Jose Mourinho could not have hoped for a better start to Manchester United's season.

The Red Devils are only behind pacesetters Manchester City on goal difference, having won five and drawn one of their opening six league games.

They've also brushed aside Basel and Burton in the Champions League and Carabeo Cup respectively.

While the Portuguese's first season at Old Trafford was far from perfect, they look well placed to compete for the big trophies this time around.

New boy Romelu Lukaku has played no small part in that. Last term, it was Zlatan Ibrahimovic who was banging the goals in and while the Swede will be returning soon, the Belgian has more than filled in for him since his move from Everton.

Seven goals and an assist later and all of a sudden, that £75million looks like a bargain.

The 24-year-old is one of those strikers who pops up with goals even when neither he or his team-mates are at their best. That's exactly what happened against Southampton, as United managed a 1-0 win at St Mary's.

Lukaku found the back of the net after just 20 minutes, although the rest of the game was far from easy. Mauricio Pellegrino's men made United work for the three points, but once again, they had their star forward to thank for seeing them over the line.

So, how did they repay him for ensuring they continue to breathe down City's necks at the top of the table? By leaving him behind as they got on a plane back to Manchester, apparently.

This seems a bit harsh...

The United players and staff were already heading north, reports the Mirror, when Lukaku was called in for a random drugs test after the game - standard practice in the Premier League, but you think they'd at least wait for him.

He was stuck on the south coast for another two hours before he could go home, with security escorting him past some very patient fans who were still hanging around outside the ground.

This is all in good jest, of course, because Mourinho actually loves Lukaku to bits. Why wouldn't he with a goal tally like that?

"I knew that he would always score goals," Mourinho told Match of the Day, per the Manchester Evening News.

"I knew that he would score more goals for us than for Everton or West Bromwich Albion, that's logic.

"But I was not expecting him to be match after match putting the ball in the net."

Is Lukaku the best striker in the Premier League? Have your say in the comments.