Bruno Fernandes accomplished his hat-trick with a robust strike into the roof of the web
Bruno Fernandes scored an opening-day hat-trick as Manchester United swept Leeds apart with a devastating second-half show.
The Portugal midfielder opened the scoring on the half-hour mark at a packed Outdated Trafford, however Luke Ayling’s thunderous strike drew Leeds degree early within the second half.
Mason Greenwood restored the hosts’ lead with a crisp end lower than two minutes later, earlier than Fernandes’ low shot was dominated to have crossed the road by referee Paul Tierney after a verify of goalline expertise.
The 26-year-old shortly accomplished his hat-trick with a thumping end from Victor Lindelof’s go, earlier than Fred added United’s fourth aim in 14 minutes from Paul Pogba’s cross – the Frenchman’s fourth help of the afternoon.
It was Fernandes’ first hat-trick since he moved to Outdated Trafford in January 2020 and solely the second by a Pink Devils participant since Robin van Persie’s title-winning effort in opposition to Aston Villa in 2013.
However the recreation was additionally a private triumph for Pogba.
The France midfielder’s future has been the topic of intense debate as he enters the ultimate yr of his contract.
However his 4 assists included a elegant go for Greenwood’s aim, and he left the sector to a standing ovation quarter-hour from time as £74m new-boy Jadon Sancho was launched for his debut.
Bravo Bruno
Fernandes’ final hat-trick was for Sporting Lisbon in an 8-1 hammering of Belenenses in entrance of simply over 5,000 in Might 2019.
Though the Portuguese has assumed hero standing since shifting to England, this was solely the fourth time he had performed a Premier League recreation in entrance of capability crowd at Outdated Trafford.
After a disappointing Euro 2020, any considerations about his impression at home degree have been utterly dispelled.
His opener was glorious as he ran on to Pogba’s first-time go, managed a bouncing ball within the Leeds space, then put sufficient energy into his shot to take it into the web regardless of Illan Meslier’s half-save.
One other Pogba go supplied Fernandes the chance to sit down Meslier on his bottom as he turned sharply earlier than hitting a low shot goalwards that referee Tierney was appropriately knowledgeable had crossed the road earlier than Ayling cleared.
Fernandes’ third was route one. Lindelof’s go fell completely for the ahead, who allowed the ball to bounce earlier than crashing it into the web.
It meant he adopted Anthony Martial as the one Manchester United participant to attain a Premier League hat-trick since Van Persie – and the primary to do it in entrance of followers.
Leeds swept away
The amount for an already noisy crowd was turned up one other notch by Raphael Varane’s introduction simply earlier than the groups emerged.
Manchester United’s new £34m defender will likely be tasked with bringing larger stability to a again 4 that, even right here, appeared shaky at instances.
Skipper Harry Maguire was virtually embarrassed in a foot race with Patrick Bamford which he began with a transparent benefit and poor marking ought to have been exploited by Rodrigo, who was astray along with his header after being allowed to satisfy Raphinha’s curling free-kick unopposed.
For a crew whose league report at Outdated Trafford is poor – Leeds haven’t received right here since 1981 – and who conceded six within the corresponding fixture final season, it didn’t bode nicely.
Ayling did supply some hope when he was afforded far an excessive amount of area to shoot – presumably on the premise he had by no means beforehand scored a Premier League aim – and promptly discovered the nook from 25 yards.
However it was solely the prelude to a Manchester United onslaught from which there was no likelihood of restoration.
Bother earlier than the sport
This was at all times prone to be a tinderbox fixture on the primary weekend of full Premier League stadiums for 19 months.
Bother within the metropolis centre, during which Higher Manchester Police mentioned there have been “remoted incidents of dysfunction”, briefly gave option to unanimity on the stadium as supporters joined collectively to applaud figures from each golf equipment who’ve handed away through the coronavirus pandemic. However that didn’t final.
Amid the mutual loathing was one chant in regards to the Munich air catastrophe among the many visiting help, who additionally informed Jadon Sancho he “let his nation down” as he started his first warm-up – a reference to his missed penalty for England within the Euro 2020 remaining in opposition to Italy.
Given the chaos of United’s finish to final season, when a house recreation in opposition to Liverpool needed to be deserted after dwelling followers broke into the stadium, membership officers will in all probability be relieved there was no risk to this fixture, though there was an anti-Glazer chant to underline that the problems with the house owners haven’t gone away.
Participant of the match
Bruno FernandesBruno Fernandes
Leeds United
Squad quantity2Participant titleAyling
Squad quantity1Participant titleMeslier
Squad quantity15Participant titleDallas
Squad quantity10Participant titleRaphinha
Squad quantity22Participant titleHarrison
Squad quantity21Participant titleStruijk
Squad quantity9Participant titleBamford
Squad quantity43Participant titleKlich
Squad quantity6Participant titleCooper
Squad quantity19Participant titleRodrigo
Squad quantity5Participant titleKoch
Squad quantity3Participant titleFirpo
Squad quantity11Participant titleRoberts
Squad quantity17Participant titleHélder Costa
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
1de Gea
29Wan-Bissaka2Lindelöf5Maguire23Shaw
39McTominay17Fred
21James18Bruno Fernandes6Pogba
11Greenwood
1de Gea29Wan-Bissaka2Lindelöf5Maguire23ShawBooked at 83mins39McTominaySubstituted forMaticat 69′minutes17Fred21JamesSubstituted forSanchoat 75′minutes18Bruno Fernandes6PogbaSubstituted forMartialat 75′minutes11Greenwood
Substitutes
8Mata9Martial15Pereira20Dalot22Heaton25Sancho31Matic33Williams34van de Beek
Leeds
Formation 4-4-1-1
1Meslier
2Ayling21Struijk6Cooper15Dallas
10Raphinha5Koch43Klich22Harrison
19Rodrigo
9Bamford
1Meslier2Ayling21Struijk6CooperBooked at 59mins15Dallas10RaphinhaBooked at 62mins5Koch43Klich22HarrisonSubstituted forHélder Costaat 69′minutes19RodrigoSubstituted forFirpoat 45′minutes9BamfordSubstituted forRobertsat 77′minutes
Substitutes
3Firpo4Forshaw11Roberts13Klaesson17Hélder Costa23Phillips38Summerville42Greenwood46Shackleton
Referee:Paul Tierney
Attendance:72,732
Stay Textual content
Match ends, Manchester United 5, Leeds United 1.
Second Half ends, Manchester United 5, Leeds United 1.
Foul by Hélder Costa (Leeds United).
Luke Shaw (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Mateusz Klich (Leeds United).
Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United) wins a free kick within the attacking half.
Try missed. Luke Ayling (Leeds United) proper footed shot from the centre of the field misses to the left following a set piece state of affairs.
Junior Firpo (Leeds United) wins a free kick within the attacking half.
Foul by Fred (Manchester United).
Try missed. Raphinha (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the field is shut, however misses to the precise. Assisted by Tyler Roberts.
Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is proven the yellow card for a foul foul.
Raphinha (Leeds United) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).
Hélder Costa (Leeds United) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
Foul by Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United).
Try missed. Hélder Costa (Leeds United) proper footed shot from exterior the field is simply too excessive. Assisted by Liam Cooper with a headed go following a set piece state of affairs.
Hélder Costa (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the precise wing.
Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).
Try missed. Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) proper footed shot from exterior the field is shut, however misses to the left.
Hand ball by Mason Greenwood (Manchester United).
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