3 things we learned from the opening weekend of the Premier League
The Premier League is back after a two-month hiatus and the first gameweek certainly did not disappoint. An enthralling clash between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park set the tone for a weekend of exciting battles across the country.
Last year’s runner-up Liverpool stuttered against newly promoted Fulham, while their rivals, Manchester City, got off to a flying start against West Ham United on Sunday. Matchday 1 also had some shocking results, notably Brighton and Hove Albion, defeating Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United at Old Trafford.
While there are still plenty of matches to be played, we have seen some early signs of what is to come this season.
So, here are three things witnessed from the opening weekend of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
#3 The return of prolific number 9s
Liverpool and Manchester City have adopted a different approach in terms of using a number 9 in the past. Hence, the headlines were on two big-money summer signings - Darwin Núñez and Erling Haaland.
In the last two years, Pep Guardiola’s men shared the goals between them rather than having one player at the end of their chances. Liverpool have also relied on wingers Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to score in the past.
However, the new season saw two of their typical number 9s kickstart their campaign in style. Núñez, who the Reds secured for a record fee, made an instant impact off the bench as he assisted and scored once. Liverpool were trailing when the Uruguay international arrived, but he formed an excellent connection with last season's Golden Boot winner Salah to secure a point for Liverpool.
Haaland, meanwhile, erased his Community Shield disappointment with two expertly taken goals against West Ham United. His runs behind the space caused havoc for the likes of Ben Johnson and Kurt Zouma.
While both the managers did not opt to change the system, it is fair to say that the teams were more direct and the creative players frequently targeted the striker’s runs in behind. In what promises to be a season of nail-biting games, the two number 9s could have a crucial say in the championship victory.
Can the North London teams challenge the Premier League front runners?
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have undoubtedly acquired some exciting talent this summer. Both teams had an incredible start to the season with convincing victories. The Gunners came into the game with a brlliant percent preseason win record as former Manchester City man Gabriel Jesus stole the limelight (seven goals in five friendlies).
On Friday, they overcame a resilient Crystal Palace in a stadium where they have struggled in the past. Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring and Mark Guehi's own goal in the second half took the game away from Palace, but it was William Saliba who deservedly earned plaudits. The Frenchman, making his debut for Arsenal, dealt with the Eagles’ strike force impressively.
On the other side of London, Spurs went behind early in the game courtesy of a James Ward-Prowse volley. However, Antonio Conte’s men kept their cool and scored four goals past Southampton.
Star players Harry Kane and Son Heung Min were relatively quiet. Nevertheless, Dejan Kulusevski gave a torrid time to the Saints defense as Tottenham enjoyed a comfortable win.
Promising signs in the pre-season were converted into a victory in the first game-week and it will be interesting to see how the season pans out for the North London rivals.
Bournemouth and Fulham get off to impressive starts; Nottingham Forest stumble
On to the other half of the table, Bournemouth and Fulham enjoyed relative success on their return to the first division. The Cottagers, in particular, gave Liverpool a run for their money as they went ahead twice only for Jurgen Klopp’s men to pull the game back.
With that being said, the performance will delight the Fulham faithful. Last season Championship’s top scorer Alexander Mitrovic ran riot against the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander Arnold. A 2-2 result at the end was arguably a fair one, and they will look to carry this momentum as the Premier League season progresses.
Meanwhile, fellow newcomers AFC Bournemouth beat Aston Villa 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium. Defensive midfielder Jefferson Lerma gave the team an early lead and Kieffer Moore doubled it around the 80th minute. A convincing victory against a solid mid-table opposition will boost their confidence as they get their season up and running.
While the two promoted teams secured admirable results, Nottingham Forest fans were left feeling disappointed. Eddie Howe’s high-flying Newcastle United dominated the game and secured a 2-0 victory at St. James Park.
Forest have spent a good amount of money in this transfer window to acquire several new players. So it will undoubtedly take some time for Steve Cooper and Co to settle into the Premier League. However, the Welsh manager will expect more from his team in the coming weeks.