Van Persie celebrates his first goal as a Red Devil
Manchester United's new super-signing wastes little time getting off the mark in his first start for his new club, while Swansea roar on
The shade of the shirt may have changed but Robin van Persie remains a red-hot Dutch master after marking his first Manchester United start with a goal in a 3-2 Premier League win over Fulham yesterday.
Having swapped the crimson of Arsenal for the red checks of United's new home jersey, the £24 million (HK$295 million) man dug United out of an early hole by firing in a trademark volley on 10 minutes to cancel out Damien Duff's well-worked opener.
Japan's Shinji Kagawa also scored on his home debut, the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder tapping in after Mark Schwarzer had spilled Tom Cleverley's shot.
Rightback Rafael soon had the ball in the net again but was foiled by the offside flag only to head in the third with a rare goal on 41 minutes.
Fulham pulled one back in the second half through a bizarre Nemanja Vidic own goal to prompt a very nervy finish for cavalier United, who had Wayne Rooney carried off on a stretcher with a nasty thigh wound.
Van Persie was a substitute for United's opening 1-0 loss at Everton last Monday but this time it was the turn of expected strike partner Rooney to surprisingly start on the bench just two games into the season.