It seemed to be a premonition that the match programme publishers dared make Henrikh Mkhitaryan their cover image, diplomatically describing the requirement to “adapt” which saw the Armenian start only two Premier League games before this. If truth be told, the Armenian would say his manager has simply failed to know the quality in front of his eyes but, regardless of that, he let the football do his talking.
The 27-year-old ended the afternoon with his first Old Trafford goal, three days after scoring his first Manchester United goal, so crowning a performance which he provided the unexpected and dangerous component in Mourinho’s side. Yet he also ended it on a stretcher, taken off in the final 10 minutes with a suspected ankle injury. Manchester United have recorded consecutive wins for the first time since last September and though scruffy and a less than emphatic demonstration of their muscle, there was evidence that the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fit.