Speaking after Friday’s 2-0 home win against Southampton, Mourinho did not disclose details of any contract extension, but he did confirm that he previously spoke to Fellaini and gave him assurances about his future at the club.
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If you had told me last season Fellaini would still be at the club I would have been disappointed, but he has been a stand-out performer under Mourinho and it’s brilliant to see him find his confidence again.
Paul Pogba, United’s £89m world-record signing from Juventus, made an energetic full league debut.
Wayne Rooney, given far too much space on the right, looked up before whipping an absolute pearler of a cross into the path of Ibrahimovic at the far post, who rose highest above Jose Fonte to power his header past Forster. If you don’t want to take it for some reason we are here, but you are the man. “Between them they made that decision”.
But he also allowed himelf a moment to commiserate with those left on the sidelines, with a handful of decorated internationals not even among the substitutes. I tried to do what I’m best at, create chances and help my team-mates and then scoring goals. I was sad for all the players in their nice Paul Smith suits – Carrick, Memphis, Phil Jones – that I don’t select that are here.
While it’s hard to gauge exactly how good Manchester United are till they face one of the bigger boys, their total dominance over Southampton, a team that beat them last season at Old Trafford, suggests that there’s some truth to the credence to the view celebrating the dawn of a new era.
“I need September because all these guys need to play, they deserve to play”.
Striker Shane Long added: “The penalty was a bit of sucker punch for us so soon after half-time”. Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia, the two full-backs and possibly the two greatest beneficiaries of the Mourinho era, started overlapping with Anthony Martial and Juan Mata, respectively, and the result was a wave of attack after attack by the home team.
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Fellaini has been linked with a move away from United this summer, with Sunderland and a handful of clubs overseas supposedly interested in his signature. We need to get used to winning because the mental part is also important, not only on the physical part. Sunderland will probably come and sit in and make it tough for us offensively. United fans roared with delight at many of his sublime touches and runs, with Pogba growing stronger as the game went on.
