United’s swashbuckling destruction of Chelsea has fans believing that their team can finally rediscover the swagger of goal-laden Fergie era
ideas and methods. In the six seasons since Ferguson retired, having delivered United’s 20th and last league title, the goals have dried up for the once free-scoring Reds.
Twice in that period they have registered their lowest goal totals of the Premier
League era, 49 in 2015-16 and
54 the following season, both under Van
Gaal. their In 21 Premier League campaigns under Ferguson, United averaged 77.48 goals a season. In the post-Fergie era, that average goal total has plummeted to 60.33. No wonder Sunday’s avalanche of goals caused such giddy delirium at United.
For a club accustomed to dramatic scripts, Sunday provided another memorable moment with a debut goal for new signing James, seven minutes after coming on in the second half.
At 21, his £15 million switch from Swansea to United should have been the highlight of his career, but his joy was tempered by the sudden passing of his father Kevan, aged just 60, days before he completed the move. That is why there was such an outpouring of joy and empathy from his team-mates and United fans for James, who celebrated his goal by pointing to the sky in an emotional tribute to his late father. “I don’t think you could write it,” said the young Wales international.
“As soon as I signed here, I dreamed of something like that to happen and it did today. To score on my debut and to win 4-0 at Old Trafford in the first game – I don’t think you could imagine that.
“The gaffer has got his style of playing – the high press and winning the ball back. We showed that with our counterattacking as well.”
With his electric pace, James typifies the youthful vibrancy and fearlessness of Solskjaer’s United, whose starting line-up had an average age of 24, the youngest in the opening round of Premier League games.
The plodding approach of recent years has been replaced by a more fluid style, one in which the forward players are allowed to interchange and use their speed to devastating effect on the counter-attack.
To underline the point, there were 16 seconds between Harry Maguire’s challenge on the edge of his area and Martial plundering United’s second.
There were just four between Paul Pogba’s exquisite lofted pass and Rashford’s assured finish for the third, and nine between the France World Cup winner receiving the ball from Martial to set up James for his goal.
Solskjaer was quick to remind United fans that their new-look team remains a work in progress, but after the stagnant football they have had to endure, supporters are entitled to believe their club has finally rediscovered its famous attacking identity.