This archive report was first published on 12 August 2019.
Manchester United's 4-0 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday, August 11, 2019, was a testament to the progress Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's rebuilding job at the club.
The Norwegian manager was wise to note that despite the emphatic scoreline, his team's rebuilding job remains a 'work in progress.'
However, there were several key indicators that Solskjaer is on the right track, including the strong debuts of new acquisitions Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and the improved tempo of the team's play.
The back four looked a much more formidable unit than last season, and the way United ran away with the game in the second half suggested their fitness levels are at a much healthier level than a year ago.
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford will need more time to adjust to their more central roles in attack, but both were on target, with Martial scoring a poachers' goal from close-range centrally.
United's average age was the lowest of any side in the opening weekend, and it was noticeable that the chosen central defender on the bench was 21-year-old Axel Tuanzebe, who spent last season on loan at Aston Villa.
While United are unlikely to worry City or Liverpool this term, they are certainly faster, stronger, younger, and hungrier.
Meanwhile, Liverpool and Manchester City set the tone for the Premier League season with convincing wins, with City responding to Liverpool's 4-1 win over Norwich with a 5-0 victory at West Ham United.
Established wisdom suggests that for mid-to-lower ranked teams, it is better to play the front-runners early in the season, but these two remarkable teams have blown away this orthodoxy.
