Chapter 490: Scorching Hot Form
At halftime, Coach Mourinho was full of praise for the team's performance, continually encouraging the players to keep up the momentum and aim for a big win. Mourinho had this in mind because earlier matches had seen significant victories. Manchester City had just thrashed Liverpool 5-0 at home, and this season's Liverpool was no pushover, having just dismantled Arsenal 4-0 before the international break.
The dominant performance by Manchester City put immense pressure on Mourinho, reminiscent of his days leading Real Madrid against Barcelona. Mourinho felt that this season's competition between Manchester United and Manchester City would be intense, possibly mirroring the fierce battles between Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga.
Seven years ago, in the 2010-2011 season, Mourinho's newly taken charge of Real Madrid faced a heavy defeat against Guardiola's Barcelona, suffering a 0-5 loss at Camp Nou and losing the league title with a final score of 92 to Barcelona's 96 points. However, in the 2011-2012 season, Mourinho led Real Madrid to a successful revenge, winning 2-1 at Camp Nou and becoming the first team in the top five European leagues to reach 100 points in a single season, leaving Barcelona nine points behind. This led to Guardiola's departure from Barcelona.
If a similar scenario were to unfold, facing mid-to-lower table teams like Stoke City, Manchester United would need to secure enough points and goal differences to avoid falling short against Manchester City in the competition. Moreover, United's rivals in the Premier League were not limited to Manchester City. Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham all posed significant threats.
In this context, consistently securing points and aiming for as many goals as possible against mid-to-lower table teams would have a substantial impact on the final title race.
…
As the second half began, Stoke City's defense only lasted another fourteen minutes. In the 59th minute, Gündoğan received the ball at the edge of the box, chipped it over the defense, and Bruno, chesting it down, turned and volleyed with his left foot to score another goal for United, completing a brace. 4-0!
The over 2,000 Manchester United fans at Britannia Stadium were ecstatic, chanting Bruno's name. Just when everyone thought United might ease up, in the 67th minute, Bruno found space in the middle, drove forward, and struck from the edge of the box to score again. 5-0!
Stoke City was utterly broken. Bruno's hat-trick demonstrated his outstanding form, leading to Mourinho substituting him for Mata in the 70th minute.
Even after Mata came on, United didn't slow down their attacking intent. In the 78th minute, Mata assisted Harry Kane, who scored. Just five minutes later, Kane headed in another goal from close range, assisted by fellow newcomer Mbappé. With this, Kane also completed a hat-trick.
United kept pressing until the final whistle. In the 90th minute, Kane headed the ball back to the edge of the box, and Mata followed up with a powerful strike, scoring United's eighth goal.
…
8-0!
This was the most lopsided victory in the Premier League so far this season and United's smoothest performance. While United had two previous 4-0 wins in their three consecutive victories, this match was on another level.
No one expected United to come back from a two-week international break and perform even better. Both new signings, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé, not only started but also delivered excellent performances.
Given the well-known impact of the FIFA virus on top teams, United's form was particularly remarkable. In the post-match press conference, Mourinho boldly declared that United's form was excellent, and the team was confident in winning every game and defeating any opponent.
Regarding Bruno, who had scored nine goals and provided one assist in four league matches, Mourinho said he couldn't find enough superlatives to describe his admiration, as any praise seemed inadequate for Bruno's outstanding performance.
"I firmly believe he is the best player in the world right now, bar none."
…
Manchester United's 8-0 thrashing of Stoke City caused a sensation in English football. What was even more shocking was Bruno's second hat-trick of the season.
In his breakout season last year, Bruno didn't get his first hat-trick until the seventh round of the league, with few braces in other matches despite his consistent scoring efficiency. Last season, Bruno only recorded three hat-tricks in the league, but this season, he already had two in just four rounds, scoring nine goals. His goal-scoring rate was insane.
Many fans believed that Bruno could surpass the record he set last season of 38 goals in a single Premier League season, possibly breaking the 40-goal mark or even scoring more.
Despite his hat-trick, Bruno wasn't named the Man of the Match. That honor went to Harry Kane, who, in his first match for United, delivered an incredible performance with three goals and two assists. These were also Kane's first stats of the season, as he had no goals or assists in his three league matches before joining United.
In the Premier League standings, United maintained their perfect start with 12 points from four wins, staying ahead of the pack. Manchester City rose to second with 10 points from three wins and a draw, while Chelsea climbed to third with nine points after recovering from an opening day defeat with three consecutive wins.
With the league only four rounds in, the early surprises were fading, and the Premier League was returning to its familiar competitive order. Bruno continued to lead the scoring charts with nine goals.
(End of Chapter)
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