MANCHESTER UNITED are FLYING at home to rivals Leeds with Bruno Fernandes landing a magnificent hat-trick.
Paul Pogba, meanwhile, has provided FOUR assists an opening day goal fest.
Luke Ayling thought he had got Leeds back into the game with a screamer from outside the box to equalise.
But goals from Mason Greenwood, Fred and brilliant Bruno have given the Red Devils comfort, before Jadon Sancho was on for his United debut.
Meanwhile United have confirmed the signing of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid is COMPLETED, with the defender paraded on the Old Trafford pitch.
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FT: MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
New signing Raphael Varane was unveiled to much fanfare at Old Trafford before kick-off, giving the crowd a boost as it was revealed the centre-back will wear the number 19 for the Red Devils this season.
Credit: EPA After a hugely entertaining and high-tempo first half, the Red Devils deservedly led 1-0 thanks to a well-worked Bruno Fernandes goal.
Leeds got themselves back in with a chance of claiming all three points after Luke Ayling equalised with an absolute stunner shortly after half-time.
Credit: Reuters But the home side restored their lead when Mason Greenwood slotted home a neat finish from a free-flowing Man Utd counter-attacking move.
Leeds didn’t know what hit them as Bruno Fernandes made it 3-1 just two minutes later and then sealed his hat-trick to make it 4-1 on the hour mark, as the Reds scored three goals in eight minutes.
Credit: Getty Fred then polished off Man Utd’s five-star performance with a tidy finish from inside the box to seal the victory and take the game away from the visitors. United’s fifth goal and Pogba’s fourth assist.
The home fans were then treated to their first glimpse of Jadon Sancho at Old Trafford as the winger was introduced after 75 minutes, with long-term absentee Anthony Martial also making his return.
Credit: AP Solskjaer’s side comfortably saw out their 5-1 victory over Leeds to make a huge statement of intent to their fellow title challengers.
His side mean business and look like genuine contenders for the Premier League crown this season. They face Southampton away next Sunday and will go into the match with supreme confidence.
Credit: Getty Meanwhile Leeds will look to dust themselves off and go again as they take on Everton at Elland Road next Saturday. They’ll hope to get themselves back on track after a disappointing start to their campaign.
That’s all from us for today! Thanks for keeping up with our live coverage of Man Utd vs Leeds at Old Trafford in the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.
We hope you enjoyed that one as much as we did. See you next time.
BAD MOOD BIELSA
The Leeds boss was his usual cagey self in his post-match media duties and admitted that his side were ultimately outclassed on the day and will have to pick themselves up before they face Everton next weekend.
To have lost the way we lost, can’t be described just as a blip…
Marcelo Bielsa
STONE COLD STUNNER
Leeds’ goalscorer Luke Ayling was understandably disappointed after his side’s thrashing but spoke of their need for Leeds to learn from the experience and bounce back at Elland Road next week.
We had a really poor five minutes which cost us the game…
Luke Ayling
ICE-MAN
Victor Lindelof showed Solskjaer and United fans why he shouldn’t be cast aside too quickly in favour of the Raphael Varane with an extremely impressive performance today, capped with a superb assist.
SHOULD POG-STAY OR SHOULD POG-GO?
Paul Pogba today became the seventh player in Premier League history to assist four goals in a single game, after Dennis Bergkamp, José Antonio Reyes, Cesc Fàbregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Santi Cazorla and Harry Kane.
The mercurial midfield man has just one year left on his deal and has yet to commit his future to Old Trafford amid reported interest from PSG.
Credit: Reuters MAKING HISTORY
Since his competition debut in February 2020, Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 48 Premier League goals (29 goals, 19 assists), four more than any other player in this time.
He has also become the first Manchester United player to score a hat-trick on the opening day of a league season since Lou Macari vs Birmingham in 1977-78.
Portuguese magnifico.
Credit: Getty OLE GUNNAR WIN IT
Man United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke to the BT Sport pundits after full-time about his side’s performance and the depth they have added to their squad with the signings of Sancho and Varane.
This is the way I want to see my team play
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
DYNAMIC DUO
Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood spoke to Des Kelly on BT Sport in front of a particularly noisy section of Man Utd fans belting out Bruno’s song after full-time…
We will accomplish something with this mentality
Bruno Fernandes
ABSOLUTE SCENES
Old Trafford erupted at full-time in appreciation of the home side’s five-star performance, demolishing Leeds and making a big statement to their title rivals that they mean business.
POG-BACK
The French midfielder was all over the pitch for Man Utd today, but produced his best football coming in off the left and getting on the ball in attacking positions.
Solskjaer evidently prefers to play two more defensive minded midfielders in a double pivot, whilst playing Pogba higher up the pitch gives him the freedom to create, as he did today.
The number 6 was instrumental for Man Utd today and Solskjaer will surely be keen to tie his man down on a new long-term deal.
FT: MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
OLE BALL
5-1 win. Hat-trick for Bruno Fernandes. Four assists for Paul Pogba. A debut from Jadon Sancho. The unveiling of Raphael Varane. Not a bad day at the office for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Credit: Getty PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!
FULL-TIME.
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
93. PENALTY SHOUT!
Roberts goes tumbling over in the penalty area after a slight collision with Maguire. It’s one that could go either way, but the Man Utd captain gets the benefit of the doubt from Paul Tierney.
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
89. A difficult day for Leeds, who didn’t have a bad first half and looked like they were in for a good fight in the second half after an outrageous goal from Luke Ayling at the start of the second period.
Three goals in eight second half minutes for the Reds put the game to bed and the final goal from Fred put the icing on the cake.
Leeds haven’t really been able to carve out a chance in this second half, bar the Raphinha miss.
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
87. Hat-trick hero Bruno Fernandes is awarded BT Sport’s Man of the Match award after a sublime performance today.
Any doubters as to whether the attacker would continue his form from last season have been well and truly silenced.
Credit: PA
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
CHANCE!
85. Raphina is clean through on goal and his game is summed up as he fires wide from just inside the area as he’s one on one with De Gea.
He was played through wonderfully by Helder Costa and should have made it 5-2.
Credit: Reuters MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
83. The game has slowed a bit as Leeds look to ensure their losing margin is not increased.
The home side are building patiently, but give the ball away in the middle of the park.
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
81. Sancho has gone out wide left and Anthony Martial is playing through the middle. Greenwood is out on the right flank.
YELLOW CARD!
Shaw arrives late and goes through the back of Raphinha and earns himself a yellow card.
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
79. Leeds get a free-kick in a good attacking position after Luke Shaw fouls Helder Costa on the right flank.
It’s delivered by Raphina and it’s not a bad ball, but is dealt with well by Maguire.
The ball falls to Helder Costa on the half volley just outside the area but he sends it miles over the bar.
That sums up Leeds’ afternoon really.
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
76. The sting has been taken out of the game quite a bit since the fifth goal by the flurry of substitutions but there’s still just under a quarter of an hour for the subs to make an impact on the game.
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
75. LEEDS SUBSTITUTION:
OFF: Patrick Bamford.
ON: Tyler Roberts.
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
74. MAN UTD SUBSTITUTIONS:
OFF: Paul Pogba, Dan James.
ON: Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial.
The £73m signing makes his debut for Man Utd and gets a huge roar of encouragement from the home fans.
Credit: AFP MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
73. CHANCE!
Greenwood has a shot from just outside the box and it goes narrowly wide. Not a bad effort from the youngster.
Cue the substitutions…
MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
70. Jadon Sancho had just started warming up to a huge roar of appreciation from the Man Utd fans before the fifth goal.
It looks like Anthony Martial could also come on for his first Premier League appearance in five months.
Credit: Getty MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
69. LEEDS SUBSTITUTION:
OFF: Jack Harrison.
ON: Helder Costa.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
