UNITED SINK SWANSEA FOR SECOND WIN
LONDON: Romelu Lukaku was on target again as Manchester United continued their fine early-season form with a second successive 4-0 win, this time at Swansea.
Eric Bailly, Paul Pogba and substitute Anthony Martial also found the net at the Liberty Stadium, giving Jose Mourinho’s side their second big win after last weekend’s 4-0 victory over West Ham.
Sadio Mane struck in the 73rd minute to give Liverpool a 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace and get Juergen Klopp’s side up and running after their 3-3 draw at Watford.
“The team was confident from the first minute,” said Mourinho after a result that means United have scored four goals in their first two league games for the first time in 110 years.
“I like to see the confidence that the players are having in this moment.
“There’s no panic. The team was always confident and always trying to move the ball. I’m really happy.”
Having had to work hard to break Swansea down, United went in front just before half-time when Bailly stabbed in his first goal for the club after Lukasz Fabianski had pushed Pogba’s header against the bar.
Attacking changes left Swansea vulnerable at the back in the latter stages and United took full advantage to score three goals in the space of just four minutes.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan teed up Lukaku for his fourth goal in three United games in the 80th minute and then freed Pogba to beat Fabianski with a delightful dinked finish before Martial tucked in a fourth.
At Anfield, Liverpool manager Klopp made five changes to the team that won 2-1 at Hoffenheim in their Champions League play-off round first leg in mid-week.
Beaten 3- 0 at home by Huddersfield on the opening week- end, Palace produced a much more solid display but were undone with 17 minutes to play when Mane seized upon a loose ball to fire home.
Narrowly beaten 4-3 by Arsenal in the season’s opening match, 2016 champions Leicester hit back to beat Brighton 2-0 at the King Power Stadium.
Shinji Okazaki broke the deadlock after just 52 seconds, tapping in after Mathew Ryan saved from Riyad Mahrez, and Mahrez’s corner set up Harry Maguire to head
in Leicester’s second early in the second half.
Charlie Austin scored a 93rd-minute penalty to earn Southampton a last-gasp 3-2 home win over West Ham.
Goals from Manolo Gabbidini and Dusan Tadic, the latter a penalty, put Saints 2-0 up and West Ham new boy Marko Arnautovic was sent off in between for an elbow on Jack Stephens.
Javier Hernandez’s first two West Ham goals drew the 10 men level, only for Austin to secure victory from the spot after Maya Yoshida was fouled by Pablo Zabaleta.
Hal Robson-Kanu was hero and villain as West Bromwich Albion won 1-0 at Burnley.
The Wales striker came off the bench to score a 71st-minute winner but was then sent off for leading with his arm in a challenge on Matthew Lowton.
Brazilian youngster Richarlison scored his first goal in English football and Etienne Capoue was also on target as Watford claimed a deserved 2-0 win at Bournemouth. — AFP