Premier League
Man City crush Bournemouth, Arsenal also claim second win
Two games into the new season champions Manchester City have already raised the bar high as they crushed promoted Bournemouth 4-0 on Saturday to maintain their fast start.
Arsenal joined them on six point as former City striker Gabriel Jesus struck twice in a 4-2 win over Leicester City.
Leeds United looked on course for a second successive win but squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Southampton — one of three draws on a sultry Saturday afternoon.
Manchester United, bidding to avoid a second successive defeat under new manager Erik ten Hag, struggled in vain later in the day at Brentford.
City, bidding for a fifth Premier League title in six seasons, cruised to an opening win at West Ham United and were equally dominant against Bournemouth.
They wasted no time getting into their stride in the sunshine as Norway striker Erling Haaland marked his home debut with an assist for Ilkay Gundogan’s opener after 19 minutes.
City then cut loose and scored a sumptuous second 12 minutes later when Kevin De Bruyne curled a fine strike into the net with the outside of his foot.
Phil Foden added another before halftime from De Bruyne’s assist and it was just a matter of how many more the hosts would help themselves to. In the end they only managed one more courtesy of Jefferson Lerma’s own goal but they spent most of the second half on cruise control.
The arrival of Jesus has created quite a buzz at Arsenal and the Brazilian marked his home debut with a virtuoso display with two goals and two assists against Leicester.
A delightful chip gave his side the lead in the 23rd minute and he made it 2-0 with a header at the far post.
Leicester twice clawed themselves back to within a goal of the hosts thanks to an own goal by William Saliba, who like Jesus was making his home debut, and James Maddison.
But Arsenal were always a step ahead with Jesus setting up Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli scoring immediately after Leicester’s replies.
Leeds looked set for an away win at Southampton with Rodrigo’s brace putting them in control by the hour mark.
But goals by Kyle Walker-Peters and Joe Aribo earned Southampton their first point of the campaign.
Everton suffered a second successive defeat as they went down 2-1 at Aston Villa for whom Danny Ings and substitute Emiliano Buendia were both on target.
Fulham, who drew with Liverpool in their first game back in the top flight, missed the chance to earn their first win as Aleksander Mitrovic had a second-half penalty saved by Jose Sa in a 0-0 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Brighton and Hove Albion and Newcastle United also ended scoreless.
All games involved water breaks as much of Britain continued to swelter in a heatwave with temperatures reaching the mid 30s Celsius on Saturday.
-Reuters
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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