BACK WITH A BANG!

That’s the supporters, United AND Pogba as Reds run rampant at Old Trafford. So, are you watching City?

THE roars cascaded around the roof of the Stretford End and echoed up into the higher reaches of the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand.

Doubtless the din would have been heard loud and clear as the chorus carried over the Ship Canal and on to Salford shopping centre. To be honest, those voices were probably audible in Pendlebury, Radcliffe and on to Bury.

Football fans were back. And, it would easy to say, so were Manchester United, except that one opening match bonanza does not a season make. Yet, on a momentous day, when 72, 732 gathered for a Premier League match for the first time since March 2020, how those fans made themselves heard.

All that pent-up energy, the days of shared grief, the sheer lack of communality was evident in this joyful outburst. And how their team played for them. This was as close as you will get to the good old days, when Old Trafford thundered its approval for a team rampaging forwards at every opportunity.

‘A perfect day,’ said Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. And it pretty much was for everyone with loyalties this side of the Pennines. United played like a team intoxicated by their fans’ return. Leeds played like a team intoxicated by Marcelo Bielsa’s philosophy, unable to adjust when it was clear Bielsa-ball was the worst way of defending against Mason Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes and an inspired Paul Pogba.

Rap ha elVa ra ne, introduced before the game to rapturous acclaim, must have looked on and been convinced he had committed himself to a proper football club.

‘This is the real Manchester United,’ said Solskjaer. ‘That’s how I sold the club to Edinson Cavani. You can’t leave after playing just one year with no fans.’

What promise lies ahead for Solskjaer’s team on days like this. Who to choose for man of the match? Hat-trick hero Fernandes? The irrepressible Greenwood?

Yet how to ignore the imperious Pogba, creator of four goals, each assist seeming to top the last? That said, we will ignore his failure to close down Luke Ayling when Leeds briefly looked equal to their task after 48 minutes. All this plus Jadon Sancho, who got 15 minutes, Marcus Rashford and Varane to come.

The caveat is that United still look a team set up to counter-attack. Which is all well and good against a team as dogmatically committed to attack as Leeds. It is a plan less easy to execute against Newcastle, Crystal Palace or Watford. Still, a spectacle like this must be enjoyed.

‘Sir Alex Ferguson, the gaffer, always used to say ‘‘Enjoy yourself, express yourself.’’,’ said Solskjaer. ‘You’ve got to enjoy the privilege, the pressure and responsibility of playing in front of 75,000 fans and the millions watching on TV.’

The reconnection with fans, he hopes, might even persuade Pogba that he is truly loved and this is where he should commit his future.

‘I love seeing those boys smiling, when they’re enjoying their football,’ added Solskjaer.

Bielsa had less to be pleased about. How Leeds missed Kalvin Phillips in midfield, but in truth this was a failure of tactical flexibility. Robin Koch was stranded alone in holding midfield, while centrebacks Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk were overwhelmed.

United had forewarned Leeds of their intent. Greenwood, 19, visibly stronger than three months ago — ‘a man compared to the boy he was’ according to Solskjaer — flew forward at every opportunity. On 14 minutes he released Pogba, who executed a quick-footed shuffle, dummy and shot which fooled almost everyone only to ripple the side- netting. Daniel James was similarly played in by Greenwood after 26 minutes but had neither the composure nor the touch to finish.

Leeds were not without first-half moments, Mateusz Klich’s curling free-kick forced a David de Gea save and Rodrigo’s header were the best of them. But the visitors were undone by the softest of goals.

What was supposed t o be a sophisticated chipped goalkick by Illan Meslier was headed back into the path of Scott McTominay. With most Leeds players in attacking positions, the Scot moved the ball on to Pogba, who chipped it on for Fernandes. His control capped a fine move, the shot clipping Meslier but still bouncing into the net.

Ayling’s extraordinary 25-yarder briefly threatened to spoil the party yet United, between minutes 52 and 68, swept Leeds aside. Pogba strutted the stage. His driven ball through a hopelessly open defence was delightful and Greenwood fired past Meslier, an astonishingly confident strike.

Two minutes later, Pogba drove a disguised pass into the path of Fernandes. Again, there was plenty to do, as the Portuguese shot from an angle. Ayling seemingly scrambled it away but the ball was just over the line.

Victor Lindelof played the Pogba role on the hour, his through ball bouncing into the path of Fernandes who fired a thunderous halfvolley past Meslier. Then came F red’ s moment, Pogba breaking down the right to pull the ball back into his path.

‘When Fred scores, we know everyone can score,’ chuckled Solskjaer. It truly was the best of days for Manchester United.