Man Utd survive late Watford pressure and claim victory thanks to first-half goals from Lukaku and Smalling

Man Utd survive late Watford pressure and claim victory thanks to first-half goals from Lukaku and Smalling

* Watford's perfect start to season ended with 2-1 defeat by Manchester United

* Alexis Sanchez had early effort ruled out for offside

* United without England's Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford

* Romelu Lukaku opened scoring with finish from close in

* Chris Smalling doubled the lead with superb left-foot volley

* Andre Gray gave Watford hope with fierce 65th-minute shot

* Nemanja Matic sent off in injury time

* Watford at Fulham next; United home to Wolves

Romelu Lukaku and Chris Smalling seal win in three-minute blitz

 

Two goals in a devastating three-minute burst from Manchester United set up a 2-1 win over Watford at Vicarage Road, ending the home side's perfect start to the season.

United, who had Nemanja Matic sent off for a second bookable offence in injury time, had an early effort from Alexis Sanchez disallowed for offside but soon took command via a scrappy 35th-minute effort from Romelu Lukaku and a superb left-foot volley from Chris Smalling three minutes later.

Smalling took Marouane Fellaini's knockdown on his chest, swivelled and fired a superb left-foot volley past a bemused Ben Foster, who then saved well from Paul Pogba as United threatened to overrun the home side.

A fierce shot from Andre Gray on 65 minutes, following Abdoulaye Doucoure's cut-back, ignited the second half but United held on.