LONDON: Manchester United enjoyed a dream start to the Premier League season as Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 thrashing of Leeds United in front of 73,000 at Old Trafford, while Chelsea swept aside Crystal Palace 3-0 on Saturday.

Over 300,000 fans are expected to attend the opening weekend of the season with full crowds restored following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

United were inspired by a raucous atmosphere as Fernandes and Paul Pogba combined to blow away Marcelo Bielsa’s men.

Fernandes walked away with the match ball, but Pogba was just as impressive as the Frenchman produced four assists for the Portuguese’s first two goals and second-half strikes from Mason Greenwood and Fred.

Luke Ayling’s stunning strike early in the second-half briefly brought Leeds level, but it was another Old Trafford trip to forget for them after also being thrashed 6-2 last season.

After seeing United display their title credentials, European champions Chelsea dispatched Palace in Patrick Vieira’s first match in charge of the Eagles with ease to make their own case.

Marcos Alonso’s free-kick and Christian Pulisic’s scuffed finish gave Thomas Tuchel’s men a commanding 2-0 lead before half-time.

Centre-back Trevoh Chalobah then marked his Premier League debut with a long-range strike to round off the scoring.

Elsewhere, Rafael Benitez went a long way to quieting his doubters at Everton as the Toffees came from behind to beat Southampton 3-1.

Adam Armstrong’s opener on his debut for the Saints saw Benitez’s men booed off at half-time at Goodison Park with many of the home fans still unhappy at the appointment of the former Liverpool manager.

But the mood was lifted straight after half-time by Richarlison’s equaliser before Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin ensured Benitez got off to a winning start.

Leicester City also secured all three points as Jamie Vardy’s deft flick proved the difference in a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Life for Aston Villa without Jack Grealish got off to a terrible start as Watford celebrated their return to the top flight with a 3-2 win at Vicarage Road.

Goals from Emmanuel Dennis, Ismaila Sarr and Cucho Hernandez had the Hornets cruising towards victory.

John McGinn pulled a goal back and Danny Ings netted from the penalty spot on his debut, but it was too little, too late for Villa.

Brighton bounced back from conceding inside two minutes at Burnley to win 2-1 at Turf Moor thanks to second-half goals from Neal Maupay and Alexis MacAllister.

Gunners stunned

Meanwhile, the season got off to a flying start on Friday as Brentford marked their first game in the top flight for 74 years and their first in front of fans at their new stadium with an emotional 2-0 victory over a ragged Arsenal.

Sergi Canos carved his name into the west London club’s Hall of Fame when he cut inside Calum Chambers and drilled a low shot inside the near post of Bernd Leno after 22 minutes to spark an explosion of joy from the fans who have waited so long to take their place in the new 17,500-capacity home.

It was the least Brentford deserved as, revelling in their chance to take on the big boys, they took the game to an Arsenal team who looked disjointed and toothless in the absence of ‘unwell’ strike duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

Some hesitant Arsenal defending after a long throw in the 73rd minute allowed Christian Norgaard to head home the second and Brentford, the team who suffered an agonising nine playoff failures before finally succeeding last season, were in dream land.

Published in Dawn, August 15th , 2021