Premier League round up

Lucas Moura scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur romped to a 3-0 Premier League win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday as Jose Mourinho’s team’s defensive frailties were brutally exposed once again.

It was an impressive, clinical performance from Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham, with all three goals coming after the break, and it left United and Mourinho facing very searching questions.

United have lost two of their opening three games of the season and conceded six goals in the last two games.

There was an odd scene at the close of the game as Mourinho spent almost a minute standing in front of the Stretford End, applauding the remaining home fans.

The Portuguese manager struck a defiant tone in his post-match interview, highlighting the chants of support from the crowd.

“We worked all week and from the tactical point of view we didn’t lose, but we lost the game,” said Mourinho who went on the attack against the media.

“But all our fans don’t read papers, all our fans don’t watch television, all our fans are more intelligent than that – they answered in an absolutely amazing way.

“I don’t think it’s normal to lose a game at home and the supporters to react the way they did.”

Mourinho later walked out of the news conference waving three fingers to emphasis the Premier League titles he has won and angrily demanding “respect, respect, respect” from the reporters.

After the debacle of last week’s 3-2 defeat by Brighton, Mourinho made six changes and dropped both central defenders, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof.

With first starts of the season for Antonio Valencia, Ander Herrera, Nemanja Matic and Jesse Lingard there was a stronger look about United.

Mourinho opted for a three-man defence with the recalled English pair of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones surprisingly joined by Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera.

POOR BACK-PASS

United initially showed promise in an even first half with Brazilian Fred finding plenty of space they and should have taken the lead through Romelu Lukaku after he was presented with a gift of a back-pass from Danny Rose.

After rounding Hugo Lloris, however, the Belgian striker screwed his shot just wide.

Spurs struck twice inside the first seven minutes of the second half as they maintained their 100 percent record.

Harry Kane shrewdly backed away before attacking the ball as he leapt above Jones to head home a Kieran Trippier corner in the 50th minute and two minutes later Moura slipped the ball home after a fine break and low cross from Christian Eriksen.

Moura wrapped up the victory, waltzing past Chris Smalling with ease before confidently drilling the ball past David De Gea.

Mourinho had made clear throughout the close-season that he wanted a new central defender and his team have shown in the past nine days exactly why.

For Pochettino, though, this was a statement of intent at a venue where Spurs had lost 21 of their previous 26 games.

“It is a massive victory for us and I am very proud of the performance. It is difficult to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. They were better in the first half but we dominated from then on and the clean sheet was a bonus,” said the Argentine.

“It is only the start of the season and we need to be consistent. We need to be realistic but want to keep pushing and building our fitness. A lot of our players have only had three weeks training but we want to build something special.”

Manchester City’s perfect start to their Premier League title defence was ended with a 1-1 draw at newcomers Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday while Arsenal earned the first win under Unai Emery, a 3-1 victory over West Ham United

City, who won their first two games of the season in fine style, again largely dominated against Championship winners Wolves at Molineux but still had to come from behind to earn a point against Nuno Espirito Santo’s impressive side.

Manager Pep Guardiola felt his side had been let down by fragile defending but reckoned it was still a good point against a team that had demonstrated why they could still thrive in the top flight.

Arsenal prevailed after two defeats under Emery but only after Marko Arnautovic’s first-half goal for West Ham prompted brief thoughts that the home side might lose their first three league matches of the season for the first time since 1954-55.

Arsenal, though, responded quickly with a goal from Nacho Monreal, before a second-half own goal from Issa Diop and a Danny Welbeck clincher in injury time left the Hammers still searching for a first point under new boss Manuel Pellegrini.

It was the worst start by a West Ham manager since Avram Grant lost his opening four league games in 2010-11.

Bournemouth and Everton maintained their unbeaten starts to the season in a dramatic match at Dean Court in which both sides ended with 10 men.

Everton’s new Brazilian strike hero Richarlison was dismissed for a headbutt aimed at Adam Smith just before the break while Smith himself was sent off for a second half foul on Theo Walcott.

The home side then fought back after Walcott and Michael Keane had put Everton two up, with goals in the last 15 minutes from Josh King, from the penalty spot, and Nathan Ake.

Southampton, who have won just once at home in the Premier League this year, also had midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg sent off for two yellow card offences.

Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City did nothing to suggest they will be anything but relegation contenders this season as a goalless draw left them still looking for a first win of the season.

Huddersfield did at least earn their first point of the season but only after their captain Jonathan Hogg was sent off for a headbutt aimed at Harry Arter.

In Sunday’s matches  Chelsea and surprise package Watford joined Liverpool on nine points from three games at the top of the Premier League with narrow victories on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur will hope to become the fourth side with a 100 percent record when they play away to Manchester United on Monday.

Chelsea are second on goal difference behind Liverpool after winning 2-1 away to Newcastle United. They had more than 80 percent possession but could not break through until the match took off in the last 20 minutes.

Eden Hazard, making his first start of the season, converted a controversial penalty after Fabian Schar was ruled to have fouled Marcos Alonso.

Chelsea were equally aggrieved by the equalising goal, claiming that Olivier Giroud was elbowed before DeAndre Yedlin crossed for Joselu to head in.

But with three minutes left Yedlin touched Alonso’s shot into his own net.

“We are Chelsea and we never give up,” said the outstanding Hazard.

Manager Maurizio Sarri, continuing his good start in English football, said he was surprised that Newcastle played with five defenders, which Rafael Benitez said was forced on them with so many players missing.

Watford’s victory meant they have begun a season in the top tier with three successive wins for the first time, although their captain Troy Deeney felt his team had luck on their side.

“We were poor by our standards but the grit and determination and will to win has been clear to everyone,” he said. “We got lucky but it gives us confidence we can be poor and still get results.”

Palace manager Roy Hodgson was among those who felt Etienne Capoue could have been sent off as early as the fourth minute for the challenge on Wilfried Zaha, before setting up the opening goal for Roberto Pereyra.

“We’re not happy about the foul. I’ve only just seen it again on television. I’d have to say we were unlucky he was not sent off,” he said.

Jose Holebas added a freak second from an intended cross before Zaha halved the gap and defender Joel Ward missed a glorious chance to equalise in the last seconds of added time.

At the other end of the table promoted Fulham earned their first points in a 4-2 win over Burnley, whose Europa League exploits may be taking a toll against them.

There were five goals in the first half, two of them by Fulham’s powerful Serbian forward Aleksandar Mitrovic, who then hit a post before Andre Schurrle netted the rebound for his side’s late fourth.

Defeat sent Burnley, who finished seventh last season, into the bottom three above Huddersfield Town and West Ham United