Manchester United manager David Moyes picked up where Alex Ferguson left off on Saturday as the Premier League champions began their title defence by winning 4-1 at Swansea City.
.
It was United's first league game with a new manager in the dug-out since Ferguson took his side to Oxford United on November 8, 1986, but a brace apiece from Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck banished any first-day nerves.
.
On a damp, drizzly day in south Wales, Moyes recalled Wayne Rooney to his squad after the unsettled striker proved his fitness with a 66-minute turn in England's 3-2 win over Scotland in mid week.
.
It was last season's hero who provided the breakthrough, however, with Van Persie chesting down a high pass from Ryan Giggs and then hooking a superb acrobatic volley past goalkeeper Michel Vorm in the 34th minute.
.
Swansea, the League Cup holders, had poked and probed intelligently until then, but they were hit with a sucker-punch two minutes later when Welbeck tapped in United's second from Antonio Valencia's low cross.
.
Rooney came on with half an hour remaining to make his first club appearance since May 5, but it was Van Persie's day and he made it 3-0 by lashing a glorious shot into Vorm's top-right corner from 20 yards.
.
Sloppy play by Welbeck allowed home debutant Wilfried Bony to pull a goal back for Swansea, but the England man atoned in injury time by racing onto Rooney's pass and beating Vorm with an exquisite chip.
.
"It very much was a Manchester United display. We were clinical in attack and I am very pleased. This is a tough place to come and we won well in the end," Moyes told BBC Sport.
.
"Today was my first game at Manchester United. I was excited, but it's just work to me. It's the same as I've done at Everton over the last 10 years or so."
.
Earlier, Arsenal were booed off by their own fans at the Emirates Stadium after conceding two penalties and seeing Laurent Koscielny sent off in a calamitous 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa.
.
Olivier Giroud gave Arsenal a sixth-minute lead, but Christian Benteke equalised in the 22nd minute by following up with a header after his penalty was parried by Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
.
Koscielny conceded the penalty from which Benteke put the visitors ahead and after the France centre- back was sent off for a second booking, Villa new boy Antonio Luna completed victory by running clear and coolly wrong-footing Szczesny.
.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is still to make a significant pre-season signing, apologised to the club's supporters for his side's performance.
.
"What hurts me is to disappoint people who love the club," said the Frenchman, who also saw full-backs Kieran Gibbs and Bacary Sagna go off due to injury.
.
"All the rest I have to live with, but I'm here to make people happy and when I do not I can only say sorry and come back and make them happy in the next game."
.
Earlier, new recruit Simon Mignolet saved an 89th- minute penalty to earn Liverpool a 1-0 win over Stoke City in the opening game of the new season at Anfield.
.
With Liverpool leading from Daniel Sturridge's crisp 37th-minute drive, the former Sunderland goalkeeper repelled Jon Walters' spot-kick and then brilliantly blocked Kenwyne Jones' follow-up after Daniel Agger was penalised for handball.
.
"We bought him because he is a top, top goalkeeper and he had three saves to make in total," said Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers. "I thought overall our performance was outstanding."
.
Norwich City's £8.5 million record signing Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored a 71st-minute header to earn his new side a 2-2 draw at Carrow Road and prevent Roberto Martinez from tasting victory in his first league game as Everton manager.
United impressed me yesterday! I hope it stays that way though. Good start...
It's always a good thing to start a season with a win...Nice one from Man united...Terrible one from Arsenal FC.