These weapons are going to take some beating IMO, they will come out the traps flying.
I read this very interesting piece regarding Jose, a few bits caught my eye.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45017413
Manchester City's only summer signing is Riyad Mahrez, an attacking player the champions arguably do not need. Tottenham have signed no-one yet. Arsenal's most expensive addition of the brief Unai Emery era so far is Uruguay midfielder Lucas Torreira who, at £26m, cost just over half the £47m United have spent on Fred. Chelsea did not even appoint their new manager, Maurizio Sarri, until after pre-season training had started.
Of all the major clubs, Liverpool are the ones who appear to have significant forward momentum. Yet three of their four major signings - midfielders Naby Keita and Fabinho, and goalkeeper Alisson - have never played in the Premier League before.
So, while it is easy to feel United are going backwards, it can be argued that if Mourinho gets more from the players he has already invested so much in, they won't be far away from the major prizes.
What does it mean for United's season?
As with all clubs, results can quickly change perceptions.
The Red Devils open the Premier League as a whole when they entertain Leicester on 10 August.
Mourinho has already highlighted how much easier the build-up to the new campaign has been for Foxes boss Claude Puel, given so few of his players were at the World Cup in Russia.
This is true. But Jamie Vardy and Harry Maguire were away with England until the semi-final stage, and Mahrez has been sold.
Will they cause an upset on the opening day? Perhaps not; it is so long since Leicester won at Old Trafford the match-winner, in 1998, was Tony Cottee.
The Foxes may have won the Premier League more recently than United, yet nothing that has happened since suggests they are close to the level Mourinho's side are capable of reaching on home soil.
After that, United have trips to Brighton and Burnley, who could be going into the game on the back of a sixth successive Thursday night appearance in the Europa League.
Between those two away fixtures is a Monday night date with Tottenham on 27 August. As well as not making a signing so far this summer, Spurs had eight players involved on the last weekend of the World Cup, compared to United's seven.
So of all the big clubs expected to be challenging for major honours, Spurs are arguably in an even worse situation than United when it comes to their preparation for what lies ahead.
As Arsenal have matches against Manchester City and Chelsea over the first two weekends, it leaves Liverpool as the only 'big-six' club who do not meet a rival before the first international break.
So, while Mourinho has legitimate grounds to grumble at the difficult build-up he is having to work around, most of his managerial adversaries are in a similar position.
By the time that Burnley trip is done and the top-flight season halts for its first international break, much more will be known about where United - and everybody else for that matter - actually are.
@micknick
