Manchester City’s Perfect Start
Manchester City remains the sole team in the Premier League with an unblemished record, but this weekend witnessed impressive victories by Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham, all trailing the league leaders by a mere two points. City’s dominance continued with Erling Haaland’s hat-trick securing a resounding 5-1 win over Fulham, while Tottenham, under the management of Ange Postecoglou, exhibited their prowess with a 5-2 triumph against Burnley. Liverpool maintained their winning momentum with a convincing 3-0 victory over Aston Villa, while Arsenal snatched three points with stoppage-time goals from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus in a 3-1 win against Manchester United.
Declan Rice’s Crucial Impact for Arsenal
Declan Rice, though not primarily recruited by Arsenal for goal-scoring, made a pivotal contribution as he netted his first goal for the club. His timely strike in the 96th minute propelled Arsenal to a 2-1 lead before Gabriel Jesus secured the win. Arsenal invested a club-record fee, including add-ons, of £100 million ($126 million) to secure Rice’s services from West Ham, bolstering their midfield. Rice, who previously scored 15 goals in 245 games for West Ham, earned praise from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta for his dominant performance and match-winning goal. Despite not reaching peak form this season, Arsenal has three wins from four games and enters the international break on a positive note.
Chelsea’s Billion-Pound Struggles
Chelsea’s lavish spending in the final week of the transfer window has pushed their total expenditure on new players to over £1 billion in just over a year since Todd Boehly-led consortium took charge. The club’s focus has been on young talents with lengthy contracts, but patience is waning at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have experienced a difficult start to Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure after a disastrous campaign under four different managers last season. Despite substantial investments in the last three transfer windows, Chelsea continues to lack a natural goal-scorer. A 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest highlighted their struggles, with key chances missed and defensive lapses, leaving fans frustrated.
Liverpool’s Vintage Performance
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, despite significant midfield reconstruction in the transfer window, showcased a performance reminiscent of their dominant past as they overpowered Aston Villa. Dominik Szoboszlai, a £60 million signing from RB Leipzig, scored his first goal for Liverpool, showcasing an impressive performance. Alexis Mac Allister and Trent Alexander-Arnold controlled the game, and Darwin Nunez contributed with a goal. Liverpool’s decision to reject a substantial Saudi bid for Mohamed Salah proved valuable as he found the net once more. After a challenging prior season, Liverpool has amassed 10 points from 12 in their opening games, reigniting hopes of challenging for the Premier League title.
In conclusion, the Premier League weekend featured notable performances, with Manchester City maintaining their perfect start while Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham secured impressive victories. Declan Rice made a pivotal impact for Arsenal, Chelsea struggled despite their significant investments, and Liverpool displayed a vintage performance, rekindling their title aspirations.
SOURCE: Ref Image from Malay Mail
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