This week, we've seen Manchester, united. Now stand Manchester United.
There is a strange paradox at the heart of football: a week of unimaginable horror that has put the frivolity of football into stark perspective has emphasised its precise importance: the grieving people of Manchester could corral around a unified purpose in Stockholm tonight, and United paid their supporters back with a display of consummate professionalism.
While the circumstances of the game were unfathomably diffcult, United held a firm conviction that they were better than Ajax. They performed so, and were utterly comfortable in a 2-0 win that burnishes a difficult season with the aftertaste of success.
But this was not a game about justifying Jose Mourinho, this was a message to those who dare mess with Manchester: you've picked on the wrong city.
On full-time, Manchester City beautifully summed up that fact:
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 24, 2017
A minute's silence before the game was well observed, before giving way to applause in memory of the victims, and as the game drew to an end with victory secured, chants of 'Manchester, Manchester' rang around the Friend Arena in Stockholm.
Chants of 'Manchester' and then appreciation for Mourinho #mufc pic.twitter.com/PQWCLsfmbV
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) May 24, 2017
Manchester- a city united. "Manchester" sing the @ManUtd fans. pic.twitter.com/BGXBY28FAk
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) May 24, 2017
