Chapter 822 – First Fell Chelsea, Then Slay Arsenal
Fresh off a home win over Chelsea, Manchester United had almost no time to rest. Three nights later, they hosted Midtjylland in Matchday 2 of the Champions League group stage.
For Bruno, this was a new opponent he'd never faced. For Marcus Rashford, though, Midtjylland evoked fond memories.
On February 25, 2016, in the Europa League Round of 32 second leg at Old Trafford, Rashford made his first-team debut and scored twice in a 5–1 win over Midtjylland.
Among United's three group opponents, the Danish champions were the weakest on paper, and the plan was clear: take all six points across the two meetings.
But with a grueling duel against Chelsea just three days prior and a heavyweight clash with Arsenal looming in under four days, José Mourinho rotated heavily. Bruno and Rashford started, but the other nine — including David de Gea — were rested. Sergio Romero started in goal; Diogo Dalot, Victor Lindelöf, Axel Tuanzebe, and Brandon Williams formed the back line; in midfield, Bruno partnered Fred and Juan Mata; up front, Rashford, Mason Greenwood, and Riyad Mahrez led the line.
Rashford stole the show again with a hat-trick in a 5–0 demolition. The other goals came from Bruno and Greenwood.
...
With Atalanta drawing Ajax in the group's other match, United's back-to-back wins lifted them to top spot.
The result also stretched United's Champions League unbeaten run to 39 matches.
Their winning streak rose to 29.
On UEFA's club coefficient ladder, United were pulling away.
English sides dominated the same week in Europe.
In the Champions League, Manchester City won 3–0 away at Marseille, Chelsea smashed Krasnodar 4–0 away, and Liverpool beat RB Leipzig 2–0 at Anfield — four wins from four, all emphatic.
In the Europa League, Arsenal thumped Dundalk 3–0 at home, Leicester City won 2–1 at AEK Athens, with only Tottenham Hotspur losing 0–1 away to Antwerp.
Seven English teams, six wins, one loss — still the standard-bearers of the top leagues.
...
United's half-rotated side thrashing Midtjylland had Europe buzzing: the invincible Red Devils looked back.
But there was no time to celebrate; the next opponent was already on the way.
On October 31, United faced their final October fixture: Arsenal. A win would complete a perfect month — seven straight across all competitions.
Mourinho restored most of the XI from the Chelsea match. De Gea in goal; João Cancelo, Harry Maguire, Virgil van Dijk, and Luke Shaw at the back; a midfield three of N'Golo Kanté, Fred, and Bruno; and a front line of Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, and Rashford.
Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, lined up in a 3-4-3: Bernd Leno in goal; Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Magalhães, and Rob Holding as the back three; Bukayo Saka, Mohamed Elneny, Thomas Partey, and Héctor Bellerín across midfield; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and Willian up front.
Back-to-back league losses to Manchester City and Leicester City had dropped Arsenal to 12th, piling pressure on Arteta.
Though listed as a 3-4-3, Arsenal's shape in play was a conservative 5-4-1. They defended with nine men behind the ball, leaving a lone forward high.
The first half was cagey and dull. United probed but carved few shots against Arsenal's deep block.
Arsenal countered sporadically but with too few numbers to truly threaten.
Halftime: 0–0.
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United ramped up after the break — and suffered a blow before the breakthrough.
Kanté took the ball in midfield and was scythed down by Thomas Partey.
Kanté's scream told the story. Bruno sprinted over and immediately called for a change.
"F**k!" Mourinho exploded.
It wasn't just the injury — referee Andre Marriner gave Partey only a verbal warning.
United were furious. Tempers flared; the referee booked Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka after a scuffle.
Mourinho had to adjust, bringing on Fred for Kanté.
Moments after the restart, Partey felled Luke Shaw.
This time Marriner finally showed a yellow — still not enough for Mourinho's liking, and Shaw had to be assessed for injury.
"That should be a red!" Mourinho roared.
"Calm down, Mr. Mourinho," warned the fourth official.
"Am I wrong?" he shot back.
...
Since Ashley Young's departure, United were thin at left-back. Shaw was the only fully trusted option; Brandon Williams, while a natural left-back, was not yet up to the level required for United's heaviest burdens.
Cancelo could cover on the left, but right-back was also short on depth.
United's training-plan contingency kicked in: Cancelo switched to left-back, and the young Portuguese Diogo Dalot came on at right-back.
Partey's repeated heavy fouls stoked United's anger; challenges grew fiercer on both sides.
The match bristled with edge. Players hit the turf constantly. Marriner flashed eight yellows and one red.
The red went to Partey — a second booking and the inevitable dismissal.
Three second-half goals followed. Arsenal struck first: Aubameyang won and converted a penalty.
United, now with the man advantage, struck back. Bruno assisted twice for Mbappé and Harry Kane to flip it 2–1.
Five straight league wins for United — with Liverpool second.
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Despite the win, Mourinho did not hold back at the press conference. He blasted Partey's reckless tackles and questioned the referee's control of the match.
"Mr. Marriner was a contradiction — blind to cynical fouls early, then dealing cards when it started to boil over."
"No, no, I'm not criticizing the referee — I'm speaking hypothetically. If Thomas Partey had been sanctioned earlier, the game would have been calmer."
The outburst thrilled the press.
The Premier League's headline king — results on the pitch, fireworks off it — a figure as compelling as Sir Alex Ferguson once was.
The FA duly responded, saying Marriner had handled the match adequately.
They issued a verbal warning to Mourinho to manage his temper — and a £20,000 fine.
...
United fans weren't bothered by the fine. They were busy celebrating.
With the win over Arsenal, United made it five straight in the league and six wins from seven to start, sitting atop the table.
Second were old rivals Liverpool — Jürgen Klopp's side at 5–1–1, two points back.
After just seven rounds, the Premier League felt familiar again: two traditional giants racing for the crown.
Since the chaotic 2015–2016 season, the sheer resource gap had made it rare for anyone outside the traditional elite to mount a sustained title challenge.
That's why Leicester City's 2015–2016 triumph remains a miracle — a story the Premier League may never see again.
(END CHAPTER)
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