking the bus" but for a league that gets its fair share of abuse for lackluster defending, the tenacity, and organisation, of Shakespeare's men should be an inspiration.
Disappointing then that they eventually ended up conceding in a set-piece situation - "Conceding from a set-play again is disappointing, especially so soon after the penalty save." But then again, like he said himself - "We frustrated them for large parts but such a good team is going to have big moments."
Besides, when Jose Mourinho praises your defensive efforts, you know you did something right: "The blue wall was very well organised and I always give credit for that. They defended amazingly well."
#1. Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are purring at the heart of this United side
Henrikh Mkhitaryan may have been kept quiet by a concentrated Leicester City effort - he did, though, show glimpses where he almost broke through the shackles - but he did come up with the crucial assist with a well-taken corner... and unlike last season round, he's started on fire:
The Armenian appears to be liking this new role of creator in chief for the Red Devils and with both him and Martial apparently understanding (and being understood by) their coach better, he might just go about reminding everyone just why he was named Bundesliga Player of the Year in 2015-16.
Oh, and Paul Pogba seems to be enjoying his football. The Frenchman completed more passes (93) than any other Premier League player in action on Saturday (remember, this includes Pep Guardiola's Manchester City) and he did it with an 88% pass accuracy. Not too shabby, eh?
With these two purring at the heart of the United machine, no wonder Mourinho feels so good about life at the moment.
P.S. Yes, he missed a penalty. Yes, he missed a chance he would have buried 9 out of 10 times (in the 94th minute), but take a moment and let's all appreciate Romelu Lukaku for his superb hold-up play; the kind that has allowed his teammates to create chances aplenty in the opening weeks of the new campaign.
