United snap Watford’s streak

Two goals in a devastating three-minute burst from Manchester United set up a 2-1 win over Watford at Vicarage Road, ending the home side’s perfect start to the season.

United, who had Nemanja Matic sent off for a second bookable offence in injury time, had an early effort from Alexis Sanchez disallowed for offside but soon took command via a scrappy 35th-minute effort from Romelu Lukaku and a superb left-foot volley from Chris Smalling three minutes later.

Smalling took Marouane Fellaini’s knockdown on his chest, swivelled and fired a superb leftfoot volley past a bemused Ben Foster, who then saved well from Paul Pogba as United threatened to overrun the home side.

A fierce shot from Andre Gray on 65 minutes, following Abdoulaye Doucoure’s cut-back, ignited the second half but United held on with David de Gea saving impressively from Chris- tian Kabasele’s header in the final seconds.

United now have nine points from five matches, Watford have 12 from as many games.

WOLVES, WEST HAM WIN

On Sunday, Wolverhampton Wanderers inflicted a fourth successive defeat on Burnley with a 1-0 victory at Molineux, leaving the visitors second bottom of the Premier League after their worst start to a top-flight season in 89 years. In another match, West Ham defeated Everton 3-1.