Jose Mourinho has restored Manchester United's fear factor

Jose Mourinho leading Manchester United to EFL Cup glory had an air of inevitability about it. Not just because it was Mourinho, not just because United had the superstars.

For the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down from the dugout, the Red Devils are a serious force. They have reacquainted themselves with an aura of fear.

The culprits? Mourinho and chief partner-in-crime Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Portugal’s serial-winning manager and one of Europe’s most lethal finishers over the past decade have united at Old Trafford to restore the Red Devils on the path to former glories.

Winning trophies? Part one was complete for Mourinho when United emerged victorious against Southampton at Wembley despite spending the vast majority of the 90 minutes on the back foot.

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Southampton’s energy and pace caused the Manchester side troubles, but mixed with a widespread lethargy among Mourinho’s starting 11, it became a perfect storm.

Nathan Redmond, Manolo Gabbiadini and Cedric Soares caused Mourinho’s men nightmares throughout the cup final – but there was still a feeling that United would emerge victorious, and so it proved.

Even after the Saints equalised from two goals down, there was something in the air. United would edge it. Having the referee disallow a perfectly legal goal and seeing a header hit the post late on? It was a win which reeked of the Fergie factor.

They came, they played ugly, they lifted the cup. And as history suggests, Mourinho’s first is usually a strong indicator of more to follow.

Make no mistake – it was one of United’s worst performances this season, but winning despite that shows just how much work Mourinho has done to reinstall a winning mentality in his men.

It is not the first time this season, either. In fact, it’s almost been a repetitive theme. Middlesbrough and Blackburn will attest to that.

That is what they missed while David Moyes and Louis van Gaal were in charge. It is both the cause and consequence of their fine form this season – losing just six games in all competitions.

In three years, Moyes and van Gaal conceded countless records to what seemed like half the league, and in doing so revealed United to be vulnerable. Teams subsequently took confidence, and were not afraid of taking the game to their bigger opponents.

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But not any more. The Reds are no longer a side which are as likely to win as they are to lose.

For as error-prone as the EFL Cup holders’ defence may be, they still have a spearhead in Zlatan who can turn games around in a flash. One blink, and Ibrahimovic has scored a free-kick, an athletic finish or set up someone else.

His first season in England? 15 Premier League goals in 24 appearances at the age of 35 highlights the success with which the big Swede has taken on the role of United’s main man. And with Mourinho at the helm, they’ve made United feel indomitable again.

Mourinho has produced the greatest amount of Premier League points at this stage of the season – 48 – since the legendary Ferguson retired. That is no coincidence.