The second day kick off of the Premier League on Saturday saw three of the big six clubs, Manchester United, UEFA League Champions, Chelsea and Liverpool starting on a high.
At the Old Trafford, Bruno Fernandes scored an opening-day hat-trick as Manchester United swept Leeds aside with a devastating second-half display.
The Portugal midfielder opened the scoring on the half-hour mark at a packed Old Trafford, but Luke Ayling’s thunderous strike drew Leeds level early in the second half.
Mason Greenwood restored the hosts’ lead with a crisp finish less than two minutes later, before Fernandes’ low shot was ruled to have crossed the line by referee Paul Tierney after a check of goalline technology.
The 26-year-old quickly completed his hat-trick with a thumping finish from Victor Lindelof’s pass, before Fred added United’s fourth goal in 14 minutes from Paul Pogba’s cross – the Frenchman’s fourth assist of the afternoon.
It was Fernandes’ first hat-trick since he moved to Old Trafford in January 2020 and only the second by a Red Devils player since Robin van Persie’s title-winning effort against Aston Villa in 2013.
At the Stanford Bridge, Chelsea underlined their Premier League title credentials with a thoroughly comfortable win over Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace.
The highlight in front of a noisy, near-full Stamford Bridge was when academy product Trevoh Chalobah smashed home their third from 25 yards on his Premier League debut.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel said before the game he was surprised his side – who are European champions and won the Uefa Super Cup on Wednesday – were considered among the favourites to win the title.
But they were excellent in their league opener as Vieira’s first game as a manager in England resulted in a limp performance.
Marcos Alonso whipped in Chelsea’s opener with a free-kick from about 22 yards.
Christian Pulisic then blasted in a second via the underside of the bar after Vicente Guaita spilled Mason Mount’s cross.
Interestingly, Chalobah, who joined Chelsea’s youth set-up 14 years ago, drove home from distance to seal the win.
For Liverpool, it was a sweet away from home blistering’victory at Norwich.
Mohamed Salah scored one and provided two assists as the Reds got their Premier League title bid off to a winning start with a comfortable victory at newly promoted Norwich City.
Salah got his side’s third to become the first player to score on the opening weekend in five consecutive Premier League campaigns and cap a fine display after earlier setting up Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino.
