EPL 2016/17: 10 things we learned from Gameweek 1
The Premier League returned last week. And with it returned those blistering goals, mind boggling saves, the roller coaster of emotions and a whole host of stories to chew over for the rest of the week. While some debutantes caught our eyes, made the back pages for their absence. Sports is always a teacher and even more a gossip-maker.
Here are 10 things we learned from the first gameweek of the Premier League.
#1 Joe Hart might be on his way out of Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge of Manchester City got off to a winning start even though it was not thrilling. A late own goal from Sunderland debutant Paddy McNair sealed all three points for the Blues, giving them a 2-1 victory in their season opener.
However, the teamsheet made more noise than the final scoreline. The first big move that Guardiola made since taking over the helm at The Etihad took everyone by shock as the Spaniard called up Willy Caballero which meant Joe Hart had to take a seat on the bench.
In the post match conference, Guardiola seemed nonplussed about the situation and hoped that Hart would fight for his place between the sticks. However, with Claudio Bravo reportedly on the verge of joining Guardiola’s revolution at the blue half of Manchester, Hart might have to seek a way out if is to play any regular minutes.
With Everton sniffing around and having a load of cash to splash, the England international might have played his last game in the blue of Manchester City.
#2 Sadio Mane is here to stay
From the moment Liverpool broke the bank to get the services of Sadio Mane, the judgment brigade has been out to make sense of the move. Whilst some believe the £34 million spent by Jurgen Klopp to land the former Southampton man on Merseyside is worth it, others were not so impressed with the move.
The fleet-footed winger has certainly drawn admirers for his pacy attacking play, but many suggested that he has been too inconsistent to warrant such a huge transfer fee. However, the Senegalese took on all comers on his Liverpool debut against Arsenal and shut up any naysayers as he produced a debut to remember.
Not only did he produce a blistering goal, the Liverpool seemed to feed off of his exuberance and energy. If the opening weekend is anything to go by, Mane’s arrival at Liverpool might just take a notch further up, adding a new dimension to the Liverpool attack.