The most exciting league in the world is back and we are excited about it, no more boring weekends as fans all over the world can now wait and look forward every weekend to the ever-exciting games and the enormous talents that would be on parade. It’s been a very busy summer for most of the teams as teams have gone all out to fortify and make solid their teams so that they would be able to contend and be as competitive for the new season as possible.
Match day one kicked off without the fans and the very dreaded COVID-19 is still here and there are still regulations in place to curtail its spread. But despite the lack of fans and the excitement that comes with the return of football, we are still excited and ready to follow and enjoy the beautiful game.
Here is a late review of some select matches of match day 1 in the English premier league.
FULHAM vs ARSENAL
Craven Cottage
Fulham are back on the Premier league and it feels good to have them back after coming in through the playoff and they did so remarkably well, they prevailed over West Brom at a playoff match to get back into the Premiership, Scot Parker’s side would be hoping to have a swell and interesting time in the league this season and their most realistic achievement would be to stay up in the Premiership and be able to be as competitive as possible.
Arsenal on the other hand are coming back fresh from winning the FA cup at the end of last season and starting the season with an impressive penalty shot out community Shield win over Champions Liverpool. and they have been busy in the transfer market with the acquisition of Willian from London neighbors Chelsea, Gabriel Magalhae from Lille in France,Cedric Soares from fellow premiership team Southampton and a second loan Stint from Dani Ceballos who impressed last season on loan for the gunners.
Arsenal were obviously the overwhelming favorite to come out with the 3 points from this season’s opening match-up at the Craven Cottage home stadium of Fulham and they didn’t disappoint as they got the job done over a largely inadequate Scot Parker side, they got ahead as early as the 8th minutes when French man Alexander Lacazzette pounced on a rebound at close range to slot in the season’s opening goal, there wasn’t much action or any other goals scored until early on in the second 45 when Arsenal’s new boy, the Brazilian Gabriel Magalhae was at the end of a teasing corner kick cross from another fellow Brazilian, Willain to put the Gunners ahead by 2 goals. Fulham had no reply to Arsenal as they capped up a beautiful afternoon with a brilliant team goal which their inspirational Captain Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, bend in to the far corner of Marek Rodák in goal for Fulham and the gunner marched on to a very sweet 3 point match day 1 victory.
Notably, Willian was the provider of the assist for all Arsenal goals.
LIVERPOOL vs LEEDS
Anfield
Champions Liverpool got up to start in their quest to defend their Epl title they won less than two months ago in a 7 goal thriller against newly promoted side Leeds United, Leeds United are coming into the season with huge potentials after a return to the premier league in 16 years of languishing in the lower divisions in English football, but they are back now with a master tactician manager in the veteran Mercelo Bielsa and they looked the part after letting Liverpool labour to get the all-important opening match day one 3points to start the season with.
Mo Salah brought his scoring boots into the new season as he got up to start quickly after stepping up to slot in a penalty as early as the 4th minutes for Liverpool, but Leeds gave us a glimpse of what they could do this season when after 8 minutes from the Liverpool goal in the 12th minutes, a very fantastic solo run was capped up by a cool finish from Jack Harrison and it was game on.
Liverpool levelled matters courtesy of a headed goal from Vigil Van Dykl in the 20th minute and he was guilty of allowing Patrick Bamford pounced on a loose pass to beat Alisson Becker in the Liverpool goal to but the game back at 2-2.
Liverpool would however get back in the leading heading into the half from a fine finish from the Egyptian Mo Salah once again to complete his brace.
2nd half had a different feel as both teams kept having a go at each other and was pretty much end to end affair as Leeds would get an equaliser yet again when Mateusz Klich got an all-important leveler to make it 3-3 at less than half an hour to go. But Liverpool would eventually have the final say as Reds were awarded another penalty after a foul play on Fabinho by Rodrigo who was making his Leeds debut was spotted by referee Michael Oliver who gave the penalty which was calmly converted by Salah to complete his hat trick for the day.
It ended 4-3 in favor of Liverpool and the title defence is on.
BRIGHTON vs CHELSEA
Amex Stadium, Falmer
Big Spending Chelsea have been really busy in the transfer market having completed the signing of Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, Kai Havertz from German side Bayer Leverkusen, Hakim Ziyech from Dutch side Ajax, Malang Sarr from French side Nice, Ben Chilwell from fellow premiership side Leicester City and Thiago Silva from PSG.
They came into the Monday night fixture against modest Brighton and Hove side as the overwhelming favorites and they didn’t disappoint as they came with all 3 points.
They shot into the lead very early on in the game courtesy of a 23rd minute fine penalty from Jorginho, he had been brought down by the Brighton goal keeper Mat Ryan in the build up to what seem like a goal bound move. Brighton were competitive and stood toe to toe with Chelsea at their home ground at the Amex Stadium and they got close on a couple of occasions to find the leveler but they were not precise enough to punish Chelsea for some of the obvious sloppy play in the back. They however got the equaliser earlier in the second half in the 54th minute as Leandro Trossard powered in a fine left footed shot to level matters for Brighton.
Reece James restored Chelsea’s lead immediately with a very powerful shot into the top corner, his first premier league goal.
Brighton had other chances to level up matters, but they were generally wasteful which summed up the match for them as Chelsea capped up a brilliant performance and sealed all 3 points courtesy of Recce James corner which was met by a Kurt Zouma header on the 66th minute.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs EVERTON
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs got up to a losing start in the season after they came up against Everton, Everton coming into this one has done some impressive businesses in the transfer market after acquiring the likes of Niels Nkounkou from Marseille, Allan from Napoli, James Rodriguez from Real Madrid and Abdoulaye Doucoure from Championship side Watford.
Spurs on the other hand didn’t do much business in the summer as they announced the arrival of 24-year-old Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from fellow premiership side Southampton. Matt Doherty also made a switch between premier leagues sides from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Giovani Lo Celso from Betis and of course English goal keeper Joe Hart arrived Spurs on a free transfer from Burnley.
The game was a cagey affair as majority of the good chances came the way of Everton and the decisive moment of the match arrived in the 55th minute when England youngster for Everton, Dominic Calvert Lewin made the difference as he powered in a powerful headers which met a Lucas Digne’s pin point free-kick to put the ball beyond Hugo Lloris in goal for Tottenham.
The lone goal was all it took for Carlo Ancelloti’s side to grab the all-important opening day 3 points. This is Everton’s 1st win against Spurs in 8years and Jose Mourinho’s first defeat in an opening day fixture after 19 times of trying.
