LONDON: Manchester United failed to win any of their five matches at the end of last season but two goals from Marcus Rashford relegated such negativity to history in a 4-0 victory which spoiled Frank Lampard’s managerial debut in the Premier League.

United were fortunate to be leading at half-time but midway through the second half they struck twice in 90 seconds through Anthony Martial and Rashford again to raise questions about how Chelsea can cope with their FIFA transfer ban.

Pre-season perception was that the fourth position in the table by the end of the this season should be between United, Chelsea and Arsenal which meant immediate heavy pressure on both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and new Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.

United had spent heavily in the transfer market to strengthen defence with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire but little in midfield and had not signed an obvious replacement for Inter-bound Romelu Lukaku at centre-forward. This was a specific challenge for Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial to convert their talent and potential into match-winning goals.

Chelsea, by contrast, had spent nothing apart from the £40m agreed last year when Mateo Kovacic arrived on loan from Real Madrid with the option of a permanent move.

Otherwise old Chelsea favourite Lampard was left with last season’s squad plus the promising but unproven youngsters. His selection problems were exacerbated at Old Trafford by the absences through injury of Antonio Rudiger from midfield and Willian in attack.

Curious Mourinho

Jose Mourinho, former manager of both clubs who was making his debut as an analyst for Sky TV, assessed Lampard as under less pressure than Solskjaer. Mourinho said: “The transfer ban releases the pressure. They have a very good squad of course. I am very curious to see the direction Frank is going to go. They need time, they are not playing to win the Premier League. You don’t buy players but you buy time.”

In fact Mourinho thought that Manchester City’s reserves would be able, notionally, to finish higher in the table than either United or Chelsea.

England manager Gareth Southgate and assistant Steve Holland were in the crowd to see Rashford shoot United ahead from a penalty after 19 minutes. Rashford had been brought down by Rudiger’s deputy, Kurt Zouma. The VAR confirmation for referee Anthony Taylor was academic.

Zouma, back at Chelsea after loan spells at Stoke and Everton, was having a nightmare game and collected a yellow card for a later foul on midfielder Andreas Pereira.

The centre back, however, was one of Chelsea’s few weak links. As the game went on they began to play with more composure and penetration than United. They could have been three goals ahead at half-time instead of one goal down. Pedro, Ross Barkley and Mason Mount wasted half-chances while both Tammy Abraham and Emerson hit the posts.

United showed more attacking spirit at the start of the second half. Chelsea struggled to hold them out at the price of yellow cards for Jorginho and Abraham. Lampard then sought to change the balance of control by bringing on Christian Pulisic for his Chelsea debut after his summer move from Borussia Dortmund.

His welcome to the Premier League meant being knocked off his feet by Paul Pogba.

United soaked up the pressure then broke away in the 65th and 67th minutes to strike twice and decide the match. First Pereira accelerated wide on the right and crossed into the centre of goal for Martial to score then a superb through ball from Pogba provided Rashford with his own second.

Martial created the fourth for Daniel James, United’s own attacking substitute.

The average age of United’s starting line-up was 24 years and 227 days, the youngest of any team in the EPL’s opening round.

Arsenal’s winning start

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 22-goal joint top scorer in the Premier League, carried on at Newcastle where he left off last season. The Ghanaian scored the 58th-minute goal which provided Arsenal with a deserved 1:0 victory at St James’ Park.

Defeat will fuel the anger of Newcastle fans who staged a protest march against owner Mike Ashley before the game. They were unhappy with a lack of transfer market as well as with the appointment of boyhood fan Steve Bruce in managerial succession to China-bound Rafa Benitez.

Arsenal brought on new signings Pepe and Dani Ceballos as second-half substitutes. They were without Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac for security reasons after the recent street attack on both players. They remained at home in London with their families. Two men have been arrested by police after a separate incident outside Ozil’s home.

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