Robin van Persie provided an exhibition
of superb finishing with two goals and Danny Welbeck also netted a brace
in an emphatic away win, while Wilfried Bony scored for Swansea.
The crucial spell came towards the end of
the first half as Van Persie fired home an acrobatic opener in the 34th
minute and Welbeck added a second two minutes later to put United in
control at the interval.
Van Persie made it 3-0 with a spectacular
strike from distance in the 72nd minute, before Swansea's club-record
signing Bony pulled one goal back eight minutes from time.
P.T
United were not finished, though, and
Wayne Rooney played his part after coming on as a substitute by playing
in Welbeck for an exquisite chipped finish.
The confidence of winning five
championships in the past seven seasons was in evidence throughout the
first half as United soaked up pressure, then struck with deadly
efficiency.
Swansea had already escaped from a couple
of defensive lapses, as Ryan Giggs elected to try and find Welbeck when
it seemed more obvious to go for goal himself, before Michel Vorm
turned over Phil Jones' volley.
Even Van Persie had failed to take a
decent opportunity. But when the Dutchman evaded the attentions of the
home defence and was allowed to drift into space behind the
centre-halves because Angel Rangel was playing him onside, there was
only ever likely to be one outcome.
And Van Persie showed the class that made
him a back-to-back Golden Boot winner, hooking a shot into the corner
to make him the first United player to score a league goal for someone
other than Ferguson since Peter Davenport.
Welbeck found the net just once in
domestic combat last term, but within a minute of Van Persie's effort,
he had matched that figure.
Again Swansea were architects of their
own downfall as Ben Davies got sucked into a central position attempting
to clear a Patrice Evra cross. That allowed Antonio Valencia to return
the ball to the edge of the six-yard area, where Welbeck turned it home.
It was no surprise Swans manager Michael
Laudrup sent a call out for £12million record signing Bony at the break
though, the striker having missed out on a starting berth due to midweek
international duties in the United States.
Rooney was introduced for Giggs shortly
afterwards, a move well received by the visiting contingent, who
bellowed the striker's name in their usual manner, with no hint of
annoyance.
And Rooney claimed an assist for Van Persie's second, finding his strike partner with a short pass.
Williams paid the price for standing off
on the edge of his own box and after Van Persie stepped round Chico
Flores he applied a brutal finish from 20 yards that flew into the top
corner.
Bony netted a consolation for Swansea
after good work by Pablo Hernandez but the contest itself was already
over, and Welbeck eclipsed last season's meagre tally in stoppage time
with a wonderful chipped
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