Jose Mourinho told his Manchester United players repeatedly last season they needed to be more clinical, and they have started the new campaign with the perfect answer.
A 4-0 win over West Ham on the opening weekend was followed up with another against Swansea. After just two games, they have scored nearly 15 percent of their Premier League goals tally from last season.
United were the lowest scorers in the top seven last term with just 54. Bournemouth ended the season with 55. It was the key reason why they could not challenge Chelsea for the title. Only Tottenham conceded fewer goals, but problems converting chances into goals at the other end meant they ended the season 24 points adrift of the champions.
By the end of last season, the sports data company Opta calculated Mourinho's team had missed 50 "big chances" -- more than anyone else. When West Ham earned a point at Old Trafford last season, United had eight shots on target and scored once. Last weekend they had six and scored four. It was a similar story at the Liberty Stadium, with eight shots on target converted into four goals. United only once scored four or more goals in a Premier League game last season. They have already done it twice and it is still August.
New £75 million striker Romelu Lukaku has benefited with three goals in two games, but so have Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial. Like Lukaku, both were on the score sheet against West Ham and Swansea. Last season, it took Pogba until Nov. 6 to get two Premier League goals. It took Martial until New Year's Eve.
It is the first time in 110 years that United have scored four or more goals in their opening two league games.
Chelsea hold the record for most goals in a Premier League campaign with 103 in 2009-10. It took them until Oct. 24 and a 5-0 win over Blackburn to score four or more in a game.
Mourinho, though, is refusing to get carried away. United won their opening three league games last season and finished sixth. Chelsea beat West Brom and Wigan 6-0 in their first two games of the 2010-11 season and still finished second -- nine points behind United.
Sir Alex Ferguson's United scored 18 goals in their first four league games of the 2011-12 season and were still pipped to the title by Manchester City.
Mourinho insists United's impressive start will mean nothing unless they can build on it. They have a good chance. Leicester visit Old Trafford next weekend, followed by games against Stoke, Everton, Southampton and Crystal Palace.
It is not until Oct. 14 and a trip to Anfield to play Liverpool that they face a team that finished in last season's top six.