The Premier League
kicked off in unique fashion on Saturday as an own goal by Tottenham
Hotspur's Kyle Walker gave Manchester United a 1-0 victory in an
undistinguished season opener at Old Trafford.
Never before had English football's top flight competition begun with
a player putting past his own keeper until full back Walker
inadvertently prodded the ball past Michel Vorm in the 22nd minute when
desperately trying to dispossess Wayne Rooney.
Tottenham had
dominated until then but the goal helped United, with five expensive
debutants in their ranks, relax as the Londoners' verve deserted them
until a late attacking flurry was repelled by the hosts' new Argentine
keeper Sergio Romero.
Even if the fare was mediocre, three points
on a warm, muggy lunchtime was the ideal start for manager Louis van
Gaal after a huge close season investment took United's spending to
about 230 million pounds ($356.39 million) in his 12 months at the helm.
Romero
made three important late saves while Italian defender Matteo Darmian,
French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin and Dutch striker Memphis Depay
also made useful first starts, with United's Germany World Cup-winner
Bastian Schweinsteiger coming on for the last half-hour and getting
booked.
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