[TypeR]

Mkhitaryan was obviously a class above most on the pitch. You know you're special to have the audacity to try a scorpion kick just minutes after coming on, and to score.

I wanted us to keep that clean sheet, just to pile on the misery for Moyes. But fair play to them, nothing Big Dave could do about that goal.

We're putting together a nice run, just have to keep it going through the next few fixtures.

 

[Carolina Red]

Very happy with today's performance. Lovely bit of getting forward by Blind. There are many things he isn't "great" at, but he's one of my favorite players in this squad because his versatility.

Ibra showed a great mindset and pushed through a performance where things just weren't coming off for him to still get a goal and seal the win.

Mkhi has to start next week. He brings the best out of our other attacking players and has the ability to make some magic happen.

Pogba MOTM for me. Ball dips a few inches here and there and he might have gotten a brace on the day.

 

[Janson]

Zlatan and Pogba tied for motm.

 

[sunama]

Need to be more professional in terms of conceeding less late in games as well as hold a lot of practice on finishing.

Conceding late in the game seems to be the norm for us unfortunately.
I think the easist way is to ensure we have a 2 goal cushion.
In fairness, today's goal by Borini was a worldie. Nobody could've stopped that.

 

[SirAnderson]

Who is @Lucky McLuckerson ?

The saviour of our season! Of course!

 

[nobby the legend]

Happy for Ibra. A goal and two assistances.

 

[SirAnderson]

Any post match interviews yet? NBC went straight to the man city game. Always love to hear the banter of Zlatan and the thoughts of Jose after a game.

 

[sunama]

BTW, did anybody notice Jose's celebration after the goal today?
It was the one which Moyes did after the Fulham game, I think.
He probably told his players that if they win, he'll mock Moyes.

 

[SirAnderson]

Zlatan with a goal and 2 assists, no way he is not MOTM. Pogba was great but Zlatan no question for me.

 

[Al-T]

Starting to come together nicely at the moment. Carrick/Herrera /Pogba clicking nicely in midfield. Shame Carrick probably won't play against both Smoggies and West Ham. This feels like Man United again!

 

[SalfordRed1960]

Nice to see us break open a well set up defense. Thought our midfield let us down today relative to the forwards and defense, too much simple balls, particularly Herrera. Subs made a big difference, bar Fellaini (not that he did anything wrong).

Miki is going to be some player for us, as will Pogba. We are very good on the ball, but still a work in progress when we don't.

 

[Devil may care]

I've got the flu and slept in so I missed most of the first half, we were class in the second though, played some slick stuff and looked in control the whole time, the midfield keep such a grip on the game, and we definitely went up a notch in attack when Mkhi came on.

 

[SirAnderson]

Just hoping one of the ones above us drop some points this weekend. Arsenal had to go and nick that last minute goal

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

Happy with that!

First 20mins or so, I was a bit worried. We looked sloppy, half asleep and were allowing Sunderland way too much of the ball and needed De Gea to save our skin once or twice.

But once we kicked into gear, we looked dominant as hell. Pogba got better as the game went on, Zlatan was hot and cold but two assists and a lovely goal is a great day at the office for anyone. Hats off to the bloke. Mkhitaryan got the 30mins I was hoping for and was a beast, he was causing them nightmares and what can you say about the goal?! Unreal!

Martial looked really fired up and worked hard, good to see. I think we'll see Mkhi and Martial in for Mata and Lingard in the next game.

Shame to lose a clean sheet but you have to give it to Borini, it was a worldy!

Anyway, great game and a great way to cap off Boxing Day. Onto the next one.

 

[Janson]

Zlatan with a goal and 2 assists, no way he is not MOTM. Pogba was great but Zlatan no question for me.

Exactly, I don't see how Pogba can be tied with Zlatan.

 

[Billy Blaggs]

Starting to come together nicely at the moment. Carrick/Herrera /Pogba clicking nicely in midfield. Shame Carrick probably won't play against both Smoggies and West Ham. This feels like Man United again!

My thoughts exactly. I was out of my seat a few times. And the second an third goals were great. I missed the blind goal.

 

[Mr Smith]

Very good performance, especially after we got Mhki and Martial on and started giving Sunderland something to think about down the flanks.

The third goal was exquisite! Don't care about the offside, we should have had two maybe three penalties anyway. I'm not sure how an elbow in the side and getting kicked off the ball aren't fouls. I'll leave it to Martin Atkinson to explain that...

I do not understand how subbing Herrera makes us more defensively secure. That space Borini scores from is the exact area Ander is constantly closing people down, getting in their faces. Fellaini is just an obstacle.

Disappointing to concede because our goal difference isn't great right now. Still, three points is three points. Lets keep it going.

I think that was just for fresh legs, Herrera was starting to look a bit ragged. Still would rather see Schweinsteiger get some minutes though.

 

[Eurotrash]

The fact that the front line seemed to be having fun made me confident we would score a second goal.

 

[DrRodo]

Good bye moyes, i hope you enjoy the championship!

 

[Oneunited26]

Mourinho's signings have transformed us.

I think Carrick and Herrera have played a huge part in our transformation, moving away from 4231, losing a natural no10 which is not getting the best out of Pogba and Herrera, and building the team around Pogba's needs of 433, we just overruning teams. Its exactly why Pogba played so well for Juve, he had Pirlo and Vidal, same now he has carrick and herrera alongside him

For me Carrick, Herrera and Pogba once again that holy trinity is what's turned us into a team now, we factor in Miki coming on adding a new dimension to our attacking play, zlaten is now benefiting from a balanced team.

The way the team finished
Carrick, Herrera, Pogba, Miki, Martial and zlaten
that is the team I hope starts the next game

 

[whatwha]

BTW, did anybody notice Jose's celebration after the goal today?
It was the one which Moyes did after the Fulham game, I think.
He probably told his players that if they win, he'll mock Moyes.

Yes, it did remind me of Moyes vs Fulham. Mostly due to the camera angle. Moyes did some kind of single handed fist pumping, I think.

 

[AltiUn]

We just looked twice the team when Mata and Lingard came off for Mkhitaryan and Martial, they're just so dangerous as players, if we can keep them both fit along with Ibra we have one hell of an attack for the season.

 

[m1y2]

Zlatan is great but imagine he wouldn't be so wasteful/sloppy at times, he would be a monster if he focused more, not that he is not a monster now, I was 1000% sure he will shrug off that defender before he sloppily passed the ball to Pogba to his heels..

Overall great entertaining performance again with a lot of chances, little too cautious in the first half when sunderland had a good 10 minute spell but 62% possession 25 shots 9 on goals against 7/4 is good enough for me and for me safe to say if we play like this we can make the top four easily... we should work on concentration sometimes we drop too deep to allow opponent to play more then he should but it's because we are not closing the opponent quickly enough, once we replace the not so dynamic players with quick ones we will be a fantastic team, of course dynamic players with quality, that's why mhikytaryan is so good, just need to build on this dynamic/physical team..

shame about that borini goal which was as exquisite as mhikytaryan's

 

[markhrad]

We are certainly getting back to our old ways and Martial is yet to get back his form but he is improving match by match.
Zlatan is fast becoming one of my all-time favourite players. He just exudes class and for someone who is extremely arrogant, he is not selfish. A great scorer and great playmaker.
Pogba probably needs to get a little more involved in our build up play but he is definitely world class and will only get better. His relationship with Zlatan is becoming telepathic.
Mhki is a pleasure to watch.
Only negative in this match is Mata. He has skill but my God its like playing with 10 men. He jogs/ hobbles around the pitch not really doing anything, getting close to but somehow never tackling anyone. He heads into the box even more than Zlatan and then he will make a great pass or score a goal and then everyone things he is great.
Thank God Mhki will soon take his place permanently.
All in all, however, I really enjoy how we are playing this season and I have to laugh that some doubted the great Zlatan.

 

[kouroux]

Mkhitaryan will become our player of the season. He is very good at doing simple things and opening up space with good runs and passes.

 

[sammsky1]

Am delighted for Mourinho His class and quality on the training ground some fantastic incoming transfers is really beginning to show as the team seems to have hit its stride.

The team playing with high tempo possession, slick triangular passing and regular forward penetrating through ball. DDG-Jones-Rojo developing some deep understanding and fully utilising the pace of Valencia down the right wing. Likewise the Pogba-Ibrahimovich axis is blossoming and Mkhitaryan poise, pace and trickery looks like becoming our x-factor.

With confidence and belief increasing after every match, who knows where we can get when the league really starts to take shape by Jan 31st.

 

[TheReligion]

I'll just repeat what I said in the match day thread. Nothing more to say on this issue to be honest.

I'm sorry but I just can't feel happy about this after letting that last goal go in for them. To begin with we should have won this by 5 goals - EASILY. To let them get the last word and a small smile on Moyes lips makes me feel ILL. Call me childish or whatever you want - I'm not pleased.

You're a very strange character.

 

[m1y2]

We just looked twice the team when Mata and Lingard came off for Mkhitaryan and Martial, they're just so dangerous as players, if we can keep them both fit along with Ibra we have one hell of an attack for the season.

well maybe today, in other games that can look different however Mata wasn't bad at all either, Jesse was quite average today though

 

[harms]

I do not understand how subbing Herrera makes us more defensively secure. That space Borini scores from is the exact area Ander is constantly closing people down, getting in their faces. Fellaini is just an obstacle.

It doesn't, but it saves him for the games we haven't won yet

 

[Ixion]

We just looked twice the team when Mata and Lingard came off for Mkhitaryan and Martial, they're just so dangerous as players, if we can keep them both fit along with Ibra we have one hell of an attack for the season.

Hmm Mkhitaryan yes but I think you're being a bit generous to Martial and unfair to Mata there.

 

[DevilRed]

Pogba was great today. Lost count of the number of times he created chances for us only not to finish.

Just needs to work on his composure in striking the ball and he will be one of the best in the world.

Great performance and what a goal by Mhiki!

 

[RedPed]

Just imagine if Spurs lose and City/Liverpool draw their next game. We'd be 4 points from 3rd going into the next 2 games.

 

[m1y2]

and what's more it's just great to see that a Mourinho team can play a good football even though, the tougher games will come, so I hope we will try to attack and don't sit back

 

[Massive Spanner]

I'll just repeat what I said in the match day thread. Nothing more to say on this issue to be honest.

I'm sorry but I just can't feel happy about this after letting that last goal go in for them. To begin with we should have won this by 5 goals - EASILY. To let them get the last word and a small smile on Moyes lips makes me feel ILL. Call me childish or whatever you want - I'm not pleased.

I'm really impressed that you've not gotten banned yet. Props.

 

[sport2793]

Thought the scoreline was a good reflection of the game. United weren't totally at the races until the 1st goal. After that I felt that the team settled down into a rhythm and did a better job of controlling Sunderland. Thought Ibra was fantastic once again in marshaling the attack. Mkhi and Martial were both very good also although I think they benefited from a tiring Sunderland. A shame that they couldn't keep the clean sheet but it was probably fair considering that Sunderland could have had one in the first half.

The other results haven't been promising so far but as long as United continue to focus on their performances and results everything else will take care of itself in due course.

 

[Laphroaig]

Post match interviews?

 

[RedElf]

Good result, and topped off with an audacious goal from Mhiki.

 

[stu_1992]

I was generally quite happy throughout the game, but it was obvious that Mkhitaryan made a huge difference to our attack after coming on. Great goal by him. Ridiculous finish.

And Zlatan, another goal and now 2 assists. The man is a machine. Pogba played well and on another day could have scored a few.

Shame about losing the clean sheet late on. But what a strike tbf.

Unlucky Moyes, bud.

 

[ants7]

Only thing currently worries me is how dependant we are on Zlatan. He's class and I love him but he surely must need a rest now when games are coming fast. Who's going to deliver then? There's more than enough depth in the squad but we haven't practiced it a lot without Zlatan.

Other than that - 3 points. Roll on next fixture!

 

[manichester]

Happy with that a couple of dodgy moments but we have a swagger about our play. Thought they came out in the second half trying to mix it up and spoil the game but it backfired against them.