Now we're into the thick of it.
Heading into the Manchester Derby, Jose Mourinho was hailed for reviving Manchester United's fortunes. Four wins on the spin. full backs bombing on, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring for fun, Eric Bailly being compared to Nemanja Vidic and Bastian Schweinsteiger booted into oblivion.
One humbling loss later and it was the Emperor's New Clothes. Two more defeats in the space of four days and the tittering has turned to full-blown laughter.
Mourinho is a busted flush. Wayne Rooney is only good for spare parts, Luke Shaw is 'a loser' and Paul Pogba 'will never be a top player' 9thanks for that one Eamon Dunphy).
https://twitter.com/MsHelicat/status/777984937005838336
It was fun while it lasted... all 34 days.
As a multi-league winner with United, Gary Neville must be frustrated with his former side's stuttering run. However, he is currently finding the sports headlines and online barbs about United harder to take.
This morning's latest talk of United in crisis pushed the Sky Sports pundit onto Twitter:
https://twitter.com/GNev2/status/778106769797214208
When one user replied that the United backlash was simply hackneyed journalism, Neville responded:
https://twitter.com/GNev2/status/778107758440771584
Consider yourselves scolded.
Asked if he thought City were favourites for the league, Neville remarked, 'If they carry on but it's early days... '
Early days indeed.
