Former Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has compared his fabled 2003-04 Premier League winning side to the new looking Manchester United following its 4-0 decimation of West Ham on Sunday.
The Invincibles cruised to the 2004 Premier League title, finishing the season unbeaten in league play. Henry scored 30 goals in that title winning campaign for the Gunners.
The Frenchman was impressed with the way in which United dominated its opening match of the new season.
“Do I see The Invincibles in this Man Utd team? Oh yeah,” Henry told Sky Sports. “When I see them especially on Sunday I saw that. I saw power, pace, guys with ideas and legs.”
United certainly flexed their muscles in the match. New signings Romelu Lukaku was unable to be contained by the Hammers as he netted a brace. And while not as glamorous, Nemanja Matic orchestrated the game from a deep position in the midfield.
Henry’s fellow countryman Paul Pogba seemed to have new life, freed from a majority of defensive burdens by Matic’s presence. Pogba put forth one of his best performances in a United shirt.
The rejuvenated Red Devil’s were were flying across the pitch. Lukaku, Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Anthony Martial each showcased their pace as they tormented the West Ham defense.
“They can cover the ground really quickly, that’s very important. We had that at Arsenal,” Henry said.
While United’s prospects of going unbeaten over the rest of the campaign remain slim, Jose Mourinho has laid the foundation for what could be a promising season.
“Mourinho likes bringing players he knows are going to be able to play the way he likes to play,” the Premier League’s fifth highest goal scorer said.
The Invincibles ran riot in the 2003-04 season. Amassing 90 points, 11 points more than second place Chelsea. However, the Gunners did settle for draws on 12 occasions.
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United’ key focus should be on mounting a successful Premier League title challenge this season, and after the first round of fixtures, it appears the Red Devils are one of the favorite to hoist the Premier League trophy like Henry did 13 years ago.