August is finally over. The summer transfer window was long and exhausting for everyone. Clubs were panicking over potential sales of many important players. Players were full of uncertainties heading into last week of summer. Fans just wanted to see whom will their clubs bring in.
Manchester United mostly lacked all of the above. Jose Mourinho brought three players in even before July ended and settled his team rather nicely. The season also started well for the Red Devils. Three wins with three clean sheets will appease the Portuguese manager, but also the fans around the world.
What now for Man United? The Premier League title is obviously the biggest goal. While it is very early in the season, it is never a wrong time to win matches.
Good Fixtures List
Manchester United got a very good opening fixtures list in the Premier League and kind draws in both Champions League and Carabao Cup.
After wins against West Ham, Swansea and Leicester City, Man United will play Stoke City, Everton, Southampton and Crystal Palace during September. In between will be matches against Basel and CSKA Moscow in Champions League and Burton Albion in Carabao Cup.
Seven games across three competitions in September as our @ChampionsLeague and @Carabao_Cup campaigns get under way… #MUFC pic.twitter.com/Lo8pqO4hlo
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 1, 2017
It will be a perfect opportunity for Man United to continue their winning run, but also use bigger number of players. Against Burton, Mourinho should tinker a bit more, using players who played less. Still, the Premier League is still a priority. The four September matches will not be easy, but they are not clashes and big derbies Manchester will play later in the season.
Chelsea Offer Different Examples
What Manchester United could learn from Chelsea is their differing ways of clinching the titles in 2014-15 and 2016-17. In first of Chelsea’s last two titles, the Blues started almost perfectly with five wins and a draw by the end of September. Their first loss came in December and just three draws before it meant Chelsea’s amazing start made them strong title favourites early into the season.
In 2016-17, Antonio Conte’s Chelsea did not start so well. Without a win during September (a draw and two losses), Conte decided it was time for changing things. He started using 3-4-2-1 formation which made so much trouble to opponents his side won 13 matches in a row. It streak lasted until early January.
September can be a key month for completely different reasons.
Manchester United To Set The Pace
Manchester United have been top of the Premier League since the opening round and could very well stay there after September ends. None of the four sides is doing amazing job this season – unlike Huddersfield, for example. Having in mind Tottenham are stuttering and Arsenal still being in chaos, it narrows the list of teams potentially making immediate trouble to Man United.
Chelsea recuperated after loss to Burnley but are lacking bigger squad, while Manchester City won seven points so far in an unconvincing fashion against smaller sides like Brighton and Bournemouth.
It is still very early in the season. Manchester United’s first game comes after international break and many things could happen in the meantime. Yet, it is good time for hope amongst Man United fans. Not euphoria, just the sheer excitement of waiting for the next match to come.
Leave a Reply