Talking Points: Man. United 2 Southampton 0

Manchester United recorded an impressive and entertaining 2-0 win over Southampton on Friday, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring twice and Paul Pogba impressing. ManUtd.com’s Mark Froggatt was in the press box to highlight seven talking points to stem from the action…

A WORLD-CLASS ADDITION
This much was obvious to see for the 75,326 fans who had witnessed Paul Pogba’s performance inside the Theatre of Dreams. The Frenchman was the main attraction on a starry night, particularly after he was named in the starting XI, and he thankfully lived up to his top billing with an all-action display in central midfield alongside Marouane Fellaini. It was everything we had hoped for – he was strong, intuitive, creative, dynamic and, above all, every inch a world-class player. The fact that he completed a full match, despite not playing since the European Championship final on 10 July, was an added bonus.

ZLATAN IS FLYING
He may have played down his contribution after the final whistle, saying it doesn’t matter who scored the goals, but deep down Ibrahimovic will be delighted with his start to life in England. The Swede has now scored four goals in three competitive games for United and his brace on Friday night added further weight to Jose Mourinho’s claim that his 34-year-old summer signing can play for at least two seasons. Aside from the goals themselves, what was brilliant to see was a player celebrating with so much passion – he ran to the fans, screaming with his arms outstretched like a man possessed. It’s exactly what the supporters want to see. Much more of the same, please!

IT'S IBRA FROM 12 YARDS
When Luke Shaw went to ground in the second half, prompting the referee to award United a penalty, many fans – like this writer – expected Wayne Rooney to scoop the ball up in preparation for the spot-kick. Instead, Ibrahimovic took charge and duly dispatched a cool finish into the back of the net, beating England goalkeeper Fraser Forster, to put the Reds 2-0 up. This was no accident, either. The striker later admitted in the mixed zone – the area where players speak to reporters – that he had discussed penalty-taking duties with his captain two weeks ago. They decided Ibra was the man.

SMALLING ON THE BENCH
Although he had completed his one-match suspension, and was seemingly free of injury, Mourinho chose to name Chris Smalling as a substitute and retain the centre-back partnership of Eric Bailly and Daley Blind. Both men had excelled in the Community Shield and again at Bournemouth, so the manager’s decision wasn’t too surprising, yet some fans had wondered if Smalling would slot back into the starting XI after his incredibly impressive 2015/16 campaign. It seems he has work to do.

OLD TRAFFORD WAS BUZZING
The first home match of any season is a special occasion, yet Friday’s game had a sense of je ne sais quoi in light of Pogba’s inclusion and the atmosphere was something special. It felt like a European night in many ways, with that special brand of buzz underpinning the action. Mourinho had said before that “if the fans play their part, there will be no chance for the opponent” and he was right in many ways. He’ll want to harness that energy as he looks to make Old Trafford a fortress again.

POINTS OVER POSSESSION
It was interesting to observe that United actually enjoyed less possession than Southampton, with 45 per cent compared to their 55 per cent over the 90 minutes. Nevertheless, the Reds secured three points and endorsed Mourinho's plan to make the most of the ball, rather than keeping it for the sake of it. 

IT WAS CLASSIC MOURINHO
Fans who envied Jose’s first Chelsea team will remember the way it cemented victories in second halves, often securing a two or three-goal lead before consolidating the win. United did something similar on Friday after going 2-0 up following the interval, because Southampton never looked like they would get back into it. They were kept at arm’s length, like a plucky contender being schooled by the jab of a much wiser champion. It was classic Mourinho, and that steel is what wins games.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be considered as representative of Manchester United Football Club.

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