Chelsea and United prove they are still the teams to beat

With the opening round of Premier League fixtures now complete, both Chelsea and Manchester United have laid down an imposing marker to the chasing pack. OK, so we are just one game in and the opposition they both brushed aside were newly promoted sides, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that that last season’s top two sides have effortlessly hit their stride in the new season. Is this a sign of things to come for the nine months ahead?

Before their 3-0 victory over Newcastle, much of the pre-season press talk had been as to whether United could retain a place in the top three or four, let alone regain their title. On yesterday evening’s evidence, this should not be too great a concern for supporters of the Old Trafford club. Whilst Newcastle did bear the traits of a newly promoted sides, they were simply overrun by the precision of United’s passing and their dogged determination to win the ball, as highlighted by their first goal.

Sir Alex Ferguson will surely have been encouraged by a display by Dimitar Berbatov which was more lively than most of his outings last season, another performance by Paul Scholes to remind Fabio Capello why he had tried to tempt him out of international retirement in the summer, and Darren Fletcher’s showing which demonstrated his importance as a dependable central midfield partner with a nose for a goal. There is also the promise of more to come, with Wayne Rooney still in sluggish form and obviously not totally match fit.

As statements of intent go however, it was surpassed two days earlier by Chelsea’s six goal demolition of West Brom, another promoted side thrown in at the deep end. It was very much a case of picking up where they left off for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, having now scored 21 goals in their last three home games. It won’t have come as much of a surprise to see the names of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda on the scoresheet, perhaps highlighting why transfer activity at Stamford Bridge over the summer has been so limited.

Chelsea came into this fixture off the back of an inauspicious pre-season campaign which was rounded off with a Community Shield defeat to United, and with such a large (and unsuccessful) World Cup contingent, there was no reason to believe that the West London side would see off West Brom so emphatically. Ominously for challengers to their crown, as well as for their next two opponents, Wigan and Stoke, Didier Drogba served notice in his post match interview that his side were “not even ready yet”.

Tottenham, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal all had a tougher ride on the opening weekend of course, playing each other as they did. However, none of these sides, who are probably front runners to fill the other spots in the top six, put in the kind of display which suggested they are going to be challenging at the top of the division come May. They too may have wished for an easy opener in which to get their campaign under way with a convincing win, but presented with the opportunity to gain the upper hand over a close rival, none of them seized it.

Of the four managers, Harry Redknapp is likely to be the happiest, with his side only denied an opening day victory by the brilliance of Joe Hart. Manchester City’s first half display suggested they are still very much a work in progress, whilst Arsene Wenger will be worried by the lack of attacking penetration Arsenal offered in the absence of Cesc Fabregas. Roy Hodgson will have been reasonably happy with his Anfield league debut, although could have done without Joe Cole’s indiscretion or Pepe Reina’s last minute show of vulnerability.

So with one game gone, it is very much business as usual for United and Chelsea. Their credentials will of course come under closer scrutiny when they play sides in the upper echelons of the division, and it is dangerous to form conclusions at such an early stage. However, the worry for the teams around them is that with their campaigns up and running in such emphatic fashion, they will go on to develop the momentum required to build up a significant points advantage before Christmas has arrived.