KREM CRACKERS
Mourinho delight as United go goal crazy in Moscow
MANCHESTER UNITED turned on the style and sent an ominous warning to the rest of Europe.
Romelu Lukaku scored twice, with Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan also finding the net as Jose Mourinho’s side ran amok in the Russian capital.
And Lukaku, who has scored 10 in his last nine games, is already thinking about silverware. He said: “I just work hard and will keep on going. The team is doing well, but we must improve. I just want to win trophies.”
United could have won by seven or eight goals but had to be content with four as Mourinho’s men served notice they are ready to rejoin Europe’s elite clubs. This brutal
IT was a complete annihilation job and one which sent out a very clear message.
Manchester United are back as a genuine European force and, in Romelu Lukaku, they have one of the best No.9s in the Champions League.
Lukaku has now scored 10 goals in nine games since his £75million summer move to Old Trafford and, on current market rates, that looks better value by the week.
They were helped by some shambolic defending by two centre-halves with a combined age of 73 but United, clad in the normally unlucky grey, were brilliant going forward.
Anthony Martial (right) was on fire, his pace and movement was electric as he converted a penalty and provided two assists.
It was a most unlikely Jose Mourinho performance as United were cavalier and rampant. But, in fairness, Mourinho has brought back United’s DNA this season: fast, entertaining and attacking football. This was a throwback to the Fergie days as they certainly did not play with such flair last season under Mourinho. But if it has taken a year to bed in, then it was worth the wait.
United used to fly the flag for English clubs in Europe and it is time the Premier League bucked the trend after the recent decline in the Champions League.
Mourinho has won the trophy twice before with Porto and Inter Milan, he led United to victory in the Europa League and knows that he is now at a club with an expectation of winning Europe’s biggest prize.
The Portuguese coach began this European campaign by playing down his side’s chances, insisting they are still some distance behind the super powers like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
But they are making such strides both in the Premier League and now in Europe that it would be foolish to write off them off. Mourinho had insisted before the game that this was the best CSKA side he had ever faced, having played them six times before. Well, if this is the best CSKA Moscow side Mourinho has faced then gawd knows how bad the others must have been.
But you still have to beat what is in front of you. And United did it with a magical performance. They never looked back from Lukaku’s fourth-minute opener which opened the floodgates. The Belgian got things moving, his sublime pass was weighted to perfection to find Martial.
The France star returned the favour with a precision cross and Lukaku’s powerful header gave CSKA keeper Igor Akinfeev no chance.
Maybe just as important was David De Gea’s brilliant save from Alan Dzagoev less than two minutes later.
It meant there was no quick or easy way back for CSKA and De Gea’s tip-over from Fedor Chalov was even better. United made it two after 18 minutes after Georgi Schennikov fouled Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Referee Jonas Eriksson pointed to the penalty spot and Martial sent Akinfeev the wrong way.
This was all too easy. Veteran defenders Vasili Berezutski, 35, and Sergei Ignashevich, 38, must be thinking of retiring as they simply could not handle United’s pace and movement.
It was three after 27 minutes. A terrible defensive mix-up between CSKA’s back three allowed Martial to set up Lukaku this time for an easy tap-in.
Akinfeev, Russia’s No.1 keeper, made terrific saves from Mkhitaryan, Martial and Lukaku. He also saved superbly from Martial after 57 minutes only for Mkhitaryan to fire home the rebound.
United conceded in the last minute when their defence was finally breached as sub Konstantin Kuchaev raced through to get a consolation.
That stopped it from being a perfect night but the reality is the scoreline could have been even greater in Mourinho’s favour.