Jose Mourinho hailed the “phenomenal” impact of Paul Pogba as he and Zlatan Ibrahimovic combined to inspire Manchester United to victory over Southampton.
Advertisement
After Dusan Tadic had a goal ruled out shortly after half-time, Ibrahimovic sealed the points from the penalty spot when Jordy Clasie brought down Luke Shaw in the box. They are creating a good relationship with the team, with the players, even players I could feel the relationship was [previously] not the best, the players are growing that.
Ibrahimovic headed across rather than towards goal in the 69th minute, but the visitors were still a threat and Long just missed the far post with a clever header as the final 15 minutes of the contest approached. I don’t want to speak too soon, but we have got a very strong squad and hopefully we can keep training hard together, getting to know each other and push for the title this season. We’re becoming better and better, it was the first game at home and we won it. It’s a good start. We need to get used to winning because the mental part is always important as well as the physical part. So we’re happy for the three points and for the first game for Paul [Pogba]. I didn’t know I would play 90 minutes! Outside the pitch, inside the pitch is also new.
“We need to get to know the philosophy of the coach”.
Manchester United great Ryan Giggs lavished praise on Paul Pogba after the world’s most expensive footballer made his first start for the Premier League giants, mentioning him in the same breath as former captain Roy Keane, Bryan Robson and Steven Gerrard.
“The game is tougher and you need to work through the game”.
But Ibrahimovic believes United are still a working progress despite making it two wins out of two. Some critics said at 34, the former Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG man was signed for his marketability – how wrong some of them will be come the end of the season.
“I feel very good, at the end I was a little exhausted, but my legs feel good”.
“It’s a natural evolution of things”.
“We can’t be the same United of the 80s, 90s and early 2000s as football has changed a lot”.
Of his performance Ibrahimovic said: “If the team does good, the individual does good”.
Mourinho was appointed as United’s new manager in late May, five months after he left Chelsea for the second time in his career.
Southampton had won 1-0 on their previous two visits to Old Trafford, but they did not seriously threaten to make it three in a row in what was the first of 10 Friday games in the Premier League this season.
Advertisement
“I’m desperate for September to arrive for the Capital (One) Cup for the Europa League and then they (will) get what they all deserve which is to play”.
