Football is back – and so is the winning feeling for Manchester United.
A 4-0 opening win was an unbelievable result.
Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with a first half penalty, after he was brought down by Kurt Zouma.
It was interesting to see him take the spot kick ahead of Paul Pogba.
Anthony Martial doubled our lead in the second half from an Anthony Pereira cross, and Rashford added a third after a delicious Paul Pogba pass a minute later.
Substitute Dan James scored a fourth on the counter attack, again from a Pogba assist.
New signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka set the tone early on by shutting down Emerson when left one v one in the opening few minutes.
Both he and Harry Maguire looked at home instantly in their debuts at Old Trafford.
Our predicted XI was almost spot on, with the exception of Jesse Lingard starting ahead of Mason Greenwood.
Reaction
While we finished the first half on top, we were a little fortunate, with Chelsea hitting the woodwork twice.
By the end of the game, there was no debate who deserved to win, it was clear cut.
The pressing from the front worked and while Jesse Lingard didn’t offer much on the ball, off it he did his job.
Andreas Pereira and Scott McTominay are still growing into their roles, while Pogba got much better as the game went on after a sloppy start.
It was evident United still lack both creativity in the final third when teams defend deep, and did not have enough protection for the back four.
On the counter attack, its a different story. We were simply outstanding.
In terms of result, we could not have asked for better.
The second half was superb. We soaked up the pressure and hit Chelsea on the break three times, with Pogba the orchestrator.
It’s so important to begin the season with a win, especially against a rival. The 4-0 scoreline was a major statement.
While there is plenty of work to do, we can be happy with the victory and the strong defensive performance.
Star man
Aaron Wan-Bissaka caught the eye immediately and looks to be a top addition. Well played. 8/10
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