Manchester United 5-1 Leeds United
And here was me predicting there would never be a repeat of last season’s home romp!
How wrong I was (probably not for the last time this season) as Manchester United let fly to open their 2021/22 Premier League campaign in style.
It would still be foolish to read too much into this.
After all, almost everything United hit on target turned to gold, while even the coaching staff at Old Trafford know the squad they have currently assembled is, realistically, a top class central midfielder and out-and-out centre forward short of mounting a sustained challenging for the title.
However, as confidence boosters go, as indicators of what could be achieved with belief and dedication, here was the perfect set of Premier League highlights for the majority of those who packed into Old Trafford for the first time in 17 months.
I use the words ‘belief’ and ‘dedication’ assiduously there.
For while the headline of this game may have been the continued excellence of Bruno Fernandes, whose hat-trick had the home support in raptures, it should also be noted that four of the hosts’ five goals were set up by Paul Pogba.
That is more in 75 minutes today than he had (three) in the whole of last season and shows what the Frenchman, whose contract expires next summer, can do. More of this would justify the tag of world class footballer rather than a player who so often goes missing and flatters to deceive.
Here here!
After five largely underwhelming seasons, he owes United loyalty and consistency. If he delivers that, it could make all the difference.
Highlights of the game
Everyone connected with both Manchester United and Leeds know this is no ordinary rivalry and the anticipation both inside and outside the ground before kick-off was proof of that.
First came the team news with new recruitJadon Sancho among the United substitutes which also included Anthony Martial, who missed a large chunk of last term through injury.
Likewise, new Leeds signing Junior Firpo was only fit enough for a place on the bench after failing to shake off a minor injury and Diego Llorente missed out.
What really turned the volume up was just before kick-off when Raphael Varanewas officially confirmed as a United player, going into the centre of the pitch to hold his new shirt up with the number 19 on the back.
From that moment, the home fans were buzzing with even more excitement.
The hosts certainly deserved the goal that gave them the advantage at the break as Fernandes ran onto a through ball from Pogba and controlled it on the edge of the penalty area before shooting past IllanMeslierwith a deflection off the inside of the goalkeeper’s leg.
Leeds were overrun at times and desperately missed the absent Kalvin Phillips and Llorente but they have real character and Luke Ayling scored a fine goal early in the second half to make it all square.
While that parity was only brief, the Yorkshire club should not be too disheartened at this defeat for they will bounce back and have reasons to be optimistic.
After the equaliser – a goal befitting the occasion – it would have been easy to reflect on United’s league record at home last term.
Yes, they became just the third English top-flight club in history to go the full season unbeaten away from home, but the Red Devils had issues at Old Trafford, winning just nine of their 19 games – an area which needs vast improvement should they expect to challenge for the title.
To their credit, the home response was exactly what the doctor ordered as the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds for a comfortable success became a reality.
Within three minutes I was applauding at the prodigious talent of Mason Greenwood who raced onto a sumptuous Pogba pass and still had much to do but made it look easy, controlling the ball at pace, holding off his marker and rifling the ball across the face of goal and perfectly into the bottom right-hand corner.
Within another three minutes, another goal as Fernandes turned substituteFirpoand shot goalwards, the ball crossing the line before Aylingwas able to clear.
Another five minutes and the Portuguese talisman had his first ever United hat-trick, running from deep and rifling the bouncing ball past Meslier.
When Fred slotted the ball home after it was squared across by Pogba, only another eight minutes had elapsed, but Leeds’ misery was complete.
A five-star start for the hosts and, a real boon to confidence, although caution remains a watchword.
Key statistics
Fernandes has been directly involved in a league-high 48 goals since his debut on February 1, 2020, scoring 29 times and providing 19 assists.
He is the first United player to score a hat-trick on the opening day of a league season since Lou Macari v Birmingham in 1977-78.
This is the third time a United player had scored a hat-trick and a team-mate has provided at least three assists in a Premier League game following:
Aug 2011 v Arsenal (Wayne Rooney three goals, Ashley Young three assists).
Oct 1997 v Barnsley (Andy Cole three goals, Solskjaerthree assists).
Leeds are winless in 17 top-flight away fixtures versus United since a 1-0 triumph in February 1981 (drawn six, lost 11).This istheir equal longest top-flight winless away streak against a single opponent.
Their 1-0 win at Old Trafford in 1970 is the only previous meeting between the sides in the opening match of a top-flight campaign.
Leeds scored 14 Premier League goals from outside the penalty area last season, two more than any other club.
What’s next?
Man Utd head to the south coast for their first away fixture of the new campaign next Sunday (August 22) when they face Southampton.
Leeds entertain Everton the previous day in their first home league match of the season.
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