Image source, Reuters

One man stole the show today.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on his return to Manchester United as the hosts eventually cruised to victory against Newcastle United and delighted a packed Old Trafford.

Have a read of all of Saturday's reports

We are back on Sunday for Leeds v Liverpool.

Until then.

Chelsea

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I was up and down at the start [of my career] but I’ve found a certain consistency in the last three years. With experience and hard work, I just keep on working.

"It’s a good start but we have to keep working. We know this year’s going to be very competitive. A lot of teams are going to be fighting for the title.

"We were very focused and the motivation was there, even though it was a tough game today. The coach is motivating us every day. The team is very hungry to fight in every competition that we participate in. We have to take one game at a time."

FreeMuchims: That’s how champions win games. Play badly but still win it in the end. Chelsea vs Villa difference is that the former has more internationals than Villa. So Villa were much fresher than Chelsea. It always happens after the international break.

Jared Maobe: Lukaku can score 40 goals if only he could get the service from this Chelsea players. He rarely got service today and yet score 2 goals. Beast.

Ben: Three points. Two goals from Big Rom. Clean sheet for Mendy. We are FLYING in SW6.

Chelsea

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, speaking to Sky Sports: "It’s my dream since I was 11 [to score here]. I've worked hard for this moment. I’m very happy for the win. It was an important game for us. We showed the will to win from the first minute and I’m very happy with the result.

"In Italy, I was playing in a league where I maybe had one or two chances a game, so I had to take them. I’m very happy with the situation I’m in and we keep going.

"Villa were very good and pressed hard, especially us three up front. They made life very difficult for us. It’s great. It’s a childhood dream for me. I’m very happy in this situation, but the work has to keep going."

On his first goal: "The coach said before the game, when we recover the ball we had to play it forward very quickly. I wasn’t doubting Kova’s quality [for the first goal]. It was a great pass. I played with [Axel] Tuanzebe back in the day, he knows I’m left-footed, so I switched to my right.

On his second: "The contact was good. That’s just good training - quick finishes, day in day out."

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith to Match of the Day: "I was pleased with our performance up until the second goal, but we didn't take our chances. That took the wind out of our sails and we allowed a team with the quality they have got to open up the pitch and play keep-ball.

"I felt it was an unjust scoreline but we've got a better squad of players this season and the depth and talent we've got allows us to play in Chelsea's half and that's what we did.

"I believe in this group of players that we've got and we can go toe-to-toe with these teams now whereas two years ago we weren't able to."

On quarantine rules that saw Villa be without goalkeeper Emi Martinez and winger Emi Buendia, Smith added: "We're all frustrated with the whole situation. We're between a rock and a hard place.

"They have Fifa World Cup qualifiers and you can't deny your players to play in that when they've been called up. It's [down to] the governing bodies, but we also have to deal with governments as well."

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "They were a bit more aggressive than us in the first half. We lacked a bit of rhythm and composure. We had easy ball losses, that cost us a bit of confidence in the first half.

"In the second half we forced them into early ball losses and had a high transition game at least. In the end we have a perfect result.

"We want to control more of course, but it was the moment to fight through and that is what we did.

"It’s an excellent start given the fact we had a draw in Liverpool with a man down. We play like a team, we have a certain energy, we’re able to win games. We want to give less chances away. If it happens we don’t lose our heads.

"Everyone’s aware we can do better. There are some reasons why games can look like this. If you’re still able to win 3-0, it’s a good way to progress.”

On Romelu Lukaku: "It was very important he opened up the game for us with the first and scored a fantastic second one. He loves these kind of challenges. He was the key factor today."

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith to Sky Sports: "Up until the second goal I was really pleased with the performance. We asked a lot of questions from a very good team. The biggest disappointment is we didn't take our chances when they came.

"They scored from a ball over the top, our response was excellent but the second goal changes the game. That was the killer, we made a big mistake and they capitalised and it took the wind out of our sails.

"Our players never gave in and I'm pleased with the depth of the squad. We felt we could pressure them high and play high in their half.

"That's why they paid £94m [for Romelu Lukaku], he can put it in the top bin, as he did. I'm disappointed at 3-0 and anyone who has not seen it will think it was comfortable for them but it was not a bit comfortable."

Wale writing off a La Liga, Copa del Rey, Europa League (x2) and Uefa Super Cup winner after 45 minutes 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

Wale Ibraheem: Not a dream debut from Saul. His first and only 45mins so far was littered with cacophony of errors. He has gotten a whole lot to do to get a place in that Chelsea midfield.

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, speaking to Sky Sports: "It was absolutely not [a comfortable evening]. It was a strong Aston Villa side. They were well prepared, they looked very sharp from the start and very confident.

"They caused us a lot of problems, particularly in the first half. They're dangerous from throw-ins, set-pieces and corners, and gave us many situations you have to defend. That's not our favourite discipline, but we did what we had to do. The second half was better, we had more control. There were a lot of half chances that we didn’t take very well.

"We played with some of the guys in a new formation. We were not at our highest level. We had some early ball losses because they played very aggressive in the last line. If we had better first touches and better movement, perhaps we could have had more chances. But credit to them, they played a very good match.

"It was a super dangerous game for teams who have so many players out on international duty. It was a strange feeling before the match. I hoped the first goal could give us some more confidence, but it didn’t."

On Romelu Lukaku: "He's full of confidence and fully aware what he wants to do. He takes the last decisions and is absolutely confident of scoring, so he’s helped us a lot. We escaped with the perfect result, perfect evening for our striker."

On Saul Niguez: "I had the feeling that he struggled. There were some big mistakes, passing mistakes, and he struggled with the intensity. You could see he isn’t fully adapted. It's completely my responsibility. I had the feeling he could jump in for us and play at that level. I thought it was maybe better to change him, but it doesn’t change anything.

PRK: This is what £100m gets you. Goals, goals and goals.

• Chelsea have only conceded one goal in the Premier League so far this season, their fewest after four games of a league campaign since 2010-11 under Carlo Ancelotti (also one).
• Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku has scored in each of his last six Premier League appearances against Aston Villa (eight goals) – only against West Ham has he had a longer run of scoring in consecutive games against a specific opponent in the competition (seven, between 2013 and 2016).
• Despite failing to score, Aston Villa attempted 18 shots at Stamford Bridge – only Liverpool (24, in Chelsea’s previous game) have fired in more attempts in a Premier League game against the Blues under Thomas Tuchel.

David Bushell: Chelsea have not been 3-0 better than Villa today. McGinn's booking was ridiculous and shows how close the PL is getting to banning tackling but Lukaku could be the difference this season between Chelsea winning the league or not.

Romelu Lukaku has his third Chelsea goal, wrapping the points up, and sits just four behind last season's top scorer Jorginho's total of seven.

Image source, Getty Images

JB: That was never a 3-0 game to Chelsea. Villa the better side for the first half and I'd argue the 2nd half as well.

Jon Evans: Undeserved 3-0 defeat that. Chelsea will be challenging for the title this season. Sort of win potential champions get.

All over.

It looks a comfortable victory on paper for Chelsea, but that is far from the full story.

Two goals for Romelu Lukaku and 10 points out of 12 for Thomas Tuchel's side at the start of the season.

Jorginho needed a fair bit of treatment after that challenge.

No lasting damage though, he is fine to continue.

A few seconds remaining.

Double yellow card for Aston Villa players in the space of five seconds.

John McGinn lunges in on Jorginho and is the first to have his name taken, followed by Matt Targett for his remonstrations.