EPL Week 2 Highlights for the Lapsed Fan
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18: Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest celebrates the sides opening goal to make it 1-0 during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United at City Ground.
Clash of the Giants: Key Derby Outcomes
The second round of the English Premier League opened last Friday when Nottingham Forest hosted Sheffield United at City Ground. The hosts opened the relegation battle derby with an early lead. The scorer was none other than Taiwo Awoniyi who managed to score his eighth goal in eight consecutive games for Forest, becoming the first Nigerian who managed to do so. He is also the third African on the list only behind Mohamed Salah and Emmanuel Adebayor (seven-game runs).Hamer managed to equalize for the Blades at the start of the second half, but that wasn’t enough for the guests since Chris Wood scored a late winner in the 89th minute. While United’s roster doesn’t look that impressive, there’s still some room for improvement during the campaign that will most likely be an excruciating one for them. On the other hand, Steve Cooper’s squad will look to do slightly better compared to the previous season.
There were five games in total played on Saturday. Wolves hosted Brighton in a game they lost 1:4. Even though Wolves showed promising composure against Manchester United the week prior, that wasn’t enough to even get a point Against Albion. The Seagulls are currently looking like one of the most exciting teams to watch not only in the Prem but also in the rest of Europe. Mitoma’s opening goal was quite impressive – the Japanese sliced through the final third like a through butter and later on provided an assist to Brighton’s second goal scored by Pervis Estupiñán (who assisted Mitoma on the first one). Solly March scored the third and the fourth, both assisted by the Paraguayan wunderkind – Julio Enciso.
Wolves will have to try their best not to lose their temper throughout the campaign, which will be somewhat hard considering the fact that Matheus Nunes was sent off at the end of an already-decided game for unsportsmanlike behavior. On the other hand, the Seagulls will most likely not only compete for the top four but will also impose a threat to the title contenders Manchester City considering their attacking prowess and more depth in their squad.
Epic Showdowns: Goals, Red Cards, and Drama
It’s not unusual for a matchup between Liverpool and Bournemouth to include a high-scoring margin. While the Reds didn’t beat the Cherries 9:0 like in August last year, the result was still in favor of the Merseysiders who won 3:1. The guests took an early lead in the third minute. Solanke, a former Liverpool striker, assisted Semenyo for the lead. Liverpool then managed to not only score three goals (Diaz 28’, Salah 36’, and Digo Jota 62’) but also miss a penalty (which Salah managed to rectify right away) and get a direct red card (Max Allister 62’).
In a London derby Fulham hosted Brentford in a game that saw the Bees easily win 0:3. Even though Fulham beat Everton at the start of the season and took all three points right away, it was obvious that luck was in their favor last Saturday. The Bees showed yet again that their last season wasn’t just a fluke and that they will continue where they left off. The goals were scored by Wissa (44’), and Mbuemo (66’ pen, 90+2’). It seems like there should be no issues with Brentford missing their star striker Ivan Toney who is set to return to professional football in January.
Spurs hosted the Red Devils in one of two derby games this round (the other one being Manchester City vs. Newcastle). Ange Postecoglou’s squad drew to Brentford in the first round but still managed to show that they could go on even without Harry Kane. A goal by Sarr in the 49th minute and an own goal by Martinez in the 83rd minute secured three points for the North London outfit. A new era at Tottenham Hotspur has just started and it seems like they’re on a good path to potentially secure a Champions League spot at the end of this season. Manchester United, on the other hand, still has some work to do when it comes to their finishing ability. With some of the players having a high expected goal index, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before the team starts scoring.
Top Performers of the Week: Who Stood Out and Why
Probably the most anticipated game of the whole round was played on Saturday evening. The reigning champions Manchester City hosted one of the most exciting teams to watch this season – Newcastle United. Citizens managed to beat the guests with a goal scored by Álvarez in the 31st minute of the game – the game that saw six yellow cards, one for the City and five for the Magpies. Newcastle also used all five substitutions, while Pep Guardiola’s side used none. There should be no doubt that both teams should easily finish this season in the top four.
Villa got thrashed in the first round by Newcastle United but managed to thrash Everton in the second. The final result was 4:0, with goals scored by McGinn – assisted by Bailey (18’), Douglas Luiz (24’ pen), Bailey (51’), and Duran (75’). Villa should without a doubt be a solid top-half outfit, while Everton will, for the first time in years, start the relegation battle right away from the first round.
Another London derby saw a clash between West Ham United and Chelsea. The game that ended 3:1, saw several yellow cards, a red card, and a missed penalty. Looking at the post-game stats, it is obvious that both teams tried their hardest, but that wasn’t enough for the Blues who have high expectations with all the transfers they’ve made this summer so far. The Hammers, on the other hand, will, just like the Spurs, try their best to go on without their key figure – in this case Declan Rice. Aguerd scored the first one for the Hammers (7’), Chukwuemeka equalized in the 28th minute, while the other two goals for West Ham were scored by Antonio (53’) and Paquetá (90+5+ pen). The first two goals for the hosts were assisted by James Ward-Prowse who seems to be a more than a solid alternative for departed Declan Rice.
The Unexpected Turnarounds: Teams that Surprised
The final game of the round was played on Monday. Arsenal managed to beat Crystal Palace away in a game in which after the captain Martin Ødegaard scored from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute, the Gunners were one down less than 15 minutes after. Tomiyasu got sent off after getting the second yellow card only seven minutes after the first one. That was enough for the guests to keep the lead and eventually win the game. The Eagles should easily keep their spirits high since their performance was more than solid.
Updates and Delays: Premier League Announcements
One game that wasn’t played this weekend was a matchup between Luton Town and Burnley. The game was postponed due to the condition of Kenilworth Road – a stadium that is undergoing extensive improvement works in order to bring it up to code for the Premier League.
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