Wilfried Zaha double earns Palace shock win at Manchester United

LONDON: Manchester United's season got underway with a shock 3-1 defeat by Crystal Palace as Wilfried Zaha grabbed a late double for the visitors in the Premier League on Saturday although VAR was once again the centre of attention.

United looked off the pace early on as Andros Townsend put Palace in front after seven minutes, with the home side's campaign starting a week later than initially scheduled due to last season's Europa League commitments running into mid-August.

Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay went close as United chased an equaliser but the hosts could have gone in two goals behind at half-time, with only a brilliant David De Gea save keeping a goal-bound Jordan Ayew strike out.

United brought Mason Greenwood on at half-time but their task was made more difficult when the VAR decided that referee Martin Atkinson should consult the pitch-side monitor and he awarded Palace a penalty for handball against Victor Lindelof.

A late goal from substitute Eddie Nketiah gave Arsenal a 2-1 home win over West Ham United after Michail Antonio's first-half strike for the visitors had cancelled out Alexandre Lacazette's 50th goal for the Gunners.

West Ham were more organised playing with a five-man defence than in their opening 2-0 home loss to Newcastle United as they faced an Arsenal side fresh from a 3-0 win at promoted Fulham.

But the hosts broke through in the 25th minute when captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, fresh from signing a new three-year deal, sprang onto a through ball down the left and chipped across to Lacazette, who headed past keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Nketiah claimed all three points for the hosts when he latched onto a Dani Ceballos layoff in the 85th, having come on less than 10 minutes before to replace Lacazette.

Newly-promoted Leeds United continued their barnstorming return to the Premier League as they claimed their first points with a thrilling 4-3 win over Fulham at Elland Road.

After being on the wrong end of a 4-3 scoreline at champions Liverpool on the opening day, Leeds, back in the top flight after a 16-year absence, produced more vibrant attacking football along with defensive jitters. Agencies

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