GOAL

The merchandise sellers around Sir Alex Ferguson Way had new faces to stitch into their scarves for the first Manchester United home match of the season. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba may be at the opposite ends of their respective career paths but both represent the new face of this famous old club.

The Red Devils have had big signings before but they have their chests puffed out again now, employing as they are the most-expensive footballer in history and, arguably, the third-greatest forward on the planet. It has made for a sensational start to the season; the familiar relentlessness of a successful Jose Mourinho side is already in full flow.

Southampton won here last season and the season before that but the days of underdogs coming to Old Trafford and taking away wins away look long gone. Mourinho presides over one of the proudest home records in football management and that extends to this ground now.

Old Trafford feels again like the kind place where decent teams come to get only a chastening. United was dominant, at its regal best, with King Zlatan and Prince Paul reigning over all others.

This was, of course, Pogba's second debut for his first senior club. He would have preferred not to give the ball away with his very first touch and cause a Southampton breakaway but the longer the game went on the more comfortable the French midfielder looked.

He set some United attacks going with his range of short and long passing, dribbled through the Saints' back line to create danger and was a menace in the box on the Wayne Rooney cross which Ibrahimovic converted to give United the lead.

The 34-year-old displayed no nerves and has wasted no time adapting to his new surroundings. His scarcely believable goal rate from his Paris Saint-Germain days shows no signs of letting up in the Premier League.

He added to his powerful header - for which he pinned Jose Fonte down powerfully - with a second-half penalty won by Luke Shaw. Any doubt who the top dog in the dressing room is now should be cleared up by the sight of captain Rooney tossing the ball to Zlatan for his spot kick.

Ibrahimovic has been here before - in an imposing side and expecting to win - and will go the distance in any title race. As for Pogba, this was as good a debut as he could have hoped for.

He had a skimpy preseason in which he spent more time playing basketball with Romelu Lukaku than football with his new teammates. This, though, will settle him and give him belief.

There is still a sensation that for all his intricate footwork and deadly strikes from distance he still lacks the crucial aspect of midfield player - that quiet domination of his sector for 90 minutes.

However, what is apparent is a genuine excitement for Manchester United this season. There would appear to be a perfect blend of solidity at the back - led by the outstanding Eric Bailly - and the fantasy element added to the squad by Pogba, Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and, of course, the man in charge. Mourinho and United appear a perfect fit.

The club gave itself a huge boost with its work in the transfer market and in its recruitment of the two-time Champions League winner as coach. It might be a Europa League reality for United this season - with more matches to come on Thursdays than Fridays - but it is operating in the realms of the super clubs again.

United has convinced the biggest names to come on board - the best players in France, Germany and Spain - and the most magnetic personality in football to oversee it all.

They do not feel like a fading force any longer - the fans are coming here expecting to win.