Manchester United completed to a rare comfortable home Premier League triumph as goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko secured a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.
With the pressure growing on manager Ruben Amorim after a disappointing start to the season, Mount calmed the nerves around Old Trafford with a fine early finish to break the deadlock.
United continued to dominate with a spectacular save from Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs preventing Bruno Fernandes from adding a second. However, Sesko netted his first Old Trafford goal after 31 minutes.
Sunderland were awarded a penalty late in the first half, a decision that was overturned following a VAR intervention, but they never really threatened after the break as United eased to a third home league win of the season.
Before kick-off, Old Trafford fell silent to honour the victims of a terror attack on a Manchester synagogue this week.
Amorim's bold calls with his team selection paid off as goalkeeper Senne Lammens kept a clean sheet on debut, while Mount justified his place over Matheus Cunha with the opening goal.
Mount eased the home fans' tension with a fine finish from Bryan Mbeumo's cross on eight minutes.
Sesko doubled the Red Devils' advantage with a predatory finish from a long throw-in for his first Old Trafford goal since a £74 million move from RB Leipzig.
There was nearly a twist at the end of the half as Sunderland were initially awarded a penalty, only for VAR to intervene due to insufficient contact by Sesko on Trai Hume.
Sunderland began the weekend in fifth after a dream start to their return to the top flight, but the Black Cats were dealt a reality check to end their four-game unbeaten run.
“It was an exciting game, we enjoyed it,” Mount told BBC. “The first-half performance, up 2-0, really helped us. The second half we wanted to push on for more but the result was the most important thing. Happy with three points.”
Arsenal on fire
Declan Rice came back to haunt former club West Ham as Arsenal provisionally moved top of the Premier League.
In Mikel Arteta's 300th match in charge, the Gunners proved far too strong for the struggling Hammers in a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium to further their ambitions of a first Premier League title for 22 years.
Victory came at a cost for Arsenal as captain Martin Odegaard was forced off injured before half-time for the third time this season.
However, the strength in depth now on offer to Arteta has made light of Arsenal's injury troubles.
Rice, who left West Ham for a club record £105m in 2023, ended the visitors' resistance by blasting high into the net on the rebound after Alphonse Areola parried Eberechi Eze's drive.
Bukayo Saka made the points safe midway through the second half from the penalty spot after Jurrien Timber was brought down by El Hadji Malick Diouf.
However, Odegaard's injury spoiled the day for manager Arteta.
“So unlucky again. He went knee to knee and felt straight away something was not right. Let's assess him and see how bad the injury is. He has been very, very unlucky,” Arteta told BBC.
