Another week of the English Premier League unfolded and brought drama and exciting matchups. Nuno Espirito Santo returned to Wolves with his new team while Arsenal hosted Chelsea in the London derby. Let’s dive in.
Aston Villa seal comfortable victory over Newcastle
Aston Villa had quite an amazing transfer window despite losing Jack Grealish to Manchester City. However, their opening game of the season resulted in a loss to newcomers Watford. Dean Smith faced Steve Bruce’s Toon Army in hopes of redemption. Newcastle lost their opening game to West Ham and faced the Birmingham side in week two. Newcastle had the first chance to score but Callum Wilson inexplicably fired wide when 1v1 against Emiliano Martinez. Joe Willock then fizzed a pass across goal but no one could tap it in. Moments later, Villa took the lead. There was a long throw and then Tyrone Mings headed the ball on for Danny Ings who scored a spectacular overhead kick. Villa 1-0 Newcastle.
Villa made sure of the result in the second half. Ezri Konsa headed the ball towards goal but Jamal Lascelles’ arm was in the way and a penalty was given. Harsh. Anwar El Ghazi netted a fine penalty, Villa 2-0 Newcastle.
Manchester City pummel Norwich City in 5-star performance
City lost their opening game to Tottenham and people started wagging their tongues about Pep Guardiola and his team. Worries were laid to rest as they pounded newcomers Norwich City. Daniel Farke and Norwich lost their opening game to Liverpool and now had to face the champions of England. Not the ideal start for the Canaries. They were already behind by the seventh minute as Gabriel Jesus fired a cross in front of goal and the Norwich defense turned it in. City had a Ferran Torres goal ruled out after new signing Milot Rashica was fouled in the buildup. They doubled their lead minutes later when another Jesus cross deflected unknowingly off Grealish to go in. His first goal for the Citizens.
Jesus flashed a shot wide early in the second half as Norwich struggled to get anything going. On 64, City scored again. An Ilkay Gundogan corner bounced around in the box before Aymeric Laporte turned it in. Norwich nearly forced an own-goal when Max Aarons’ cross took a deflection off Gundogan but it went wide. Rashica fired wide when he was facing the City goal in between Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez compounding green and yellow misery. Manchester City 5-0 Norwich City.
Brighton maintain momentum as they defeat newcomers Watford
Graham Potter and Brighton delivered amazing performances last season but suffered unlucky results. xG suggested they were one of the best teams in the league despite disappointing results. The Seagulls have started the season by proving that those performances were not flukes. After beating Burnley on opening day, they faced Watford who also won their opening game. They took the lead inside ten minutes as Shane Duffy headed in a corner. Ismaila Sarr then blazed a chance over from the front of the box. Before halftime, Yves Bissouma stole the ball from an errant William Troost-Ekong pass before teeing Neal Maupay to double the lead. Aaron Connolly missed a glorious chance from close range early in the second half when the ball ricocheted to him.
Tom Cleverly of Watford fired a shot but it was easy for Robert Sánchez. Emmanuel Denis had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside. The Nigerian had all the time in the world to not be offside. Cucho Hernandez then fired a long-range shot over the bar. Alexis Mac Allister chipped a chance away from goal in a decent position before Troy Deeney headed wide for the hornets at the other end. Brighton 2-0 Watford.
Liverpool seal comfortable victory over Burnley
Jurgen Klopp and his reds made it two in two by dispatching Sean Dyche’s clarets at Anfield. Kostas Tsimikas in place of Andy Robertson sent a delightful cross that Diogo Jota headed in on 18. Mohamed Salah had a goal ruled out for offside and so did Ashley Barnes in the second half. Nick Pope did well to keep out a Sadio Mane effort at first but minutes later, the Senegalese winger got his goal. Virgil Van Dijk to Harvey Elliott to Trent Alexander-Arnold who touched it beautifully to Mane who scored. Alisson Becker came off his line to deny Barnes late in the second half. It finished Liverpool 2-0 Burnley.
Leeds United and Everton play out an enthralling draw at Elland Road
Demarai Gray flashed a beautiful cross that Dominic Calvert-Lewin could not get in as Everton tried to mount pressure. DCL won a penalty after he was pulled down stupidly and he converted to give his club the lead. Eleven minutes later, Michael Keane failed to read a simple ball and allowed Patrick Bamford to get in and assist Mateusz Klich for the equalizer. Abdoulaye Doucoure promised Everton more goals under Rafa Benitez and he fired a good shot at Illan Meslier after being set up by Richarlison but the keeper pushed it wide. Gray got his first goal at his new club when Doucoure played him in five minutes into the second half. The English winger was lively and set up DCL again but Meslier saved. Meslier came to the rescue again when Alex Iwobi jinxed past Junior Firpo to set up DCL.
On 72, Raphinha wrapped his foot around the ball to secure the draw. The Brazilian scoring his third goal in his third meeting against Everton. Richarlison came close to scoring the winner but his effort curled wide off the mark. A Doucoure shot was deflected off Liam Cooper and nearly into a flat-footed Meslier’s goal but it stayed the same. Leeds United 2-2 Everton.
Eagles yet to take off as they draw Brentford at home
If you followed Patrick Viera’s Nice then you would not be surprised by the two games that they have played so far. Drab and uninspiring. Almost Frank de Boer-esque but things are not that bad yet. Wilfried Zaha teed up Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher but the England U21 star struck the bar from close range inside the first half. Brentford talisman Ivan Toney fired a left-footed strike wide moments later. Bryan Mbeumo then hit the crossbar with a dangerous free-kick. Joel Ward dug out Christian Benteke but the Belgian striker headed over. David Raya then acrobatically saved a James McArthur shot that looked destined for the top corner. It ended Crystal Palace 0-0 Brentford at Selhurst Park.
Saints hold red devils to a draw at Saint Mary’s
Manchester United had the first chance to take the lead. Bruno Fernandes delivered a raking free-kick into the box and Paul Pogba skewed a header but it dropped on the bar before Antony Martial headed it again and Southampton cleared the ball off the line. Southampton pushed forward to relieve pressure. On 27, Moussa Djenepo danced towards the United box before setting the ball for David Armstrong who curled his effort wide. Three minutes later, Southampton took the lead. Jack Stephens won the ball from Fernandes before playing it into Djenepo. From Djenepo to Armstrong who flicked it delightfully for Che Adams who took touches before letting fly. It deflected off Fred and into the net. Southampton 1-0 Manchester United.
United pulled it back in the second half when Paul Pogba ventured into Southampton’s box, combining with Fernandes before teeing Mason Greenwood who finished perfectly. 1-1. Another moment of brilliance from Paul Pogba saw him flash a left-footed shot wide. Greenwood headed a very good chance over the bar as United mounted the pressure. Fernandes had a great header saved by Alex McCarthy moments later. Oriol Romeu was having a torrid game but he stole the ball brilliantly from Harry Maguire and set it off for Adams who teed up Armstrong but David De Gea pulled a brilliant stop to keep things level. Armstrong should have scored again when new contract man James Ward-Prowse delivered a corner that was flicked on by Adams. Armstrong miscued the header at the back post. What a glorious chance. 1-1 it ended.
Nuno Espirito Santo and Tottenham win on his return to the Molineux
Wolves took on Tottenham at the Molineux and in the tenth minute, new keeper Jose Sa came charging out at Dele Alli as Sergio Reguilon put him through. Alli was brought down and the English midfielder converted from the spot. A Davinson Sanchez mistake nearly allowed Raul Jimenez to score but the striker pulled his shot wide. Adama Traore spun Joseph Tanganga before delivering to Joao Moutinho who pulled it back with a flick for Jimenez. The Mexican striker curled his effort over. In the second half, Francisco Trincao failed to convert a good chance after Nelson Semedo gave him a lovely cross. Ruben Neves won the ball in midfield and sent Adama through on goal but Hugo Lloris saved. Adama’s bad finishing coming to the fore for the second week in a row.
Semedo stole the ball from Reguilon before teeing Jimenez who couldn’t convert from close-range. Steve Bergwijn and Son Heung-Min had consecutive pops at goal but Jose Sa saved them. Bergwijn performed the skill of the week before setting up substitute Harry Kane but Sa saved and saved the follow-up effort too. Wolves 0-1 Tottenham it ended.
Chelsea paint London blue as they outplay Arsenal at Emirates
Arsenal flexed 120 million in signings but Chelsea flexed their 98 million Pound striker. Romelu Lukaku took a place in the starting lineup barely a week after signing. Arsenal took the first shot of the game when Emile Smith Rowe fired a half-volley towards the Chelsea goal but Edouard Mendy saved it. Lukaku received a pass from Mateo Kovacic and held the ball up for the Croatian who sent the ball to the open Reece James. James put in a cross and Lukaku bulldozed his way through Arsenal’s Pablo Mari to score his first Chelsea goal. The Belgian striker teared up a bit as he scored for his boyhood club in the 14th minute. From then on, he was a menace for the gunners.
After great interplay from Marcos Alonso and Kai Havertz, Lukaku dummied for Mason Mount who slipped in James again. The latter finished with aplomb and pointed to the Chelsea badge in front of the Arsenal supporters. Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea. James nearly put his side in trouble when Bukayo Saka went down in the box after contact but the referee did not give it. In the second half, Saka belted a shot that deflected awkwardly but Mendy tipped it over. Rob Holding should have scored when Mari set up a header for him but his effort went wide. Bernd Leno then pulled off the save of the week to keep out Lukaku’s powerful header from a Mason Mount cross. The English youngster created three big chances on the day. Leno had to get down well to keep out Kai Havertz after Lukaku played him in. Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea it ended.
Hammers nail 10-man Foxes 4-1 at the London Stadium
Two Europa League teams clashed as West Ham took on Leicester at home after both teams won their opening games. West Ham opened the scoring in the 25th minute. Pablo Fornals found Said Benrahma who crossed for Fornals to smack it beyond Kasper Schmeichel. Late in the first half, referee Michael Oliver gave Ayoze Perez a red card for a dangerous foul on Fornals. It was the first red card of the English Premier League season. In the second half, Caglar Soyuncu produced a howler when he sent a pass into the path of Michail Antonio who set the ball for Benrahma to score the second. Leicester pulled one back when James Maddison put the ball into the box and it ricocheted to Youri Tielemans who stabbed the ball in. It was the first shot on target for Leicester.
On 80, Declan Rice made a powerful run forward before crossing for Antonio who turned Soyuncu before firing into the net. Four minutes later, Vladimir Coufal crossed for Antonio who took one delightful touch before scoring. West Ham 4-1 Leicester City. The Hammers top the English Premier League table. Some pondering for Brendan Rodgers to do!
[…] Here are five things we learned from this exciting EPL encounter; […]