- Bailly scores first-ever United goal
- Late goals from Lukaku, Pogba, Martial seal win
- Swansea yet to score this season
- Eight goals, zero conceded for United
Emphatic. Dominant. Ruthless. What a start to the season for Manchester United.
The Red Devils beat Swansea City 4-0 at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday with Jose Mourinho’s men top of the table as they’ve now won two games from two, both 4-0, to start the 2017-18 campaign.
Eric Bailly gave United the lead right on half time after taping home from close range and to Swansea’s credit they hung in there for most of the game without really creating clear-cut chances.
Three goals in four minutes late in the game sealed the deal for United with Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial all on the scoresheet.
United sit top of the PL and have a goal difference of plus-eight. Swansea have one point from their opening two matches and are yet to score with a Gylfi Sigurdsson-sized hole in their attack.
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Both teams hit the crossbar early in the game after a frantic start to proceedings. First Swansea broke down the left and Jordan Ayew’s cross with the outside of his foot almost caught out David de Gea at his near post as the ball flicked off the crossbar and just missed the onrushing Tammy Abraham.
Moments later Lukaku broke free but hammered a shot wide and soon United went even closer to taking the lead with Juan Mata’s free kick shouldered onto the bar by Phil Jones.
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Pogba was first booked for scything down Tom Carroll and moments later he clattered into Martin Olsson with referee John Moss calling over the Frenchman for a talking to instead of handing him a second yellow card.
Marcus Rashford then latched onto a mistimed header from Alfie Mawson but after racing free he dinked his effort straight at Lukasz Fabianski. Before the break Fabianski spilled a cross but Juan Mata’s effort bobbled harmlessly wide as United did most of the pressing and eventually it paid off.
Daley Blind’s corner from the left found Pogba unmarked and his thunderous header cannoned off the underside of the crossbar but Bailly was on hand to prod home his first goal for Manchester United. 1-0 to the Red Devils right on half time.
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United continued to dominate the early stages of the second half but Abraham did have a header fly just over from Olsson’s cross. At the other end Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s shot was deflected wide.
Late in the game Swansea tried to put to United under pressure in pursuit of an equalizer with a change in formation and Federico Fernandez had a header deflected over from a corner.
78 - There were just 78 seconds between Romelu Lukaku & Paul Pogba's goals for @ManUtd in this match. Quickfire. pic.twitter.com/atWO3XfF4X
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 19, 2017
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Then a three-goal blitz in four minutes saw United run out convincing winners with Henrikh Mkhitaryan teeing up both Lukaku and Pogba to finish calmly before Martial jumped off the bench to curl home a fourth.
United could not have got off to a better start this season.