United boss Jose Mourinho was pleased with the result as his side claimed their second win from their opening two games and managed to keep a clean sheet in the process.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba may be at the opposite ends of their respective career paths but both represent the new face of this famous old club.
Former United assistant manager Giggs, who left the team in the off-season, was impressed with what he saw from the 23-year-old France worldwide.
“We are happy for the three points, and it was the first game of Paul, also, he settled in and the rest will come by itself”, Ibrahimovic told Sky Sports. I think he bought a lot to the team. Mourinho said. “Not even 25 per cent, I believe”.
“He drops back and gives the team another option. Paul Pogba also needs to get to know the players and I need to get to know everybody and the way we play, the simple things on and off the pitch”. He helped the 20-time English champions land Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, before signing Pogba.
A few minutes after the halftime break, Luke Shaw won a penalty after a silly challenge from Jordi Clasie.
Southampton were more than happy to allow United possession as they threatened on the counter-attack, with Nathan Redmond looking particularly lively in the early stages, but they lacked a cutting edge and never truly threatened David de Gea’s goal.
“When you play good football, we can make good opportunities”.
The 34-year-old said of United’s flying start: “The team did well against Southampton and I think we can do much, much more. We need to get used to winning”. Outside the pitch and in the media, people judge me before they know me. You need intelligent players around you and you need to get the balance right.
‘Who scores is less important, as long as we are winning.
“That’s what I’m saying, I need September because the relation can be good, the players can be good professionals, they can feel I trust all of them, but when a player doesn’t play one, two, three games, the frustration comes and it is hard to play well”, he explained. I arrived in the dressing room after the match and I was happy, and I became sad.
“I came here to win, that is what I always wanted”. That’s all we can do.
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Pogba had his first shot on target after 13 minutes, an attempt from the corner of the penalty area into the arms of Fraser Forster, before creating a chance for Ibrahimovic at the half-hour mark with a chipped pass that was headed on by Juan Mata. “That is what we can do”.
