Premier League Kickoff: Surprises, Dominance, and Early Predictions from the Opening Matches
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 13: Chelsea Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino and fans shield their eyes against the sun during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge on August 13, 2023 in London, England.
Premier Battles at the Top
A new season started last Friday when Burnley hosted Manchester City in a game they lost with a three-goal difference. The Clarets, led by the former Manchester City legend, Vincent Kompany, showed some quality in the attacking third and while they didn’t manage to score a goal, it’s obvious how and why they dominated the Championship last season. They are still one of the favorites to be relegated this season, but the fans shouldn’t expect an exceptionally horrendous season. On the other hand, the Citizens will most likely have another stroll in this campaign with Erling Haaland probably winning the golden boot yet again.
Bournemouth and West Ham drew in a 1:1 game. The Cherries are also one of the clubs highly likely to go back to the Championship, but drawing at home against the side that won Conference League last season is definitely a good start. The Hammers lost Declan Rice who left to join Arsenal, and are most likely to lose some other key players. The arrivals aren’t as explosive as some expected them to be, but all in all, the Hammers will aim for a spot in European competition which will most likely be quite difficult.
Arsenal managed to beat Nottingham Forest at home (2-1) and proved once again that they are most likely the second-best team in England. With several key signings, the Gunners will probably secure a Champions League spot even before the end of the season, while Forest will try their best to survive the second-season syndrome.
Mid-Table Surprises and Struggles
Brighton managed to dominate yet again and beat Premier League newcomers Luton Town 4:1. Roberto De Zerbi’s side showed that even with some key players leaving the club, they could still easily compete for the top six. Luton, on the other hand, will most likely struggle throughout the season after a not-so-well defensive performance. This was their first game in the top tier and there’s a lot of room for improvement after all.
Everton hosted Fulham at Goodison where they lost to the guests 0:1. Not a good result for the Toffees as they look to further improve their squad and avoid the relegation battle, something they struggled with through both last two seasons. Fulham seems to have yet another good start – mid-table seems to be a more than achievable task for them.
Sheffield United already started their relegation battle and lost their opening game to Crystal Palace 0:1 – a game where they at least needed a draw. There aren’t that many positives when it comes to the Blades, but the guests on the other hand have been carried by Eberechi Eze, they just need a proper finisher or two and will be safe in the mid-table.
Thrilling Confrontations and Expectations
Newcastle showed their dominance against Villa. The result was 5:1 and it’s more than obvious that Eddie Howe’s squad will continue where they left off last season and will yet again secure a Champions League spot. Their European journey this season will without a doubt be an interesting one to keep an eye on. Villa should be able to bounce back from this result and with a signing or two until the end of the transfer window will improve an already solid squad. Don’t let the result of this game fool you.
The Bees hosted the Spurs in a 2:2 thriller that could’ve ended with an even more impressive score. Both teams wanted to win, but at the end of the game, it was obvious that a draw was the most realistic outcome. Brentford will most likely have a similar season to the previous one, while Tottenham with Ange Postecoglou as the new manager is still a mystery.
Chelsea and Liverpool orchestrated yet another thriller game in which they drew 1:1. With both sides having a disallowed goal each in a high-tempo game, it’s obvious that both The Blues and the Reds will try to make some drastic changes in order to improve their somewhat dreadful performance from last season.
Manchester United barely managed to beat Wolverhampton 1:0, and while Wolves still are among those who are most likely to be in the relegation battle, their performance showed that it will be quite hard to beat them this season, especially at home. The Red Devils had a solid finish last season and will look to at least secure a Champions League spot in this campaign.
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