Reds so easy on the eye as they rack up 2,000 points
THIS victory clocked up 2,000 points for the Red Devils in the Premier League.
That’s right. Two grand. And too strong, too deadly and just too good for the Hornets.
All over the pitch – particularly in the first half. Yes, it’s taken a while but Manchester United are really finding their feet.
This triumph means it is 16 games undefeated now during a run that started in October.
And while the rest of football has gazed longingly at Stamford Bridge and Antonio Conte’s titlewinners elect, Jose Mourinho has been quietly going about his business while Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp have spluttered along.
But it was Pep Guardiola who the Red Devils chief poked in the ribs after the final whistle as he compared the first-half showing to art. His Spanish rival has always set out his teams to play football that is easy on the eye.
And the speed with which Manchester United recycled possession, the manner in which they repeatedly bore down on Heurelho Gomes’ goal – particularly in the opening halfhour – was spectacular.
In the space of 10 minutes, Mourinho’s men carved out at least six good chances and eventually the pressure told when Juan Mata sidefooted home.
Manchester United’s boss said: “It was the kind of football that if it was not Mourinho’s team but someone else’s team you would say it was art.
“But because it is my team you just say it was very good. But that’s OK. It was very good.
“The first half was amazing. In the second half we had to score to kill the game. And we did that.”
United are now showing the sort of consistency that wins titles. It’s a shame for them the season didn’t start when the leaves were falling from the trees in that season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. Chelsea might have had proper rivals.
It wasn’t a vintage show in the best traditions of the Fergie years. But it carried hints of it.
Once Watford keeper Gomes picked the ball out of the onion bag following a right- foot finish from Mata – yes, you read that correctly – right foot – it was a question of how many.
Prior to the strike Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic both blazed over. The Brazilian then stopped superbly from a Paul