Manchester United 4 West Ham 0: Romelu Lukaku scores two as Jose Mourinho's team start the season in style

Romelu Lukaku scored Man Utd's opening goal
Romelu Lukaku scored Man Utd's opening goal Credit: REUTERS

For so long last season Manchester United supporters sang that “Jose’s got us playing the way United should” when, frankly, that was not the case. But it was here. This was football with power and pace and purpose – and also a ‘pow’ as Romelu Lukaku, their new centre-forward, scored twice on his debut to knockout West Ham United.

This was also the biggest win of the opening weekend in the Premier League and, perhaps more importantly, the biggest at the club under Jose Mourinho and the biggest by United in just under three years. Going even further back it felt like the Fergie times at Old Trafford with, on the hour, that 1960s Herman’s Hermit hit, with its adapted lyrics, again being belted out with some justification at last. Mourinho had said he felt he was “on fire” and his team were smoking.

There is a long way to go. United began this time last year with a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired swagger and while they delivered two cups the football was functional, at times, and little more. Against a re-armed West Ham they were far more swashbuckling with Lukaku grabbing the headlines and his former Chelsea team-mate Nemanja Matic providing the control and energy to unleash United’s formidable attacking talents along with Paul Pogba. On this evidence they are indeed genuine contenders.

So they have put down their marker. With fixtures, now, against Swansea City, Leicester City, Stoke City and Everton they also have the chance to gain some precious momentum and, as we all know, Mourinho usually wins the league in his second season at a club. So there is belief and there is renewed confidence also while, for Chelsea fans, the sight of Lukaku in this rampaging form and Matic so formidable behind him, was the stuff of nightmares especially after their opening-day disaster.

Chelsea did not secure the return of Lukaku and United did, for £75 million plus various huge add-ons, and this was precisely the kind of fixture in which they laboured last season – sometimes winning narrowly, more often drawing. Here, instead, their firepower was awesome with two late goals from Pogba and Anthony Martial giving an emphatic gloss.

The sight of Pogba and Matic monstering the likes of Mark Noble was also the stuff of nightmares for West Ham, who gave debuts to four players – goalkeeper Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez – but need the presence of William Carvalho, the powerful Portuguese international who they are chasing, in their own midfield. They, in truth, have a problem with Noble, their captain, who was withdrawn here and appears to be a player in rapid decline.

They will not be fully judged on this display but it is as poor a start to the season as United’s was impressive. With Lukaku they have more mobility and movement and suddenly a greater threat which will also help Marcus Rashford. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, pulling the strings, looks more at home in his second campaign, and Mata was all clever movement and creativity.

Furthermore, Mourinho has daunting resources. His bench included Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard and Martial while another important signing, Victor Lindelof, was not even named among the substitutes after – admittedly – struggling in the midweek Super Cup defeat in the humidity of Macedonia against Real Madrid.

United’s first goal summed up what Mourinho wants and what United lacked last season, in fact. It came as Matic snapped into a challenge, closing down Pedro Obiang as he dawdled in possession and then Rashford charged forward to slip the ball through to Lukaku who struck it first-time on the run, with it cannoning off the post and into the net. Bang. Lukaku has now scored on his league debut for three different clubs – West Bromwich Albion, Everton and United. Already Hart had blocked from Mata and Angelo Ogbonna had desperately scooped clear as Lukaku waited for a tap-in before, for West Ham, there came the key moment as Arnautovic turned the ball back across goal only for David de Gea to beat out Edimilson Fernandes’ powerful first-time shot.

Javier Hernandez playing for West Ham at Old Trafford
Javier Hernandez had an unhappy return to Old Trafford Credit: GETTY IMAGES

That was just on half-time. After it there was the United charge. It was led by Pogba, now dominant in midfield, with Rashford using his pace to draw a free-kick from a panicky Zabaleta. Mkhitaryan took it, picked out Lukaku and he simply steered his header past a rooted Hart. Replays showed some bizarre behaviour from the West Ham left-back Arthur Masuaku who was grinning, laughing, bending to tie his laces. Everything, in fact, except doing what he is paid to do: defend. He was the man closest to Lukaku and should be torn off a strip by manager Slaven Bilic for his behaviour. It felt like game over and it was. A header from Arnautovic beat De Gea and clipped the top of the crossbar before, at the other end, Rashford rattled the goal-frame himself as he cut back inside and fired a fierce cross-shot that beat Hart and thudded back off the post.

But more goals did come. Martial ran on to one final smart pass from Mkhitaryan, before he was substituted, to spring past the West Ham defence and side-foot beyond Hart. Then Pogba strode forward, angled his body and curled a 25-yard shot around Hart’s grasp and into the net. The score-line was emphatic. Just like the performance. It was music to the fans’ ears.

                                                                                                    

Time on ball (at full time)

Average touch positions (full time)

FULL TIME

That was an absolutely masterful performance from United. They kept possession, played some beautiful passing moves, counter-attacked with pace and determination, had steel through the middle and creativity where it mattered. They might be the real deal.

90 mins +3

Hernandez goes on a run through the middle - he hasn't given up - and engineers room for a shot from distance. He bends it high and wide but it's a decent effort. 

GOOOOOOAAAAAAL!

A goal from Paul Pogba for Man Utd makes the score 4-0. He has Lukaku ahead of him but opts to bend one around the goalkeeper and does so with style. Martial gets an assist!

GOOOOOAAAAAAAL!

Wonderful stuff from Martial. His first touch to control the pass is fantastic and gives him the chance to move in on goal. He keeps his composure and finishes low past Joe Hart. 

87 mins

Great ball by Lukaku again. Pogba holds the ball on the edge of the box, gives it and goes, running in behind the defence. Lukaku spots it and tries the chip over the top, Pogba is closed down. It's clever play by United. Pogba has had a great game too - much improved on his performance against Real Madrid in the Super Cup.

Lukaku then tries to weave his way through a sea of defenders' legs and can't quite do it, the ball is played back and United are in!

85 mins

Cresswell wins a throw with a cross from the left but United defend really well and Bailly looks after things at the back, winning a goal kick. 

Look how focused on the right side of attack United have been all game. That's probably got something to do with Bilic taking off Masuaku. 

84 mins

Aaron Cresswell is on for Masuaku at left-back. Mourinho and Bilic are joking about something on the touchline. Martial gets his first touch, cuts inside onto his right foot and hits a delicate chip into the area. Lukaku misses the ball with his attempt to control it but was offside anyway.

Martial is having a real go at Zabaleta. Poor Zabaleta. He must be exhausted having to deal with Rashford and now he's got a rested Martial running at him?

81 mins

Arnautovic is getting frustrated. He fouls Jones after missing a scoring chance and has the body language of an annoyed person.

Rashford comes off for Martial - he's been absolutely superb today. 

78 mins

Hernandez is completely wasted on the wing. Bilic obviously wants him to be involved but he's just not great at going past people or spotting the through-balls and early crosses that unlock a defence. He needs to be in the box. 

Time on ball (59 - 74 min)

76 mins

[Fellaini klaxon] Here he comes. Lukaku turns and shoots from 25 yards but blasts wildly over the bar. 

Mata comes off for Fellaini, who will likely drop into midfield to help with West Ham chipping those high balls into the box from deep.

75 mins

Hernandez has been shunted out onto the left wing since Sakho came on, which isn't really his ideal position. West Ham are chipping the ball from defence to the box and aren't winning the headers there. 

Zabaleta is furious that he keeps being left one-on-one with Rashford, who is giving him a tough time. He's on a yellow card too, remember.

72 mins

Thierry Henry has noticed that Masuaku was laughing with Lukaku shortly before he scored United's second from a free-kick, with Masuaku completely losing his man. 

United look so good today. Valencia is played in on teh right, plays a cross to the far side of the box and Blind is there, takes it on the volley and hits the ball into the ground. It bounces onto the roof of the net.

69 mins

Credit: AFP

 I suspect we might see this celebration rather a lot this season. Lukaku's first touch lets him down for the first time today and West Ham win the ball back in their own half.

66 mins

Mkhitaryan turns on the style and scares Reid by running at goal and turning him inside out. His shot at the end of the move is tame and Hart saves easily. Lukaku has moved away from his central striker spot for some reason, leaving the space vacant for Mkhitaryan to run into. 

Matic completely bins a midfielder with a smart turn, feeds it to Lukaku, who plays it wide to Rashford. He gets forward and absolutely powers a shot at goal from distance which flies back off the far post and bounces behind the goal,next to the other post. 

One-way traffic at Old Trafford

It's been all Man Utd, with the hosts racking up 15 shots so far - West Ham have managed just six in reply.

63 mins

United burn forward, Rashford on the left, Mkhitaryan tucks into the middle and plays it wide for Lukaku, who takes a touch before shooting, which gives the defender time to slide in and block the chance of a hat-trick.

 

62 mins

Valencia is booked for a foul on Arnautovic but knows he's in trouble as soon as he stands on his foot and sends the Austrian tumbling. There was no malice in the challenge but it was mistimed.

Fernandes comes off for Diafra Sakho, Noble is off for 18 year old Declan Rice. 

Sakho is involved straight away and attacks a corner but Man Utd survive. And the break is on!

Time on ball (44 - 59 min)

59 mins

Mkhitaryan has the ball in the back of the net but Rashford was offside in the build-up. There were about 80 passes in the play before that - if it had counted that would have been some goal.

West Ham get forward, Masuaku drifts a cross into the box from deep and Arnautovic heads at goal. De Gea touches it onto the cross bar but there's no corner.

 

57 mins

United are now just passing the ball around the defence, they're completely comfortable. Lukaku drops into midfield to link the play.

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAL!

It's Mkhitaryan who takes the kick and Lukaku gets away from his man. He leaps and heads into the far post - neither defender nor goalkeeper really has a chance against him. 

53 mins

United are looking for these counter-attacks all the time. Rashford flies down the left as De Gea finds him with a long throw and Zabaleta takes one for the team, blocking his route to goal and earning a yellow card. 

Blind comes across to take this one.

51 mins

Great ball by Lukaku! He spots Rashford's run on the left and plays a perfectly weighted ball ahead of him. Rashford bursts towards goal, puts it on his right foot but slices wide of the target. That was a little bit too easy for United to get in behind there - it came from a throw.

 

48 mins

West Ham start on the attack, win a corner and United deal with it, trying to catch them on the counter-attack. 

KICK-OFF 2

Mourinho and Bilic obviously get on pretty well and are having a long conversation on the touchline. The fourth official jokes that he needs to break them up. And we're back!

United's counter-attack a nod to the United Way

United dominating the pitch

 

Lukaku's near-post finish

Credit: REUTERS

 

HALF TIME

This is a proper performance from Man Utd. They've been too good for West Ham in that first half but mustn't think the job is done for the second. West Ham look really well organised.

Average touch positions (half time)

Time on ball (first half)

45 mins +1

So close for West Ham! In the last action of the half, Ayew tucks it inside to Noble, who flicks it behind and the shot is hit straight at De Gea. That could have changed things!

44 mins

Zabaleta and Rashford have a battle to keep the ball in play, Rashford wins. Football's fun when it's about strength and balance, rather than being the most aggressive of the two. Hard but fair is what too many forget is supposed to be the point of the game.

I shall take my monocle and top hat off now to tell you that West Ham keep kicking Hernandez from behind when he gets the ball. He's definitely being targeted. 

Bailly is booked for the latest one.

41 mins

Wow. Matic has been outstanding so far and right this minute has dribbled past three players on the right wing with incredible close control and stop-and-go movement. Why did Chelsea sell him again?

West Ham are trying to get back into this and are playing higher up the pitch now, United clearing their lines and pinging it long towards the pacy wingers.

38 mins

Noble has a hit from distance as Arnautovic holds off his marker and heads the ball to him on the edge of the box. It's one of those that would be illegal not to hit - if it goes in, suddenly you're on the same highlights reel as Tony Yeboah. 

And when I say reel, I think nowadays I mean YouTube video with terrible dance music background. And a 35 second intro of closeup footage with a filter on it, and still photographs with a Ken Burns on them.

West Ham looking unadventurous so far

West Ham are yet to pose a significant threat in the final third.

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAL!

That is absolutely brilliant. A classic Man Utd counter-attack as the ball is turned over at the half way line and forwards stream up the pitch at high speed. Rashford drives towards goal, Matic overlaps to stretch the defence and Mkhitaryan is on the right waiting for the obvious pass. Instead of making that, Rashford tucks it inside for Lukaku, who times his run perfectly and finishes with power at the near post. 

33 mins

Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Pogba fouls Masuaku but they don't make much - or any - use of the free-kick. United break, Lukaku bursts away down the left and plays the ball inside to Rashford, who tries to jink past the last man with a bit of skill but ends up handing possession back. Matic breaks up play by kicking Hernandez. 

Time on ball (15 - 30 min)

30 mins

So close for Juan Mata. He's been making these lovely runs from deep and Pogba's range of passing and vision is great to watch. Mata is too unselfish and passes across the box for Lukaku but Ogbonna reads it and clears the ball from danger.

Pogba wants a penalty again as he feels he's being forced to the floor from a corner. Hart flies in the air to palm away the cross. Replays show Pogba goes to ground way too easily.

27 mins

This is an attacking shape from United. 

26 mins

Blind intercepts in the final third (that's how attacking United are being right now) and United pass it around. Mkhitaryan plays a reverse pass inside to Rashford, who pulls off a couple of fake cross-drag roll bits of skill on the wing and loses the chance to get the ball into the middle. Pogba goes down from a corner and wants a penalty, which will never ever happen.

Man Utd are dominating the ball so far

Man Utd are letting the ball do the work - they've had 227 touches compared to just 137 for West Ham.

West Ham respond

A first attempt at goal for West Ham, in reply to five from Man Utd so far.

23 mins

United are counter-attacking well, although Mkhitaryan keeps giving the ball away. Rashford puts a cross into the box which Reid tries to clear but ends up pinging into the sky. Hart wants to clear it but the ball has already gone behind for another corner. Here comes Daley Blind.

 

20 mins

Credit: REUTERS

ACTION! The ball is chipped over the top for Mata, forcing him left in the box. Hart comes out, Mata controls and passes along the ground to Lukaku, who falls and tries to dig a shot out of somewhere but West Ham get the ball clear.

Mourinho is wearing a shirt with no tie today, going for the 'meeting your daughter's new boyfriend in an expensive hotel' look. Last season it was a shaved head and 'I will be devious to you' look. New season, new style. What fun.

18 mins

Pogba gets lucky and goes past Obiang before bringing Mata into play. Obiang gets stuck in and wins two follow up challenges, Blind goes in aggressively on Ayew but both players are OK. Some tough tackles going in here...

The referee lets everything go. 

Time on ball (0 - 15 min)

It's been a shot-shy start to Man Utd v West Ham

Not much to do for either keeper at Old Trafford - Man Utd and West Ham keeping each other at bay.

16 mins

Mata nutmegs Masuaka on the right but Rashford goes down far too easily on the edge of the box. United are attacking in numbers and at speed here - West Ham need to concentrate. Corner.

The corner is headed to Blind, who passes inside to Mkhitaryan, who shoots... deflected. United win another corner. 

This time Blind volleys a looping headed clearance on the edge of the box but doesn't connect with enough power and the ball doesn't even go out for a goal kick.

13 mins

Pogba drifts out to the right and skins a West Ham player before hitting an early cross into the box for someone to attack. West Ham defend it, it comes out to Mkhitaryan... who blasts over the bar. 

Man Utd have West Ham pinned back here. Valencia is in a winger's position and drives a low cross into the area but it evades every United attacker. West Ham hold their shape. 

10 mins

Lukaku has a chance to burst away from his man down the left and wins a corner with some excellent wing play. Reid clears up. 

Blind comes across to take the corner and whips it to the near post, getting it back again shortly after. His second cross hits Matic and goes out for a goal kick.

West Ham look well organised here, they've not come to defend all game.

Credit: GETTY IMAGES

 

7 mins

Credit: REUTERS

Aberdeen legend Sir Alex Ferguson is in the stands today alongside Ian McShane, who I had to Google but can confirm that I do know who he is. He's the dad in Hot Rod. Amongst other things, obviously.

5 mins

Mkhitaryan gets the crowd excited as he runs down the left wing but his attempt to cut inside is well watched by the defence. Bilic is on his feet and making sure his players are spaced out properly, just like he mentioned would be important in the pre-match interview.

Zabaleta plays it safe and heads a long ball out for a throw rather than risk letting it run in behind.

3 mins

Joe Hart's first touch puts Ogbonna in a spot of bother as he sells him short with a poor pass to the left of his own box. Jones puts in a tough challenge on Hernandez in the middle of the pitch, giving him a knee to the thigh.

KICK-OFF

We're underway at Old Trafford.

The new Sky Sports graphics

 

Here come the players

Fred the Red high fives Phil Jones.

Ominous reading for West Ham fans

 

Souness loves Zabaleta

"I'll tell you who the best signing is for his personality... Zabaleta." 

Both Pardew and Souness also think Joe Hart will be a great signing for West Ham (even though Adrian is ace). Personally, I am convinced that Javier Hernandez will score a million goals this season.

The managers say...

Jose Mourinho on Man Utd being "on fire":

"It was a joke. I was just having a laugh with the journalist at the training ground but I'm happy to start. We like the Premier League, we like the opening match so let's enjoy. As a spectator, as a fan, I have enjoyed the Friday match and also some Saturday matches and hopefully we can give entertaining times for people who like football in this country.

"We have enough to go to this match and say we want to win this. "

Slaven Bilic:

"We have to be good without the ball, be compact, solid, not let them have the ball behind us or in the pockets. It's very important not to have the distance between your players be too far because of the pockets. Try to be little and stretch them when we have the ball. We have the players on the pitch capable of doing it."

That time Man Utd met lots of famous people in pre-season

Apparently the chaps from Game of Thrones are at the game today [Alan Partridge shrug].

 

Something's not right here

Not Joe Hart Credit: PA

 

How will Man Utd lineup?

It's not clear how Man Utd are going to lineup today. Matic will certainly be the holding midfielder, Blind the left-back, Mkhitaryan and Rashford the wingers... but maybe Rashford will be a central striker next to Lukaku. Nobody knows!

I attempted to explain some ways that Mourinho could get Rashford and Lukaku upfront together in this little video:

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Mourinho in frisky mood...

"I look forward to the season with optimism, with enthusiasm. I want to play. I want to play West Ham, a difficult match. Then I want to go to Swansea, a difficult match. Then I want the Champions League to start. I want, I want! I'm on fire... but I will behave on the touchline!"

TEAM NEWS

Man Utd:De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Bailly, Blind, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Rashford, Lukaku.
Subs: Martial, Smalling, Lingard, Romero, Ander Herrera, Fellaini, Darmian. 

West Ham: Hart, Zabaleta, Reid, Ogbonna, Masuaku, Noble, Obiang, Fernandes, Ayew, Arnautovic, Hernandez.
Subs: Cresswell, Fonte, Adrian, Sakho, Collins, Byram, Rice. 

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

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