Manchester United has gotten their English top-flight season off to a bang-bang banging start! The net on the Stretford End was on fire in the 2nd half. It got so bad I started feeling sad for the Leeds United goalkeeper Meslier. Meslier’s fellow countryman Paul Pogba was pure class in the midfield, creating scoring opportunities with pin-point accurate passes from amazing angles. Picture Jason Kid dealing with his feet or Aaron Rodgers making back shoulder throws from the ground. That was Pogba today.
Bruno Fernandes was a ruthless assassin in the attack, knocking through 3 goals for an impressive hat trick in a 30 minute window. His last goal on a volley to the top bin of the goal is already an early favorite for golazo of the year. It was a wicked firecracker. I can’t stress enough how slick and impressive a strike it was. Bruno Fernandes is turning out to be an amazing signing for the reds. The Portuguese international is clearly the leader on that team and the team goes as he goes. Fernandes definitely has them heading in the right direction, all the way up!
I know it was only one game but I have to say that it looks like Manchester City will have some tough competition from their crosstown rivals in the defense of their national championship from last season’s campaign. There was a moment right after halftime where United conceded the equalizing goal, the Leeds United fans wee going bonkers in the away end. For a brief moment it sounded like God had lifted Old Trafford Stadium and transplanted it in West Yorkshire. I wondered to myself how ManU would react. Would they rise to the occasion or shrink like they did in many matches last season. The pressure was on and the Leeds fans were singing like a choir for a moment. It was only for a short fleeting moment however, as Pogba’s midfield mastery played a through ball to Mason Greenwood that sliced Leeds open on a quick counter-attack and Greenwood’s aim on his finish was true. Bang! The 1st golazo in an onslaught of 4 shots on goal that would all find their way into the back of the net in the subsequent 16 minutes.
Before Leeds had a chance to catch their breath and figure out what happened to them, Pogba played another brilliant pass 2 minutes later and Fernandes blasted another goal that barely cleared the goal line. Bang! Maybe if the defender had a bigger foot he could have kept it out. The referee looked at the goal line decision system of his watch and pointed to the spot, confirming that it was a good goal and the crowd went wild. The defender did his best but his best was not good enough. 5-1 was the final and it wasn’t even that close.
Leeds mind you are no slouches. They are a big club in a big city with talented international players that finished mid-table last year and are hoping to get back to the success that they enjoyed in their glory days. Bang! What was that? United just scored again after the fulltime whistle? I wouldn’t be surprised if they are still out there scoring goals right now with the fans already home. This was a definite warning shot to Manchester City and the rest of the EPL. If Ole Gunnar can finally get a consistent effort out of his team this year, they will be floating around the top of the table come February and then it will be a mad dash to crown a winner in the spring. Looks like Man United may finally be ready to challenge for the title again. Let’s see what Man City, Liverpool, and Chelsea have to say about that.
