Manchester United recorded a 2-2 draw at the Bet365 stadium on Saturday where two goals from new boy Maxim Choupo-Moting was enough to peg back a United side who were oozing out confidence going into the game.
Rightly so, the Red Devils were on a three game winning streak, having scored 10 goals and conceded none in the League, with some swashbuckling football in which they attacked at win knowing fully well that Nemanja Matic was out to shield their defence.
However, the Stoke Game comes as a reality checker for United fans and sympathisers who feel the EPL title is United’s to lose despite having played just three games. It is quite true that Jose Mourinho went about the summer transfer window in a spectacular style, where he bolstered his squad in strategic positions but his team has not really been tested against the top dogs in the league.
Defeating the likes of likes of Swansea City and West Ham does not make a team title-winning side. The draw to Stoke shows that Jose has some job to do in making sure his side makes top four this season. Mind you, Stoke are a mid-table side, having finished 13th on the EPL log last term. Save for the 1-0 win over Arsenal, the Potters’ campaign have been somewhat poor, hence a major concern for United who struggled to contain them.
The 2-1 lose to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup Final goes to show it is a tad too early to tag Mourinho’s team a title favourite but they still remain odds-on to emerge champions and are considered top contenders by football pundits. Fans can utilise one of the best online betting sites to place their money on their club but their still an air of uncertainty over the clubs since the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool are yet to find their footing and an underdog could emerge just like Leicester City did in the 2015/2016 season.
Mourinho has the right ingredients at his disposal, as he has a big squad to pick from and one of the best strikers in RomeluLukaku. The imminent arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in January promises to further boost their title-winning credentials as he would provide more firepower in their attack.
Mourinho has a knack for winning the title in his second season, hence the jury is still out on him to achieve a similar feat in a United side that last won lifted the trophy in the 2012/13 season under Sir Alex Ferguson’s tutelage.
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