Premier League wrap: Manchester United begin new season with a bang, Chelsea, Liverpool win

Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick and Paul Pogba provided four assists as Manchester United thrashed Leeds 5-1. Leicester, Chelsea and Leicester City also secured all three points.

The return of near-capacity crowds fueled a barrage of goals on the first Saturday of the English Premier League season as Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all served notice of their title intentions with crushing wins. It was the highest-scoring encounter on a day featuring 25 goals across seven matches, at an average of 3.57 — much higher than a typical season’s average. The presence of fans may also have contributed to there being five home wins, an immediate swing from last season when there were more away wins (40% compared to 38% for home teams).