The Malta Independent 23 April 2024, Tuesday
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Updated: Man United thrash Swansea in second straight 4-0 win; Arsenal lose at Stoke

Saturday, 19 August 2017, 17:38 Last update: about 8 years ago

Manchester United swept to its second straight 4-0 win to start the Premier League season by thrashing Swansea on Saturday, with Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial all scoring again for Jose Mourinho's side.

Center back Eric Bailly gave United the lead on the stroke of halftime with a close-range strike at a corner, and the visitors were comfortable in the second half before running amok in the final 10 minutes.

Lukaku slotted home in the 80th from a pass by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who then set up Pogba to deftly chip goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski in the 82nd.

Martial, on as a substitute, scored United's third goal in a devastating four-minute span when he finished a counter-attack with a low shot into the corner.

Lukaku, Pogba and Martial all scored in a 4-0 home win over West Ham last weekend.

Eight goals scored and two clean sheets makes for an encouraging start to the season for Mourinho, who has built an imposing and clinical team that looks equipped to challenge for the title.

"We are more confident, we know each other more," said Pogba, who is showing a greater attacking threat this season with Nemanja Matic patrolling United's midfield behind him.

Mkhitaryan has set up four goals in the opening two league games of the season — Pogba called him "the assist man" — and Lukaku already has four goals in his first three games, including one against Real Madrid in the UEFA Cuper Cup.

This wasn't the fast-paced United that demolished West Ham until the final 10 minutes, when Swansea's defense opened up. The Welsh team, which sold its star player Gylfi Sigurdsson to Everton this week, has beaten United twice in August in the last three years but rarely looked like scoring at Liberty Stadium.

The only time the hosts seriously threatened United was in the third minute when Jordan Ayew broke clear thanks to a fortunate ricochet and curled an attempted cross — with the outside of his right foot — against the crossbar.

United defender Phil Jones also struck the bar in the ninth minute with an effort that came off his shoulder from Juan Mata's inswinging free kick.

Jese scores debut goal as Stoke beats Arsenal 1-0 in EPL

Spanish forward Jese marked his debut for Stoke by scoring in a 1-0 win over Arsenal in the English Premier League on Saturday.

Three days after joining on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain, Jese was handed a start by Stoke manager Mark Hughes and showed why he was once regarded as one of Europe's top young players by scoring a well-taken goal.

The former Real Madrid player passed the ball forward to Saido Berahino on the left and sprinted to meet the return pass inside the area, shooting first-time into the far corner in the 47th minute.

Jese was given a warm ovation by Stoke's fans when he was substituted in the 71st and he already looks an inspired signing, impressing with his technique and searching runs.

Arsenal dominated possession but couldn't match the finishing the team had in its 4-3 win over Leicester in the opening round.

When the visitors did find the net, Alexandre Lacazette's 72nd-minute goal was ruled out for offside. Video replays suggested the France international was level with the last man when he ran onto a flick-on by substitute Olivier Giroud and smashed in a rising left-foot shot.

Goalkeeper Jack Butland saved from Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey in the first half as Stoke picked up its first points of the season, after opening with a 1-0 loss at Everton.

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