London (AFP)

Beaten six times last season at Old Trafford, Manchester United marked their territory by strangling Leeds (5-1) on Saturday on the first day of the English championship, with a hat-trick from Bruno Fernandes.

Apart from two weak times, between the 15th and the 30th minute, then in the first five minutes of the second half, the players of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, supported by 75,000 spectators, controlled the whole match.

A bit like during their large victory in December 2020 against the men of Marcelo Bielsa (6-2).

Portuguese Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes celebrates his goal with French teammate Paul Pogba on Premier League Matchday 1 on August 14, 2021 at Old Trafford Adrian DENNIS AFP

The French Paul Pogba, author of four assists, and therefore the Portuguese Bruno Fernandes were the main offensive detonators.

Manchester United French midfielder Paul Pogba in the Premier League match against Leeds on August 14, 2021 at Old Trafford Adrian DENNIS AFP

Never has a Manchester United player made four assists in a Premier League meeting.

Pogba did it and thus exceeds his meager record of last season (3 "assists" in 26 matches).

Manchester United's performance is all the more encouraging as striker Jadon Sancho, recruited this summer, did not enter until the end of the match, after the offensive festival, pending central defender Raphaël Varane, world champion with les Bleus, which was presented to the public at halftime.

French defender Raphaêl Varane, new Manchester United recruit, is introduced to supporters before the start of the match against Leeds counting for the first day of the Premier League, on August 14, 2021 at Old Trafford Adrian DENNIS AFP

The Mancuniens knew how to put the intensity which they lacked so often in recent seasons and opened the scoring by Fernandes (30th) when Leeds began to raise their heads.

The surprise equalizer of Luke Ayling, with a pure and dry strike from 20 meters (48th), quickly made the Red Devils react: two goals in six minutes (Mason Greenwood, 52nd, Fernandes, 54th), then the Portuguese widened the gap (60th), imitated by Fred (68th).

This first day continues on Saturday with in particular the first match of Patrick Vieira on the bench of Crystal Palace on the ground of the European champion, Chelsea (4 p.m.), which will be followed by the trip of Liverpool to the promoted Norwich (6.30 p.m.).

© 2021 AFP