Paul Pogba Helping to Build the Bond Between Manchester United's Team and Fans

OLD TRAFFORD, MANCHESTER, ENGLAND — Paul Pogba's first touch in his second spell in a United shirt was a miscontrolled pass that led to a Southampton counter-attack. His second, though, was a good deal better, a brawny leap that saw him win a header over a Southampton player's head.

It was greeted with an enormous cheer by an Old Trafford that fizzed with noise and atmosphere in a way that was only very occasionally the case last season. That buzz was reflective of the huge expectation surrounding Jose Mourinho's Manchester United.

It was palpable from before the game. Many of the fans who gathered around the statue of George Best, Denis Law and Sir Bobby Charlton before the game sported "Zlatan 9" or "Pogba 6" shirts. Anthony Martial was represented here and there, and one optimistic soul had plumped for this season's kit with "Memphis 7" on the back. If that pays off, he can claim great foresight.

But United's new high-profile signings were, understandably, by far the most well-represented on the backs of replica shirts.

After three years, United fans can be forgiven for treating optimism with a little caution. Indeed, there was great hope for Louis van Gaal's first campaign, particularly after Angel Di Maria's arrival. This, though, feels very different. Van Gaal was unproven in the Premier League. Radamel Falcao turned out to be a busted flush in a way that Zlatan Ibrahimovic very clearly is not.

And Pogba looks delighted to be back in Manchester, allaying rumours that his preferred destination was Real Madrid, per Guillem Balague of Sky Sports. Mourinho's record, of course, speaks for itself.

Once the crowd assembled inside the stadium, the expectation was even more tangible. There was raucous noise before kick-off. The manager had spoken ahead of the game about the importance of the bond between the fans and the team, per Manchester Evening News. The crowd had clearly taken this to heart.

As had the new superstars, who are clearly doing their part in ensuring that bond is formed.

Pogba received a very warm welcome and took time out from pre-kick off chats with his team-mates to run over to the Sir Alex Ferguson stand and applaud the supporters. Ibrahimovic, as he had done against Bournemouth, made a point of acknowledging the fans' applause with a salute of his own after both of his goals.

After the game, many United players mentioned the fans on their social media accounts.

The early-game noise did not last throughout the game, of course. However bad the last three years have been, that will require higher stakes than a routine 2-0 home win against Southampton. There were, though, pretty frequent outbursts of noise.

Even when the ground quietened, there was a sense of tension in the air, the feeling that the crowd would not need much to spur it into life. Pogba was often the catalyst for that to happen. In the first half, a piece of skill in his own half was followed by a ball into the channel that Zlatan Ibrahimovic could not chase down. That was enough for a chant of "United!" to break out.

In the subsequent 10 minutes or so, there followed a quick cross-field ball for Valencia, a through ball for Martial and the dink from the edge of the box to Juan Mata that he headed on to Ibrahimovic for a spectacular effort at goal. All of these were first-half contributions of real quality from United's new No. 6 and all of these lifted the supporters' voices.

Around the 42nd minute, he took off on a run, weaving through players, trying to work the opening for a shot but picking the sensible option and laying the ball off to Martial on the edge of the area. Again, the crowd showed their appreciation. It was another special moment, with the promise of plenty more to come.

Just after the break, a lull in the crowd after half-time coincided with a period of dominance and real threat from Southampton who had a goal ruled out for offside. It was then Martial rather than Pogba who raised the first "United!" of the second half.

Pockets of both ends of the ground were singing the young Frenchman's chant when Luke Shaw was brought down by Jordy Clasie for the penalty that Zlatan dispatched. Incidentally, the East Stand, so often silent last season bar the pocket of fans in the corner singing, was on its feet singing more than once.

An absolutely massive roar filled the ground after another Pogba moment at the hour mark, as he stretched, controlled a ball, burst forward and began a move that ended in good defending denying Martial.

An audible "ahh" of appreciation was heard as Pogba pirouetted the ball out of defence a little while later. It was the sound of a crowd seeing a level of ability that had been in very short supply over the past few years and realising that the very special talent they had been promised was already delivering.

Moments later he spun again, beginning a move that led to another half chance. Again, the crowd were stirred.

The dream ending was denied when Pogba placed Henrikh Mkhitaryan's through ball wide of the post. The Saints fans cried "What a waste of money." They could not have been more wrong.

After the game, Mourinho was full of praise for his players. He talked about the need to change the relationship between certain players and the crowd and specified Marouane Fellaini. He said he felt that relationship was already changing because of the Belgian's excellent performance.

He suggested the player had taken confidence from a phone call from his new boss assuring him of his importance to the team. He is clearly specifically working to help build Fellaini's standing with the fans.

With his side having received the kind of vocal support he was asking for ahead of the game, he was also full of praise for the crowd, calling them "magnificent." Operation Make Old Trafford a Fortress got off to an excellent start.

"

'I'm very happy, the crowd was magnificent, I think they are creating good relations with the players' @br_uk pic.twitter.com/T7vEwOFIcZ

— Paul (@UtdRantcast) August 19, 2016"

There were quiet periods both in the stands and on the pitch, but there is a great deal to be genuinely excited about.

Mourinho was probably helped by the Friday night scheduling, as a floodlit Old Trafford is conducive to atmosphere, but the era could hardly have got off to a better start. The new signings all excelled. Eric Bailly put in another dominant defensive performance. Ibrahimovic scored twice. Pogba was breathtaking.

Even Mkhitaryan, who only got a 15-minute cameo, brought the crowd to their feet, something Mourinho cited in his post-match press conference.

Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

And the crowd showed their excitement and appreciation for the new United. It really did feel like there had been a sea change. The Red Devils face tougher tests, and a great deal can happen between now and the end of the season, but the first couple of competitive games could not have gone a lot better.

The bond between the team and the fans is being rebuilt and rebuilt in some style.