Manchester United face competition from Chelsea for Ivan Perisic

The Guardian are happy with Manchester United’s new level of performance, and you can read some of the praise here. It’s an unusual feeling, this. It may be brief, and it may be a false down built on foundations of nothingness, but it really does not seem like it. United were solid at the back, in midfield and up front. They had pace on the wings, and they had a manager in a decent shirt and suit. There is a long way to go yet, but the reasons for optimism are actually there to look at.

Chelsea could pull off a Lukaku, as they are rumoured to be interested in Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic. Chelsea were absolutely dog dirt for much of the match against Burnley, but their problem did not appear to be a lack of danger on the wings. Once Pedro and Eden Hazard are working in tandem with Alvaro Morata, they should be fine - though I imagine Jose Mourinho would use that move as a chance to have another run at Willian.

Noted thinker Martin Keown has watched Nemanja Matic be good for United for one match, and now he thinks he will be good for United. The human brain is a simple thing, sometimes.

God, imagine if we sign this absolute, grade-A A-hole. There are really very few people more tedious than Diego Costa, and if he arrives at the club then it’s time for us to all go home and pack it in. He’s no better than a Portuguese John Terry.

And lastly, Mourinho has said that Victor Lindelof needs time to adjust to football in the Premier League. He’s looked a little unsure of himself at times, but there’s no point rushing him into anything if there’s a decent long-term payoff from him getting some time to adjust.