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This has been yet another trying week for Manchester United but, sitting high in the stands of the Liberty Stadium, the Portuguese coach breathed a considerable sigh of relief. After a highly vexing 90 minute shooting session against Burnley followed by yet another miserable trip away in Europe, Swansea City proved to be the perfect opposition for United to stroll their way back into form.

Before the match Swansea boss Bob Bradley said he was determined to pile the pressure on Mourinho and United but, after just 33 minutes, the home supporters bellowed 'we want our Swansea back' as the men in red celebrated buoyantly, gathering round Zlatan Ibrahimovic to toast the Swedish striker exploding back into form after he struck his second, United's third.

Indeed, this was an afternoon when United looked fluid, confident and inventive, right from the outset. Wayne Rooney was back in the starting line-up and the returning captain linked effectively with Ibrahimovic at times, while Paul Pogba, liberated by the insurance of having Michael Carrick behind him,offered his own emphatic contribution to his side's most undemanding fixture this season.

On the other hand, there can only be a withering assessment of Swansea's contribution here. How their fortunes have plummeted since Brendan Rodgers brought the Welsh team up to the Premier League in 2011 and immediately enchanted the watching world. Bradley has a mammoth task ahead of him and you have to wonder, on the basis of today's performance, if they have the hardiness and stamina for an all-out relegation scrap. The American must shoulder some of the blame for this result; his decision to play Fernando Llorente and Borja Baston up front was a mistake, highlighted by how Moudou Barrow and Jefferson Montero injected pace into Swansea's game after their introduction.

The pattern of the game was set instantly. United controlled possession for large swathes but, refreshingly, their sequences had purpose and direction. Although 37 shots couldn't breach Burnley last weekend, Pogba found the magic touch after 14 minutes, sending a right-footed volley of sublime technique and execution into the top corner set United on their way.

WHAT A GOAL POGBA pic.twitter.com/OHgd8EvY2Y

Unfortunately for Swansea, United had been wounded from their European exploits and had a thirst for redemption. Six minutes later, Ibrahimovic had ended his goal drought, moving into space on the edge of the area before beating Lukasz Fabianksi with a driven effort to score the 25,000th Premier League goal in history.

Just after the half hour mark, Ibrahimovic made it three, effectively killing the game as a contest. Rooney notched an impressive 100th career Premier Leagueassist, controlling the ball and driving forward before slipping in the Swede, who escaped the attentions of the Swans defence before firing high into the net to clinch his 400th career goal (big numbers all over the place).

Paul Pogba has now scored 15 league goals from outside the box since 2012/13.

That's 50% of his total goal tally.

What a strike! pic.twitter.com/wBHZ2YRyvV

David de Gea's role as a mere spectator - apart from picking the ball out of the net after Mike van der Hoorn's 69th-minuteheader that feigned a comeback -made it difficult not to think what a blow it was for Swansea losing chief goalscorer Wilfried Bony, or how surrendering captain Ashley Williams to Everton has left them with a disorganised, inexperienced back four.

For Mourinho though, he hopes that this will provide a platform for United to build. Frustratingly, they are forced to wait two weeks until their next match, at home to Arsenal, but they will approach that game with a renewed sense of optimism, even if Ibrahimovic is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season.