Swansea City vs Manchester United. Premier League.
Swansea.com StadiumAttendance20,862.
Saturday 19 August 2017 19:51, UK
Manchester United underlined their early-season Premier League title credentials with a ruthless 4-0 victory at Swansea.
United looked to be labouring to a 1-0 victory after the first league goal of Eric Bailly's career on the stroke of half-time.
But three goals in four minutes from Romelu Lukaku (80), Paul Pogba (82) and Anthony Martial (84) saw Jose Mourinho's men maintain their 100 per cent start to the season with a second successive four-goal win.
Despite frustrating United with a resolute defensive display, Swansea offered little by way of a response as they tasted defeat at the Liberty Stadium for the first time since April 5.
It took just three minutes for the game's first openings as Jordan Ayew's cross deceived David de Gea at his near post, striking the crossbar, moments before Lukaku flashed a shot wide at the end of a blistering counter.
Phil Jones, from an offside position, then headed the ball against the crossbar as both sides hit the woodwork in a frantic opening nine minutes.
Marcus Rashford pounced on Alfie Mawson's loose header on 36 minutes, but his lofted shot went straight at Lucasz Fabianski.
Kyle Bartley headed a Roque Mesa cross wide shortly before Juan Mata came close to punishing Fabianski's fumble in the area, but scooped his effort wide.
United found the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time when Bailly reacted quickest to convert a rebound after Fabianski had expertly tipped Pogba's header onto the crossbar.
Tammy Abraham proved to be the greatest threat to United's lead but he failed to convert a header on 61 minutes before coming within inches of steering a corner on target 10 minutes later.
But United brushed the Swans aside as Henrikh Mkhitaryan set up Lukaku and Pogba in the space of two minutes, before substitute Anthony Martial rounded off the victory six minutes from time.
United looked for a set for a tense final 10 minutes at the Liberty Stadium, having failed to add to Bailly's opener. However, two exquisite assists in two minutes from Mkhitaryan allayed any lingering fears. The first, a disguised reverse pass, presented Lukaku with his first clear sight of goal from which he rifled home United's second, before the second, a deft through ball, was lofted beautifully over the Fabianski by Pogba.
Jose Mourinho: "It was a different performance [to West Ham] but I think the same kind of consistency, confidence, discipline, I think we had that again.
"It happened to me so much with my teams - you're winning 1-0 and you can can concede. There was no need to close the door. Just let the horses run freely.
"The players are not carried away, that's not a problem for us. We have to improve."
Paul Clement: "I didn't want the game to finish with a 1-0 loss so I made some changes and I thought we got in a real mess for the second goal, defenders coming across into the wrong positions and that was a gift.
"We had done so many good things defensively but we gifted them that goal and then we got punished."
United look to maintain their 100 per cent start to the campaign when Leicester travel to Old Trafford next Sunday. Swansea, meanwhile, travel to MK Dons on Tuesday for a second round League Cup tie and then head to Crystal Palace on Saturday, where they will look for their first Premier League win of the season.
