Monday, August 14, 2017

Manchester United are champions already - to their fans

(Romelu the man - Getty Images)
Manchester United are champions already - to their fans, but there are 37 more matches to play, and they will not West Ham United every weekend.

There is a reason to believe they can go all the way. 

Except for Chelsea fans, everyone knows what Romelu Lukaku scores when he wants. 

Besides, coach Jose Mourinho is known to have a little horse, give it a little milk and it wins the race the next season. JM is not The Special One for nothing and you do not have to like him.

Nemanja Matic proved an asset all know he can be, touching the ball more than any player in the Man U 4-0  win over the Hammers.

The English Premier League season started with a scintillating Arsenal versus Leicester City, with seven marvelous goals and a reasonable pace of the game to match - a 4-3 win for the Gunners.

Amongst much exciting news around the new 2017/18 season, Wayne Rooney scored on his second Everton debut as the Toffees beat Stoke City 1-0, Lukaku scored a double, Matic won the man of the match in his Man U debut and his former club, Chelsea - the champions, lost their opener 3-2 against Burnley.

Disappointing as it may, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool drew 3-3 in their first league match against Watford while Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City convincingly won 2-0 their matches over Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively.

As much as every fan feel their team has the capacity to lift the EPL in May 2018, Man U feel like it is done and dusted and what makes it a solid case is the fear the whole league fears after Paul Pogba also came to the party.

Marcus Rushford was something else and United looked solid and strolled after their third goal, but Manchester City seems to be playing the way the coach ever wanted. 

Arsenal looked a familiar 4th place contender, with the team playing as flat as ever, only different players. Arsene Wenger can be assured of the 'Wenger must go' campaigns very soon. 

Klopp will have a few headaches to nurse as the sting of his tactics have been blunt and seem to be easily neutralized by the English physicality of the game.

Mauricio Pochettino has the same young squad with pace and purpose. Whether they gained enough experience and can challenge for the title will have to depend on the form and fitness of Dele Alli and Harry Kane.

The Spurs advantage is the ability to turn on the style when needed but this is a new season, the fact that the Hurricane did not find the net on Day One is a psychological hump. 

Chelsea seems to be more rugged than fluent in their approach and much will depend on their flexibility as the going gets tough.

I wish I could say much about Leicester City, who kept a core of key players in the league but may lose Jaime Vardy soon, and West Ham who acquired some of the best and experienced footballers around.

May I say as much as I am seduced by Man U, their fans have to chill. Man City is the real deal. Chelsea will be back. Tottenham is still the team to beat.

There is a token challenge from Liverpool and Arsenal and nothing else. Lukaku will be a top scorer without a doubt.

We will unpack the league with a little detail next week.

Let me see if you agree with me that Wenger will fail dismally and finally get fired.

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