CSKA 1-4 Man Utd 27th Sept

CSKA Moscow 1-4 Manchester United (Kuchaev 90) (Lukaku 4, 26, Martial 18 pen, Mkhitaryan 57)

Before the game, Jose Mourinho had called this CSKA Moscow side the best he had faced. This was, at best, extremely generous given he had played the Russian side in a Champions League quarter final with Inter. Although you can never turn your nose up at a long trip to Moscow, with the effects of the long flight and close-to-freezing temperatures, it must be said those in the know were arguing that this was, on paper, the weakest CSKA team for a good few years. Certainly they were inferior to the side who drew 1-1 with us two seasons ago. But even then, it was a surprise how straightforward this victory was.

This side is so free scoring at the moment it’s almost slightly uncomfortable. Russia away is not meant to be so inviting, and it looks stupid now to think that pre-match I was a tad pessimistic after seeing the lineup. The gaffer had left Valencia at home and said before kick-off that Jones and Fellaini were nursing knocks, but even considering these absences, I was gob smacked that Jose had chosen to go with a back 5 considering how poor we were using that system in his debut season. I didn’t really see a justification for it, surely it would be too defensive an outlook against a pretty uninspiring CSKA outfit?

Well, I was shut up as we were in front almost instantaneously through our new main man, Romelu Lukaku.

It was an incisive break. Herrera cut out a pass, and Matic gave it to Lukaku. He turned and brilliantly set Martial away with a right-footed through ball. The Frenchman faced up to the defender before shifting right to create half a yard, and stood up a delicious ball that our no.9 powered low past Football Manager legend Igor Akinfeev. An early goal, from Lukaku, from a top cross. A trademark, one might say, of early 2017-18 United. Soon after something else happened that is common for us, which is a glorious save from David De Gea to stop a goal. The man from Madrid showing terrific reflexes to stop a close range drive.

It was 2-0 soon later after a decent move down the right was ended by Mkhitaryan being upended in the penalty area. Was it a foul? It wasn’t the most clear-cut, shall we say. It was left to the ice-cool Martial to stroke home from the spot. What a penalty taker he is, by the way.

24 hours before, Liverpool had laboured to a 1-1 draw against Spartak, but Mourinho was showing Klopp how you’re meant to play in Russia. We were in total command and a third goal was no shock, although Vasili Berezutski won’t want to see his missed clearance from a pretty average Martial cross again, leaving Lukaku with a tap in for his 10^th goal for United. He’s finding this Champions League lark pretty simple, isn’t he? Akinfeev could only look on in disgust but I felt bad for him, as he hadn’t done much wrong yet had had to pick the ball out of the back of his net three times. The level of the CSKA defending was pathetically bad, with the famous Russian duo of Sergei Ignashevich and Berezutski and their combined age of 73 both looking like they were running with a backpack full of rocks.

It felt fairly ridiculous at half time that it was all going so swimmingly. A weird formation, a long trip away to Moscow, a few changes, and the rank, slightly discoloured white/grey kit – it’s not meant to be this easy. Even Lindelof was good. It was an absolute annihilation job from us, really stamping our mark on Europe after years of making even the gentlest away tie (such as Midgetland) look challenging. After all, we’d only won one of our previous 10 away games in the Champions League.

United hit their fourth not too long into the second half. CSKA gave the ball away poorly (again), Herrera played in Martial, whose shot was saved, but Mkhitaryan showed speed and desire (your defence is terrified) to get to the rebound first. It was a rout. Martial was the main architect of our moves, and the sky is really the limit for a talent like him. What a player.

The home side did get a consolation with Golovin scooping a pass over the back four and the 19-year-old Kuchaev chesting it down and hitting it between De Gea’s legs. I wasn’t too bothered, but it was quite heartening to see how annoyed Smalling and Blind were at losing their clean sheet. Such a mentality will stand the backline in good stead over the campaign.

Overall, a fantastic result bearing in mind how bad we’ve been away in European games since Fergie retired, regardless of how bad the opposition were. We’re in control of our group as we move onto pointless Palace.

United (3-4-2-1) De Gea 8; Lindelof 7, Bailly 6, Smalling 7; Young 6.5 (Darmian 67, 6), Herrera 7.5, Matic 7, Blind 7.5; Mkhitaryan 6.5 (Lingard 60, 6), Martial 8.5 (Rashford 72, 6); Lukaku 8.