Manchester United FC began their quest to win back the Premier League title with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Newcastle United FC on Monday night. Sir Alex Ferguson's men, deposed as champions by Chelsea FC in May, embarked on the mission to make amends with three points courtesy of goals from Dimitar Berbatov, Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs.

For promoted Newcastle, the first goal after 33 minutes was partly self-inflicted after Jonas Gutiérrez was dispossessed just outside his penalty area by Luis Valencia, allowing Paul Scholes to play in Berbatov who arrowed a low finish into the far corner from the right side of the area. Midfielder Fletcher then turned on a Patrice Evra cross to add a second four minutes before the break.

Newcastle's best chance came after ten minutes when Andy Carroll sent a free header wide from a corner but the game was already beyond them when substitute Ryan Giggs volleyed in a Scholes cross five minutes from time. Giggs has now scored in 21 successive seasons of top-flight football. Elsewhere in Europe, Turkish champions Bursaspor began the defence of their Süper Lig title with a 1-0 home win over new boys Konyaspor, substitute Sercan Yıldırım hitting the only goal.