Manchester United picked up from where they had left off against Swansea on Saturday afternoon, winning 4-0 for the second time this season and keeping their position at the top of the table safe for at least a few more days.
The scoreline reflected United’s dominance, if not their overall performance, as the visitors to the Liberty Stadium held on to a slim 1-0 lead until the final 10 minutes of the game.
While Jose Mourinho may well take credit for his introduction of supersub Anthony Martial, which came at just the right time, the biggest change between the first and second half came in Paul Pogba's mentality.
The Frenchman cut a frustrated figure for much of the opening 45 minutes and picked up a silly booking for swiping a leg at Tom Carroll. Minutes later, he was guilty of another daft challenge - albeit one which wasn't worthy of another yellow card - on Martin Olsson. This essentially meant that he would have to avoid making any fouls in the next hour if he was to avoid an early bath.
With United yet to score, they really could have done without one of their most important players treading on eggshells for the remainder of the game. You would, quite frankly, expect better from a player of his experience.
But something in Pogba seemed to click after that moment, and he went on to make some crucial interventions that ultimately won the game for United.
Just before half-time, Daley Blind delivered a fantastic corner which Pogba rose to meet. He delivered a bullet header that Lukasz Fabianski did well to get his fingertips to. So powerful was the header, though, that the goalkeeper could not clear the danger, leaving Eric Bailly with a simple tap-in.
In the second half, with United 2-0 up thanks to another goal from Romelu Lukaku, Pogba put the result beyond doubt with a lovely dink over the goalkeeper to make it three. A minute later, he went on another great run, this time feeding Anthony Martial to score.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan was named man of the match in south Wales, but Paul Pogba had the biggest influence on the result. It was exactly what you would expect from a player of his ability.
Pogba did well last season, but he often didn't get the credit he deserved. It is hard to imagine the pressure that comes with being the most expensive player in the world, especially when your club has taken a huge risk in buying you back. Having lost Pogba to Juventus for just £800,000 only four years earlier, United stood to make themselves look very foolish if they spent £89m on him and he did not perform.
“I think it’s destiny,” Pogba said in his first interview after returning to the club. He also revealed that his mum had always said to him that he would end up going back to United.
His first season was a good one, but the midfielder did not shine in the way that those outside of the club were telling him he should. For the most part, though, United supporters were pleased with his contribution to the campaign. There was an understanding that there was more to come from him and fans were content with how he had performed. They felt for him when he was denied by the woodwork an incredible nine times, too.
The end of the season brought about an upturn in fortunes, with Pogba scoring one and assisting another as United beat Crystal Palace 2-0 on the final day. Pogba then scored the opening goal in the Europa League final against Ajax and, at the final whistle, danced from the halfway line to the stands to celebrate in front of the United fans.
The dabbing, the emoji and the handshakes manage to rub a lot of people up the wrong way, including certain United supporters. ‘What would Roy Keane have made of that?’, people grumble. But gone are the days when Sir Alex Ferguson could dictate how a player cut his hair; when new players in the dressing room would be bullied by their elders; or when the captain could knock his team-mate out if he answered back. Football is different now and Pogba is full of personality. As long as he is performing, what difference does it make if he celebrates his goals with a dance or a rehearsed handshake?
And he is contributing to plenty of goals. A goal and an assist against Palace, a goal against Ajax, a goal against West Ham, and a goal and an assist against Swansea is not a bad return in his last four appearances.
"Last season, the first question from everyone was always all about the price tag,” Pogba told The Telegraph last week. "Now everyone is asking about the football. That tells you everything.”
Neymar may not be so popular in Barcelona these days, but he is probably still well liked in the Pogba household. The Brazilian's move to Paris Saint-Germain means the United man is no longer the world's most expensive player. With that sizeable weight lifted from his shoulders, Pogba is thriving.
At the age of 24, the midfielder already has 10 winner’s medals in his cabinet. The composure he showed on Saturday, going from a walking red card to a match-winner, is evidence of his strong mentality. Pogba could hardly have started the season any better and United fans cannot wait to see what else he has in store for them in the weeks and months to come.
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