Lukaku strikes twice as United crush West Ham

Romelu Lukaku struck twice on his Premier League debut for Manchester United as Jose Mourinho’s side made an emphatic start to their campaign with a 4-0 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Belgian striker, who was signed from Everton in a 75-m-pound ($97.58m) move last month, began repaying that investment with two fine finishes but it was not only his imposing presence in attack that give United a very different feel from last season.

How many years have we waited for signs of an exciting, creative, attacking & clinical team at OT?! @ManUtd

— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) August 13, 2017

Another close-season recruit, Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic, brought from Chelsea, made an excellent debut in the defensive midfield role, breaking up any threats from West Ham and then prompting United’s attacks with intelligence. With Marcus Rashford’s pace and directness down the left flank and Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s trickery on the right, United showed a variety and inventiveness that too often was missing last season when they drew 10 home games.

After a rough week it's good to see victory for @ManUtd— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) August 13, 2017

One of those home draws came against the Hammers, the fourth in a row at Old Trafford, and a frustrated Mourinho was sent to the stands. While the United manager has too much experience and sense to get carried away with an opening-day win, he acknowledged his side had delivered a quality performance.Lukaku opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, blasting in off the post after latching on to a clever through ball from Rashford, who had run with the ball from deep in his own half. West Ham, whose forward forages were rare, came close to levelling on the stroke of half-time when David de Gea was forced into a fine save by a well-struck effort from Edimilson Fernandes.

A dominant midfield display on his @PremierLeague debut for #MUFC - Nemanja Matic is today's Man of the Match! ? pic.twitter.com/FadY1riur5

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 13, 2017

But Lukaku made it 2-0 seven minutes after the break, rising to meet a Mkhitaryan free kick with a superbly angled header into the far bottom corner. Substitute Anthony Martial made it 3-0 in the 87th minute with a side-foot finish after being played in, again by Mkhitaryan.

Man of the Match, Nemanja Matic PL debut for @ManUtd89 touches, most in match 69 passes, 86% accuracy 9 x possession gained pic.twitter.com/kSK3noBc0c— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) August 13, 2017

Moments later Paul Pogba fired in the fourth after he was slipped in by Martial to complete the rout to the delight of the home support.RESULTMan Utd 4 (Lukaku 33, 52, Martial 87, Pogba 90) 0 West Ham