His days as The Chosen One have long since been consigned to the past, an unhappy chapter in the modern history of Manchester United, and David Moyes’s first return to Old Trafford ended in more disappointment for the Scot as his Sunderland side suffered a Boxing Day defeat.
For Jose Mourinho, on the other hand, it was a fifth win a row as he continues to guide United in the right direction after three years of mediocrity under Moyes and Louis van Gaal since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.
It was far from straightforward. United were left hanging on to a rather precarious one-goal lead given to them by Daley Blind’s first-half strike until the last eight minutes when goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whose sensational finish should have been ruled out for offside, sealed victory.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored Manchester United’s third goal with an outrageous effort in their victory over Sunderland
The 27-year-old scored United’s third with this brilliant backheel flick from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic cross
Mkhitaryan watches on his piece of genius flies towards the corner of the Sunderland net
However, replays showed that the No 22’s sublime effort shouldn’t have stood – as he was a foot offside
Mkhitaryan was promptly mobbed by his team-mates after his sublime effort in front of the Stretford End
Daley Blind roars with delight after firing Manchester United ahead against Sunderland on Boxing Day
Blind timed his run well into the penalty box from left back to fire home on 39 minutes with this strike
The Holland international’s effort was so precise it found the bottom corner of Sunderland stopper Jordan Pickford’s net
Blind was duly congratulated by his team-mates as they bid to close the gap on the top four
There was the minimum of fuss surrounding Moyes’s first return to Old Trafford since he was sacked in 2014. The Sunderland boss was last down the touchline before kick-off, receiving a handshake form Mourinho – and Fred the Red – but that was about it.
Both teams walk out on to the pitch for the start of their Boxing Day festivity on Monday afternoon
All eyes were on Sunderland boss David Moyes who returned to the club he managed for 10 months in April 2014
Moyes shakes the hand of United boss Jose Mourinho before they both took their place in their dugouts
Moyes greets a Red Devils supporter before taking his seat at Old Trafford for the Premier League clash
Sunderland forward Fabio Borini (left) plays a pass under pressure from United full back Antonio Valencia
Jesse Lingard (left) and Didier Ndong stretch out a leg each to battle for the ball in the middle of the pitch
Phil Jones (left) rises high to head away a ball as Sunderland look towards captain Jermain Defoe
He will have been heartened by his team’s performance in the opening 45 minutes even though Sunderland went in at half-time a goal behind to Blind’s strike.
They started brightly at Old Trafford, and that was not always the case with Moyes’ team when he was in charge here. Victor Anichebe, in particular, was a handful for United’s defence despite needing lengthy treatment inside the opening 10 minutes after injuring his left shoulder in a collision with Phil Jones.
Patrick van Aanholt brought a fine diving save from David De Gea with a curling freekick from the edge of the box after Anichebe had been bundled to the ground by Blind, and De Gea then denied Anichebe when he swivelled to shoot from close-range after Blind had headed down to the edge of his own six-yard box under pressure from the Sunderland striker and Borini.
Even when United pressed, Sunderland poised a real threat on the break and Jermain Defoe flashed a shot wide of the upright after one such move in the 18th minute.
Red Devils goalkeeper David de Gea flies to his right to make a great save to keep the scoreline goalless in the first half
The hosts felt they should’ve been awarded a penalty early on when Juan Mata was barged by Lamine Kone
Borini tries his luck from close range but is denied by De Gea with the goal gaping shortly afterwards
Defoe controls the ball in the middle of the pitch as Sunderland look to go on the attack at Old Trafford
Mourinho watches on from the sidelines as his United side mount some pressure on the Sunderland defence
World-record signing Paul Pogba (right) came close to breaking the deadlock for United in the first half with this volley
The France international was close to scoring at the start of the second half too but his header just flew over the crossbar
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (right) comes close to doubling United’s lead but is denied by a brilliant save from Jordan Pickford
But there was a confident swagger about Mourinho’s side as they moved the ball around quickly. United thought they should have been awarded a penalty when Antonio Valencia floated a pass into the path of Mata but the Spaniard was sent flying by a barge from Lamine Kone who did not appear to be even looking at the ball as it bounced through to Jordan Pickford.
The Sunderland goalkeeper then got a fingertip to Pogba’s curling effort to turn it against the outside of his left-hand post, and United’s record signing went close again with a dipping volley over the bar when Papy Djilobodji headed away Blind’s cross to the edge of the box and Sebastian Larsson fluffed his clearance.
But United went ahead in the 39th minute when a fine passing move swept right to left where Ibrahimovic took possession on the edge of the box. He waited to slip the ball into Blind’s path as he broke forward, and the Dutchman took over touch past Jason Denayer before drilling a shot into the bottom far corner.
Pogba almost extended United’s lead within five minutes of the restart, meeting Ander Herrera’s cross to guide a header just over from eight yards out, and Ibrahimovic had an even better chance but blazed over after being sent through by Mata.
There was a welcome sight for United midway through the second half when fit-again Henrikh Mkhitaryan (centre) came on
And the Armenian came close to scoring just moments later with this curling effort just going past the far post
However, United got their reward with eight minutes remaining when Ibrahimovic was put through by Pogba
The veteran Swede made no mistake as he coolly slotted past Pickford to make it 2-0 to the hosts
That strike saw the powerful striker score his 17th goal of an already impressive season for his new club
Substitute Mkhitaryan also played in Ibrahimovic soon after replacing Jesse Lingard, but this time the striker’s low effort was kept out by Pickford’s outstretched right foot,
The Swede was not to be denied, however. When Pogba intercepted and broke forward in the 82nd minute, he fed Ibrahimovic who made no mistake this time as he curled the ball around Pickford.
Mkhitaryan soon made it three, although the Armenian was at least a yard offside when Herrera’s cross arrived in the box behind him. Mkhitaryan improvised brilliantly, flicking a heel to guide the ball into the net, and Old Trafford erupted.
Sunderland had the last word when Marcos Rojo headed Denayer’s cross to Borini 25 yards out and he sent a wonderful volley into the top corner. But this was Mourinho’s day, and once again Moyes left disappointed.
