If United fans felt that the problems created by the exit of Sir Alex Ferguson was an easy fix, reality was served on a cold plate for them on Saturday.
Even with serial winner Jose Mourinho, the gulf in class between Manchester City and United since the departure of Sir Alex, was evident once again for everyone to see.
If the hierarchy at Old Trafford felt that Jose’s arrival would cast a spell upon the team and take time through time travel ‘back to the past’ then Manchester City’s first half display asked them to think again.
In the final season in 2012/13 with Sir Alex, United won the league with an average team, pipping City by 11 points.
By 2013/14 season, the pendulum had shifted with City leaving United 22 points behind them as they claimed the title.
17 points was the difference between Mourinho’s team and United in 2014/15 and 7 points was the difference between the two Manchester teams
15 points separated the leaders from United last season and so it wasn’t going to be a quick fix after three seasons.
City bossed the first half on Saturday afternoon and Jose got his first team selection wrong, choosing the wrong date to start Mikhytarian and Lingard.
The two looked out of sorts and United surprisingly looked like a First division team club, playing a champions league team in a Cup game.
They didn’t know when to press high or stay deep, they didn’t know whether to close the gaps or man mark and for the first time Zlatan looked like a middleweight playing a heavyweight in Stones.
Blind looked lost on the pitch and alongside Mikhytarian, both probably helped Mourinho to pick the starting line up for the next important game.
Eight years ago, Jose would have made two substitutions after ten minutes but I guess the Matic saga and last season’s debacle at Chelsea restrained him from putting the guillotine on the guilty players.
After Herrera and Rashford came on, the game changed and credit to United for a spirited come back, but by then the damage had been done and I’m sure Jose must have been thinking ‘why did I change the team?’
Okay it’s just three points, but it’s the psychological impact it’ll have on the players that makes it more than three.
It’s back to work for Jose if he is to challenge for the title this year with his team.
Mikhytarian has to step up his game if he wants to survive the EPL as he was constantly bullied and subdued throughout the game while Lingard was just out of sorts and couldn’t even control the ball, nerves I think. £100m man was AWOL while the game flew past Rooney.
Without Aguero and Kompany, City were still miles ahead of United and but for the introduction of Rashford and Herrera, it was just a one sided affair in the Derby.
Pep’s team have sent a ‘come and catch us’ message out to the rest of the premiership and the only problem City may have to overcome is how to prevent Pep from over-experimenting.
It’s early days though and I’m sure teams are working in the laboratories to figure out how to stop City from playing this brand of football.
WELCOME TO THE EPL CONTE
Well we all knew that the Chelsea stars were bound to start throwing the bibs out of the cots at some point, but I’m sure none of us prepared for the timing of it at Swansea.
After twenty minutes, it was a no contest and a three pointer for Chelsea as Swansea looked like a team hurriedly put together half an hour before the game to play a charity game.
In a game that should have been over by forty minutes, Chelsea once again displayed a lack of killer instinct to go out and bury a defeated side. In the end, Messrs Costa, Hazard and Oscar had to fight to come away with one point.
It had been on the cards in the previous games against West Ham and Watford, with late goals sealing the points, so the luck was bound to run out at some point.
Conte now knows what the Premiership is about as I’m sure a fixture like this in Italy would never have been lost by Juventus
Well, this is the EPL, let’s hope that Conte can figure out the pretenders from the contenders amongst his squad before it’s too late.
LIVERPOOL AND LEICESTER
Okay the defence is still so bad that Lucas had to play centre back.
Let’s ignore the comical goal conceded and look to the positives, once again the sprinters from Anfield blew Leicester away in a fantastic game of football. I pity Claudio Ranieri as he hasn’t found a solution to Kante’s absence in the midfield.
Every time Liverpool had the ball, they were picking holes in between Ranieri’s midfield and defence.
With the pace of Mane, Firminho, Lallana, Widjadnum and Sturidge, no team should relish the prospect of facing Liverpools attack unless they are ready to play a low block and close the space Inbetween their midfield and defence and behind the back four.
Leicester need to go back to basics and play like they are new to the division and have come to survive. I hope Claudio would flick this switch in the minds of the champions quickly, before all the adrenaline is drained from the players who won the league a few months ago. Chelsea repeat? I hope not for the fans sake because Leicester may not be able to do a Hiddink.
TOTTENHAM, EVERTON AND ARSENAL
The third goal against Stoke put the game into full perspective, this was a football mismatch between pace and heavy legs. A no contest between youthful exuberance against curtailed bravery.
Stoke were blown off the pack by Tottenham’s speed racers.
Apart from Liverpool, I am not sure there is any other team that plays with so much pace as the White Hart Lane boys.
A thoroughly deserved victory for Pochettino against Stoke and I am beginning to fear for Mark Hughes in the present circumstances.
Kudos to Pochettinos men, it’s game on in the EPL and I think the champions league places would go down to the last game of the season.
Everton blew Sunderland away at the Stadium of light and with an experienced double block of Williams, Jagielka, Guye and Barry plus the pace of Miralles, Delefioiou and Bolasie and the threat of Lukaku, Evertom under Koeman are already looking a different team to last year’s under Martinez and would have a say as to those who take the coveted four spots.
Finally, another last second winner by Arsenal mean that the Emirates is still alive after an early scare by the opposition.
Don’t write off Arsenal as they know how to take the three points off every vulnerable team, ensuring they take every opportunity as they present themselves.
With £100m spent during this window, Mr Wenger has a duty to fight for the champions league spaces this season.
Early signs are not too encouraging but don’t ever count Arsenal out until its mathematically impossible.