Leeds deny Salford a famous cup upset

United faded towards the end of last season, taking just eight points from 27 in their final nine games to miss out on a Champions League spot.

Solskjaer was convinced the drop off was down to a lack of fitness and an inability to sustain the high-pressing style of play he demands of his players.

But after a pre-season in which he put his squad through exhausting daily double sessions, Solskjaer’s brutal regime appears to have paid off.

Stats from Sunday’s 4-0 win over Chelsea show United covered 67.03 miles throughout the match, compared to Chelsea’s 66.25 miles.

The improved stamina levels were largely down to the work put in during pre-season, particularly on the tour of Australia and the Far East.

In Perth, the first stop on United’s tour, training in the morning was followed by a second evening session under the floodlights of the famous WACA stadium, LEEDS put on a show in front of Salford’s famous co-owners to snuff out their hopes of an upset in their first Carabao Cup tie.

Four of Salford’s Class of ’92 owners – Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville – were in the crowd at the Peninsula Stadium to watch Marcelo Bielsa’s slick side win 3-0.

Leeds settled the tie with a three-goal burst either side of halftime, as on-loan Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah opened the scoring on debut, and Gaetano Berardi and Mateusz Klich netted.

Salford fought hard and Berardi had to clear off the line to deny them a late goal.

Elsewhere, Jan Siewert’s Huddersfield misery shows no sign of easing after Harry Anderson gave League One pacesetters Lincoln a deserved 1-0 win.

Anderson’s 55th-minute low volley means Siewert has now won only one of 18 matches since taking over in January.

Aiden McGeady sent Sunderland into the second round with a solo effort in a 3-1 win over Accrington. Marc McNulty scored the Black Cats’ first before Colby Bishop equalised from the spot. Charlie Wyke sealed victory with a third in stoppage time.

Stoke got their season up and running with a 1-0 win over Wigan after losing their first two league games. Defender Nathan Collins, 18, headed the only goal.