Key takeaways and analysis from opening weekend of EPL season

Following each weekend of Premier League motion, theScore examines crucial developments and largest speaking factors to emerge from the slate of matches. Under, we dissect the opening spherical of the 2024-25 season.

The inexorable march begins

Manchester Metropolis’s quest for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title received off to an auspicious begin Sunday.

What was, on paper, essentially the most intriguing match of the opening weekend finally performed out in unsurprising vogue. Erling Haaland scored his 91st purpose in his one hundredth look for the membership, and Pep Guardiola’s facet, even with out Rodri patrolling the midfield, seemed largely snug in opposition to a Chelsea workforce that is removed from a completed product after one other lavish summer season that is been excessive on {dollars} however low on sense. There have been some promising indicators – Romeo Lavia seemed good after lacking nearly all of final season – however Enzo Maresca has an enormous job on his arms to show this youthful, bloated squad right into a cohesive group. Chelsea in all probability aren’t completed spending, both.

Guardiola is attempting to unravel a wholly completely different drawback this season: the right way to keep starvation and proceed innovating after a lot sustained success. Having the insatiable Haaland helps, in fact. So, too, does the signing of Savinho, the Brazilian worldwide who arrived from sister membership Troyes after a powerful mortgage spell at Girona – one other sister membership – final season. The mechanics of this switch are questionable, however the finish consequence is not.

The 20-year-old, beginning reverse Jeremy Doku on Sunday and sometimes swapping sides along with his fellow winger, offers Guardiola a twin risk of conventional vast gamers that he is not often had, if ever, on the Etihad. Numerous combos have been comparable in some methods, with Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling coming closest of all. However having two speedy dribblers on the pitch collectively who can stretch the opposition aside after which simply beat their markers earlier than wanting as much as discover Haaland is, frankly, horrifying. Oh, and so they introduced Phil Foden off the bench.

Arsenal are deeper and, after coming so shut final season, extra mature and examined. Liverpool have the core that was in rivalry for therefore lengthy final season. However Manchester Metropolis stay the workforce to beat.

Fast free-kicks

Arsenal do not want one other striker

Kai Havertz did not seem like a pure match when he arrived at Arsenal for almost £70 million final summer season. It appeared, initially, to be an unnecessarily opulent outlay for a workforce that had extra urgent wants. After a interval of adaptation, although, the German established himself as Mikel Arteta’s most suitable choice within the No. 9 place, ending the season in impressed type. He is carried that into the brand new marketing campaign, scoring the kind of headed purpose so generally related to prototypical strikers in his facet’s season-opening 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. In doing so, he continues to show that Arsenal ought to forgo including one other heart ahead within the last weeks of the switch window. Havertz is able to main the road for a workforce with title aspirations.

Slot wants time, and a No. 6

Arne Slot preached persistence within the buildup to the brand new season, each when it comes to his fashion of play – he desires Liverpool to be slightly extra measured than his high-octane predecessor, Jurgen Klopp – and the way lengthy it will take for his tactical concepts to change into embedded inside a bunch that was accustomed to at least one voice for therefore lengthy. He was proper to take action. Liverpool seemed disjointed within the first half of their opener in opposition to Ipswich City earlier than, sarcastically, upping the tempo and pulling comfortably clear within the second stanza. The efficiency additionally highlighted why Slot stays so eager to signal a No. 6 who can dictate the tempo and management video games from midfield. Martin Zubimendi would’ve been an ideal match, however after he spurned the Reds’ advances, Slot and Co. have to act earlier than the switch window shuts.

Zirkzee can bridge the hole

There’s a lot work for Erik ten Hag to do earlier than Manchester United can return to the higher echelon of the Premier League. Fulham’s lack of ability to correctly assess and full a last move was the one factor that stored them off the scoresheet at Outdated Trafford. Higher groups will punish the Purple Devils. However, for now, we’ll use the optimistic lens and take a look at the largest optimistic of United’s 1-0 win: Joshua Zirkzee is off to a dream begin on the membership. The Dutchman, 23, is much extra of a contemporary, versatile ahead than a standard striker, however the debutant’s instinctive end late in Friday’s contest confirmed that he has the instinct contained in the field to capitalize on probabilities crafted for him. With Rasmus Hojlund sidelined for a pair extra months, Zirkzee can carry a few of the load up entrance whereas United attempt to construct momentum.

Star performer

Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

On the again of a draining 2023-24 season – bodily and emotionally – Saka had solely 37 days between the ultimate of Euro 2024 and the opening sport of the brand new Premier League marketing campaign. And but, there have been completely no indicators of fatigue in Arsenal’s win over Wolves on Saturday. Fairly the other. Saka crafted Havertz’s header with a scrumptious cross after which whipped in a purpose of his personal with a classic minimize inside onto his deadly left foot.

He created 5 probabilities, gained 4 duels, had three photographs on track, and made two tackles, along with his aforementioned purpose involvements. He is selecting up proper the place he left off after recording 20 tallies and 14 assists throughout all competitions final season.

“There isn’t any roof for this man … The sky is the restrict for him. I’m simply comfortable to have him on my workforce, and we’ve got received to assist him to enhance on a regular basis and push him,” captain Martin Odegaard mentioned of his 22-year-old teammate, in keeping with ESPN. Certainly.

Finest XI

(Courtesy: FotMob)

Aim of the weekend

There have been some beautiful particular person efforts this weekend – Saka and Kovacic chief amongst them – however the fluency of Liverpool’s first official purpose underneath Arne Slot was too satisfying to miss.

Stat of the weekend

Is that this good? This appears good …

Social media second

The opening match of the marketing campaign offered the season’s first entertaining tussle, as Lisandro Martinez and Adama Traore took turns getting the very best of each other.

“I despatched him to the gymnasium,” the Argentine defender mentioned after the match, reflecting on the pair’s back-and-forth duel. “I learnt from the primary state of affairs. Within the first state of affairs, he killed me – so I killed him again.”

Traore, who has seemingly placed on much more muscle one way or the other this season, did not wait lengthy to reply. Spherical 2 goes Jan. 25 at Craven Cottage.

The place we stand

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