Manchester United have made an emphatic start to the 2019-20 Premier League season by thrashing fellow top-four hopefuls Chelsea 4-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Marcus Rashford gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot in the first half, but the match was in the balance until a 16-minute blitz which saw Frank Lampard’s side blown away in his first match in charge of the club.
Two goals in the space of 95 seconds – from Anthony Martial and then a second for Rashford – essentially put the game to bed before Daniel James added the cherry on top with a debut strike off the bench.
Despite a sluggish start it was United who took the lead, though, with Zouma again the guilty party from Chelsea’s point of view as he brought Rashford down inside the area with an ill-judged sliding tackle.
Rashford got up to take the penalty himself after a brief check with VAR and put his spot kick beyond the dive of Kepa Arrizabalaga for United’s first goal of the season.
David De Gea was beaten moments later when Wan-Bissaka could only clear a cross as far as Emerson Palmieri, but once again the woodwork came to United’s rescue as the full-back’s powerful strike clattered against the angle of post and crossbar.
United have never lost a Premier League game at Old Trafford when leading at half time, though, and they kept that remarkable record going with a quickfire double which took the game away from Chelsea.
The first came on the counter-attack as Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira were all involved, with the latter providing the killer ball which Martial bundled home from close range.
Pogba split a disorganised Chelsea defence with a sublime pass over the top for Rashford, who only had the keeper to beat and made no mistake with his finish.
With the result wrapped up United could focus on keeping a clean sheet – something they managed just twice at home in the league in 2018-19 – and Emerson was the biggest threat to that for Chelsea as he forced De Gea into another save.
The hosts got their fourth goal with nine minutes remaining to add insult to injury as again Chelsea were unable to cope with their pace on the counter-attack, with Pogba leading the charge once more.
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