Premier League
English Premier League talking points
Talking points from the opening weekend of the Premier League season:
HAALAND HUNGRY FOR MORE RECORDS
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland needed only four minutes to open his account for the new season and ended up with a brace in a 3-0 win for the champions at Burnley on Friday.
After ripping up the record books last season with 36 goals in the Premier League and 52 in all competitions, logic suggested he may find his second season a little tougher as teams figure out ways to shackle the Norwegian.
But on the evidence of his display at Turf Moor, Haaland will again be almost impossible to stop.
Not that it spared him a reprimand from manager Pep Guardiola at halftime, with the Spaniard annoyed that Haaland had risked losing possession, but those are the standards that make it hard to bet against City mounting another treble run.
OLD HABITS DIE HARD FOR ARSENAL
One of Arsenal’s major problems last season as they let the Premier League title slip from their grasp was an inability to kill off games after taking the lead.
Arsenal saw two-goal advantages slip in consecutive draws against Liverpool and West Ham United in April which allowed Manchester City to catch up and overhaul them.
They made things frantic for themselves again in a 2-1 home win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday despite cruising for most of their league opener.
“When you are 2-0 up and have some chances to kill the game, we didn’t,” Arteta said.
“It was more about the feeling than actually what happens. The reality is we didn’t concede anything but you are running the clock down and in this league that’s a very dangerous thing to do.”
If they are to mount a title challenge again this season Arsenal will have to make sure they shut games down.
POCHETTINO FINDS A WAY TO CHEER UP THE BLUES
New Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino said Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool was “just the start” of the turnaround he wants to engineer at Stamford Bridge after last season’s shocking slump in form for the high-spending Blues.
The Argentine, who used to manage rivals Tottenham Hotspur, gave Chelsea debuts to four of his starting 11 and the way the side grew in confidence, after conceding an 18th minute Luis Diaz opener, suggested the club might be getting back on track.
Axel Disasi marked his first Chelsea game with a goal while fellow debutant Nicolas Jackson, a striker, used his power to create chances. Academy graduate Levi Colwill recovered from a testing first few minutes in a Chelsea shirt to frustrate Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez looked confident.
Chelsea fans responded with the kind of vocal support that became increasingly rare last season as the team misfired, and the team were applauded off at the final whistle as they looked forward to a more promising season under their new coach.
TONALI SETS THE TONE AS NEWCASTLE THRASH VILLA
Newcastle United’s new signing Sandro Tonali set the tone with a goal after six minutes, instantly showcasing what he can contribute to the Tyneside club as they seek to compete for the Premier League title.
The 23-year-old arrived in England on the back of a brilliant season for AC Milan where he combined creative passing and crunching tackles, and he showed the full register in his first league appearance in front of his new home crowd.
Alexander Isak may have scored twice, including a tremendous second-half chip to make it 3-1, but that Tonali was still given the man of the match award for his work in the centre says everything about his performance.
The 5-1 win puts the Magpies top of the table for now; whether or not they can stay there will depend greatly on how well Italy international Tonali can continue to shoulder the role of midfield motor as well as he did on Saturday.
TOTTENHAM SHOW THERE IS LIFE AFTER KANE
Club record scorer Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich on the eve of Tottenham Hotspur’s first game of the season left fans crestfallen but a 2-2 draw at Brentford offered some hope of better things to come for the north London club.
New manager Ange Postecoglou said he had planned for a season without the England striker as he looks to put his thumb print on the club and a new-look Spurs side responded well to the departure of their talisman.
Playmaker James Maddison impressed on his debut, setting up the opening goal for Cristian Romero, while Yves Bissouma offered the sort of high-energy midfield performance that Australian Postecoglou demands from his teams.
Only time will tell, however, if Brazil forward Richarlison, who was a bit-part player last season, can fill the gap left by Kane. On the evidence of Sunday that looks unlikely.
-Reuters
Manchester United cruised to a rare comfortable home Premier League victory as goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko secured a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.
With the pressure growing on manager Ruben Amorim after a disappointing start to the season, Mount calmed the nerves around the ground with a fine early finish to break the deadlock.
United continued to dominate, with a spectacular save from Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs preventing Bruno Fernandes from adding a sumptuous second before Sesko netted his first Old Trafford goal after 31 minutes.
Sunderland were awarded a penalty late in the first half, a decision that was overturned following a VAR intervention, but they never really threatened after the break as United eased to a third home league victory of the season.
The result put United in provisional eighth place with 10 points from seven games, two places below Sunderland on 11.
Wins, especially comfortable ones, have been in short supply for Portuguese Amorim since he took charge in November.
United supporters have slowly started to turn on the new manager as a result, with nothing short of victory over promoted Sunderland, despite the visitors’ impressive start to the season, enough to appease the disgruntled masses.
Mount’s superb control and finish was just what the beleaguered boss needed. The fine strike was the earliest United have scored in the Premier League since Marcus Rashford’s goal at Ipswich Town in Amorim’s first game in charge.
It was only a matter of time until the hosts scored again, such was their dominance. From a long throw, Sesko was alert to the flick-on before steering home his second in as many games.
United thought they had shot themselves in the foot as Sesko was penalised for a high boot in his own penalty area, only for VAR to deem it not to be a foul.
The hosts took their foot off the gas in the second half, but still should have added to their tally, with veteran Brazilian Casemiro blazing their best chance over the bar.
Sunderland did manufacture a late gilt-edged chance but Senne Lammens, making his debut in the United goal, stood tall to block, completing an assured performance from the keeper and his new teammates.
-Reuters
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Premier League champions Liverpool dropped points for the first time this season when they lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace in the eighth minute of added time as Manchester United and Chelsea suffered 3-1 defeats on Saturday.
United slumped at Brentford and 10-man Chelsea were beaten at home by Brighton & Hove Albion, who scored twice in stoppage time.
Manchester City thrashed Burnley 5-1 thanks to two own goals and a late brace from Erling Haaland while Leeds United were held to a 2-2 draw after Bournemouth equalised in added time through 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi.
There was also a late twist at Tottenham Hotspur when Joao Palhinha struck an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
LIVERPOOL SUFFER FIRST LOSS
Liverpool were on the back foot early on when Palace took the lead in the ninth minute through a set-piece when the ball fell to Ismaila Sarr who smashed it home.
Liverpool would have conceded more if not for goalkeeper Alisson while Jean-Philippe Mateta nearly made it 2-0 when he hit the post.
Although Liverpool equalised through Federico Chiesa in the 87th minute, fellow substitute Eddie Nketiah provided late drama when he scored the winner in the 97th minute, with Selhurst Park celebrating the goal twice after VAR confirmed he was not offside.
“The boys are in really good form and think we can win every game and today we showed that,” Nketiah told the BBC.
Palace ended the day in second place, three points behind leaders Liverpool although Arsenal can go second if they beat Newcastle United on Sunday.
OWN GOALS, HAALAND GIVE MAN CITY WIN
Burnley’s Maxime Esteve became only the sixth player to score two own goals in a Premier League game as City climbed up to fourth.
Esteve scored the first when he tried to deny Phil Foden but Jaidon Anthony made it 1-1 with a shot that deflected off Ruben Dias.
Matheus Nunes restored City’s lead with a close-range effort before Esteve’s second own goal came when he looked to stop Oscar Bobb from finding the net.
Haaland struck twice in the dying minutes to hand Burnley their biggest loss of the season.
MANCHESTER UNITED LOSE AT BRENTFORD
Bryan Mbeumo received a warm welcome from the Brentford fans as he returned to his former club for the first time since his move to Manchester United but the reception paled in comparison to the roars when the home side went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes.
Igor Thiago capitalised on United’s high line for the opener when Jordan Henderson sent him through on goal in the eighth minute, before the Brazilian forward grabbed his second when United keeper Altay Bayindir spilled a save right into his path.
United pulled one back when Benjamin Sesko scored his first goal for the club but Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher before Mathias Jensen put the game out of reach in added time with a rocket from outside the box.
“We didn’t control the game, we played the game of Brentford. We were really confused (on) second balls, first balls, set pieces,” United manager Ruben Amorim said.
“The crucial moments, they were against us. Tough to lose again.”
CHELSEA SEE RED AGAIN
Chelsea had a player sent off for a second time in as many league games when Trevoh Chalobah saw red for denying Brighton a goal-scoring opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Fernandez had given Chelsea a 1-0 lead with a close-range header but Chalobah’s red card in the 53rd minute reduced the home side to 10 men and Brighton made it count when Danny Welbeck opened his account for the season with the equaliser.
Brighton capitalised again in the 92nd minute when Maxim De Cuyper powered home a header and the visitors sealed all three points when Welbeck scored in the 10th minute of added time.
Bournemouth took the lead at Leeds when Antoine Semenyo scored from a free kick but the home side made it 2-1 when Joe Rodon and Sean Longstaff netted either side of halftime.
With Leeds close to taking three points, Kroupi volleyed home from inside the box in the 93rd minute to lift Bournemouth into a group of three clubs on 11 points.
Sunderland moved to 11 points and fourth place by beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground to leave Forest’s new manager Ange Postecoglou winless after five games in charge.
Omar Alderete’s first-half goal was the difference between the two sides with Sunderland mounting a staunch rearguard action as Forest laid siege to their goal.
Wolves were seconds away from earning their first win of the season after losing their opening five games in their worst ever start to a league campaign.
They led through Santiago Bueno’s scrappy goal early in the second half but Palhinha guided in a superb finish to send Tottenham to third place on goal difference.
-Reuters
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said his side must match the level of urgency they showed against Chelsea on Saturday if they are to keep on winning.
Having tasted victory just once this season going into the game, on the back of their lowest top-flight league finish last term since they were relegated in 1973-74, the pressure was on Amorim ahead of Chelsea’s visit in the Premier League.
The early dismissal of Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez gave United the platform to earn a vital win with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro but the performance, from the off, reached levels of intensity that had been lacking in recent struggles.
“Sometimes we have some moments that we feel an urgency to have a result,” Amorim said. “Today we won, it’s nice to win, but let’s not forget that return to that urgency in our game.
“We need to win the next game. That is the most important thing. In this big club it’s not a feeling that today is a really good game, let’s relax a little bit. Let’s keep that urgency. That is the most important feeling we have to take for the next week.”
In true United fashion, the hosts still made things difficult for themselves from a seemingly unassailable position, 2-0 in front with a numerical advantage in the driving Manchester rain.
Casemiro’s sending-off late in the first half gave the visitors a lifeline, with Trevoh Chalobah’s header ensuring a nervy finish at an expectant Old Trafford.
“We showed that when everything is going well, we arrange something to make it difficult,” Amorim said. “But we suffered together in the end. That was a good thing, if you look at the game we deserved to win.
“We were trying to do things a little bit too much, making a tackle that maybe we shouldn’t. It’s hard to say, because that is the pressure. I feel more pressure in some young guys sometimes.
“Maybe it’s because Casemiro cares. We score one and he has that tackle. Sometimes it’s not the pressure, they wanted too much in that moment.”
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