RETURN IS ‘PERFECT’ FOR OLE
Trafford for the second successive season. Mason Greenwood and Fred also got on the scoresheet against a shell-shocked Leeds.
Lou Macari was the last United player to hit a treble on the opening day back in 1977 and Fernandes said: “My objective every season is being better than the last one.
“Every performance I do, I want to do better and better. I’ve started with three goals but there is still a long way to go.
“We know the quality of the players who have come in, but the team was already very good. We showed it last season. We didn’t win trophies, but the team was growing up.
“Our focus has to be game by game. We’ll achieve something with this mentality.”
Raphael Varane was introduced to the fans before the game after sealing his £41million arrival from Real
Madrid.
And £81m new-boy Jadon Sancho made his debut after coming on as a substitute for the final 15 minutes.
United thumped rivals Leeds 6-2 last season and following the five-star showing, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “It’s been a perfect day.
“Driving in with fans, feeling the energy, was absolutely brilliant. It’s been a very, very good day.
“There are eight or nine players who weren’t here today and we’ve got a bench with quality.
“We’ve done well in the summer window, with Raphael coming in today to give the crowd a boost.
“This is one great start, it’s the way I want to see my team play – running and going forward. And we looked very fit.”
Leeds skipper Luke Ayling insisted his team-mates won’t panic after a dismal start to the season – and a defeat by a four-goal margin at Old Trafford two seasons in a row.
“We were beaten by four last year so it’s nothing new to us,” he said.
“We were trying to get back into it and then we scored a goal but we were 3-1 down before we could even get our breath back.
“It all happened a bit quickly. A really poor five minutes cost us the game.
“We will go back and see what happened and try and make it right for the next game. There are a few lads who have come back late from internationals this time.
We’ll go again.”
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