Sunday marked the start of Year Four in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United. In the three full seasons since the Scotsman announced his retirement, the club has experienced a significant decline, finishing seventh, fourth, and fifth in the Premier League. Ferguson’s successor, David Moyes, was a prominent example of how the pressures of managing a major club can lead to poor results. While Louis van Gaal did bring a trophy to Old Trafford – the FA Cup – the Red Devils’ inconsistent performances led to the Dutchman’s departure as well.

Enter Jose Mourinho, who first made a name for himself with his touchline celebrations as Porto edged United in the 2004 Champions League. He has experienced success since at Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid, while always maintaining a great deal of respect for United. He’s made no secret in the past of his desire to be the manager at Old Trafford, and after a longer-than-expected wait, that opportunity has arrived.

United players responded by opening the 2016/17 season with a 3-1 win at Bournemouth. The first goal came late in the first half, as Juan Mata took advantage of a Cherries defensive error to put the visitors in front. Commentator Peter Drury described the goal as a “delicious irony,” seeing as Mata joined United in 2014 after Mourinho deemed him surplus at the start of his second stint with Chelsea. There have been rumors that the Spaniard will be leaving Old Trafford in the near future, so seeing him score the opener – in a manner similar to how Leicester scored against United in last week’s Community Shield – might prompt management to keep him with the club. Wayne Rooney & Zlatan Ibrahimovic added their names to the scoresheet, while a late goal for the hosts prevented a season-opening shutout for David de Gea.

The 2016/17 campaign will certainly be one to watch for United supporters, with the arrival of not just Mourinho but multiple high-profile players. Ibrahimovic and Eric Bailly have already made their presences known in the opening fixtures of the season, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan provides another midfield option. Last week, the Red Devils made their biggest move of the summer so far as Paul Pogba has returned to the club whose academy he was once part of; he was suspended for the Bournemouth match. Will the new signings make a lasting impact throughout the season, or are the first few weeks going to end up misleading?

Manchester United’s first home match comes Friday against Southampton. The Red Devils are keen to continue the momentum gained from Sunday, and not have it be a repeat of the David Moyes era, which also started with a multiple-goal win on the road but ended in disaster. The club feels they are ready to return to the top of the Premier League pyramid, and may have the pieces in place to do just that.