Injuries: The glaring difference between Jose and LvG at Manchester United

Now, TFF doesn’t want to be blamed for applying the kiss of death to Manchester United just when the team is beginning to come together and starting to click.

But, those with any memories at all will remember that Louis van Gaal’s stint at Manchester United was regularly punctuated by a massive injury list.

He started his tenure against Swansea at Old Trafford and the team was bereft of some of its biggest stars.

And his entire time at the club seemed to be pockmarked by an extraordinarily long list of casualties.

Luck has to come into it to a degree. But we must also imagine that the respective training and fitness methods of the previous and incumbent Manchester United bosses have to play a significant part.

As Manchester United went into the game against Fenerbahce on Thursday, only Phil Jones was unavailable through injury.

Every other squad member was fit.

And when we assess the early season the squad has, largely, been in rude health.

It was a regular gripe of Louis van Gaal that injuries had blighted his campaigns at Manchester United as if he had no control over it.

But Jose has a great record, throughout his career, of keeping his squads fit and healthy. And this has to be seen as a great quality of the manager rather than simply good fortune.

Manchester United fans will now hope that Henrikh Mkhitaryan can be quickly nursed back to full speed because all of Jose’s other signings have been a success so far at Manchester United.