Kyle Walker's own goal was enough as Manchester United kicked off their Premier League season with a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford this afternoon.
The England right-back bundled the ball into his own net on 22 minutes to settle a relatively even contest that saw both sides struggle to create clear-cut chances throughout.
Here, Sports Mole analyses how the game was won at the Theatre of Dreams.
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Match statistics
MANCHESTER UNITED
Shots: 9
On target: 1
Possession: 50%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 12
SPURS
Shots: 9
On target: 4
Possession: 50%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 12
Was the result fair?
Truth be told, no. It is ironic that one of the pre-match songs that blared around Old Trafford was 'Getting Away With It' by Electronic. Victory flattered the hosts this afternoon on a day where their defence was far more involved than their attack.
Both sides produced lethargic opening-day performances, with clear-cut opportunities at a premium throughout, but Mauricio Pochettino's side arguably did enough at the beginning and end of the contest to merit a point.
Manchester United's performance
By virtue of the fact that United led 1-0 by the 25-minute mark despite failing to register a shot on goal, it could be argued that the hosts were slightly fortunate to be ahead - and they were.
Tottenham were comfortably the better side and provided a number of early scares; most notably when Christian Eriksen went through after five minutes, but debutant goalkeeper Sergio Romero - deputising for the dropped David de Gea following intense speculation over his future - did well to pressure him as the Dane fired over.
It went down as a costly miss as the Red Devils edged ahead against the run of play on 22 minutes. Ashley Young played in Wayne Rooney who, in an acre of space in front of Michel Vorm, dithered by taking a touch and the recovering Walker bundled the ball into his own net. It was the first time in the 23-year history of the Premier League that the first goal of a season was an own goal.
From there, Louis van Gaal's side grew in control, with another debutant in Memphis Depay slowly but surely growing more influential. That promise faded in a relatively disappointing second half from both sides though, and the Dutchman was subbed on 70 minutes. He demanded the iconic number seven shirt after Angel di Maria's exit. Legendary status looks a bit of a way off based on this showing.
The quiet Rooney attempted to roll back the years with an audacious overhead with their last real chance of the game. It was not the explosive start that Van Gaal will have wanted, but three points is enough of a birthday present for the 64-year-old Dutchman on a day where victory was more important than the performance.
Spurs' performance
Pochettino will make the trip back to North London this afternoon with mixed emotions. On one hand, the Argentine manager can console himself with the idea that his Tottenham team were unfortunate not to leave Old Trafford with a point. But at the same time, he will be bitterly disappointed at the way in which Spurs' heads dropped after going behind because all three points looked on offer at one stage.
It was one-way traffic for the first 22 minutes, and the Lilywhites should have moved ahead early on when Eriksen expertly controlled Harry Kane's brilliant scooped ball, before the former saw his volley land on top of the net when it perhaps should have finished inside it.
With Tottenham still in full control, a loose pass from Nabil Bentaleb was pounced upon by Matteo Darmian, who played in Young as the visitors looked poised to be punished for a criminally high defensive line. And they were - eventually. Young squared the ball to Rooney, who inexplicably took a touch, but Walker came in behind him to bundle the ball past Vorm.
It took away all of their momentum away in one fell swoop and a deflated Spurs never looked as dangerous as they once did after that until it was too late. To their credit, they did pepper Romero's goal in the closing minutes, with Eriksen forcing the Argentine stopper into a number of saves, but the pressure came too late to yield any sort of reward.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Matteo Darmian: The Italian defender was by no means the biggest or most expensive of Manchester United's pre-season recruits, but on this evidence Darmian could well be the pick of the bunch. He looked the type of assured right-back that Van Gaal desperately needed but lacked last season and, at £7m, the 25-year-old looks a bargain.
Biggest gaffe
It has to be Walker, who was exceptional overall but his own goal midway through the opening half was comfortably the game's biggest gaffe. It could, and probably will be attributed to bad luck by Pochettino, but the truth is that it was an error. A costly one. Plain and simple.
Referee performance
Referee Jon Moss could not have asked for a quieter game to open the 2015-16 season with. He produced a strong showing throughout and correctly booked five players - Jan Vertonghen, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Juan Mata. With no major decisions to contend with, Moss can be pleased with his performance.
What next?
Manchester United: United are back in action on Friday as they travel to Aston Villa for their first away trip of the 2015-16 season.
Spurs: Pochettino and co return to London tonight before gearing up for the visit of Stoke City to White Hart Lane next Saturday.
Shane Callaghan
