Premier League Preview: Match Week 3

Old Trafford will be the site for the 65th Premier League meeting between rivals Manchester United and Liverpool on Sunday. The heated rivalry saw the clubs draw both of their meetings last season. This time the focus will be largely on a pair of Dutch managers. Eric ten Hag was given a lifeline this summer by Manchester United’s new minority owners, but his leash could be short. Ten Hag led the Red Devils to their worst ever Premier League finish before helping to salvage another chance with an unexpected FA Cup win over Manchester City in May.

Manchester United prevailed on the opening weekend of this season at Old Trafford when new transfer Joshua Zirkzee scored a dramatic 87th minute winner. Last week versus Brighton, however, ten Hag’s managerial acumen was again called into question. He withdrew Bruno Fernandes, who was playing as a false nine, in the 79th minute at Brighton to put his team into a defensive shell. Manchester United failed to threaten after that point and the defense was ultimately undone in stoppage time by a Brighton winner. Media reports of Fernandes’ incredulity at his substitution were not helpful to his manager. In fairness, ten Hag has not finished building his roster for this season. In addition to Zirkzee, defenders Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt are still bedding in, and defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte is on the way from PSG to address weakness in the midfield. Goalscoring, where Marcus Rashford continues his inexplicably poor form, remains a problem and this weekend the club will face a Liverpool side that has not conceded a goal through two matches.

New Liverpool Manager Arne Slot, meanwhile, has professed great satisfaction in the squad he has inherited. That is a good thing as Liverpool has not helped its manager with many new signings. The transfer drought seems to have ended this week with the purchase of Federico Chiesa from Juventus. Slot remains on honeymoon with supporters after wins in the club’s first two matches. His first challenge could be brewing, however, with Trent Alexander-Arnold demonstrably pouting after his substitution from Sunday’s win over Brentford.

Another undefeated new Premier League manager,  31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler, takes his surprising Brighton side to the Emirates on Saturday to face Arsenal. Brighton’s late win over Manchester United followed an opening weekend rout of Everton in Hurzeler‘s Premier League debut. In addition to their young manager, the Seagulls have been freshened by the return from injury of star forward Kaoru Mitoma and the addition of six new transfer signings which has pushed their summer spending close to £200m. Ironically, a lack of investment was among the reasons that former manager Roberto De Zerbi departed. Arsenal, meanwhile, impressed with a win at Aston Villa last weekend after an easy stroll past Wolverhampton the week before. The Gunners have now finalized a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino who could be available to face the Seagulls.

Leaving Arsenal is striker Eddie Nketiah whose transfer is being completed this week to Crystal Palace. The struggling Eagles must go to Stamford Bridge this weekend for a London derby versus highflying Chelsea, the Blues having put up six goals last weekend versus Wolves. Crystal Palace Manager Oliver Glasner has pointed to the distraction and worry associated with his team’s actual and rumored transfer departures as contributing to the clubs’ two opening losses. Nketia’s arrival can hopefully raise the Eagles’ spirits as well as increase their goal production. Wolverhampton is another roster hit hard by transfer departures but has done little to fill the resultant vacuum after saying goodbye to defender Max Kilman and midfielder Pedro Neto.

Opponents have scored eight goals to just two by Wolverhampton in two losses to start this season. The bedraggled side now heads to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest which has grabbed four of six available points to date, albeit against less than imposing opposition. A win on Saturday by Forest and Manager Nuno Espirito Santo could force a reassessment of a gloomy preseason outlook for the Tricky Trees.

Everton, meanwhile, has been far worse than expected. The impact of losing midfielder Amadou Onana has been perhaps greater than anticipated with the club in no financial position to adequately replace him. Opponent goals have been flying into the Everton net while the Toffees are still looking for their first score of the season. Everton has had only two shots on target after two matches. Still, it seems ludicrous that Sean Dyche is purportedly on the hot seat after the former Burnley manager worked miracles with threadbare squads the past two seasons amid the club’s financial problems. Keeping the Toffees up could be an even greater challenge this season, but Dyche would seem uniquely qualified to undertake the task. The Toffees host Bournemouth on Saturday with the Cherries still coming to grips with their own heavy transfer loss, the sale of 19 goal scorer Dominic Solanke to Tottenham Hotspur. The Cherries and Manager Andoni Iraola have been able to tread water in the first two matches, each a 1-1 draw, with a possible win against Newcastle snatched away by a controversial VAR review which disallowed a stoppage time goal.

Tottenham Hotspur will be without the services of an injured Solanke when they travel to Newcastle to face the Magpies on Saturday. Richarlison is also a question mark, putting more of the weight on Son Heun-min to spearhead the Spurs attack. Newcastle, meanwhile, has been frustrated by four different offers having been rejected by Crystal Palace for prized center back Marc Guehi. While the focus has been on acquiring Guehi or a “Plan B” defender, the Magpies have also been listless in attack, scoring one goal in each of their two matches. This will be the 59th Premier League meeting between Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur with both clubs standing on 25 victories.

West Ham Manager Julen Lopetegui will have trouble finding his first win at London Stadium when the Hammers host defending champion Manchester City. While Lopetegui nicked his first Premier League win at Crystal Palace last week, the Citizens and striker Erling Haaland present a much more daunting challenge. Reigning Premier League Golden Boot winner Haaland is again leading the pack with four goals after his hat trick against Ipswich Town last week. Manchester City has not lost a Premier League match since December 6, 2023.

None of the newly promoted sides have won a match yet though Leicester captured a point, courtesy of Jamie Vardy on opening weekend. The Foxes host Aston Villa on Saturday. Winless Ipswich is home to Fulham. Southampton travels to Brentford where the Ivan Toney saga dominates the news. The Brentford striker has yet to step on the pitch for the Bees this season as transfer rumors swirl about the England international. Toney, thought close to a move to the Saudi Pro League, has now been linked with rumored interest from Chelsea. The transfer window closes on Friday for Premier League clubs though the opportunity to sell off players to the Saudi Pro League extends three days beyond that.

Premier League Results Match Week 2: Chelsea’s Young Stars Answer The Critics; Arsenal Finds Redemption At Villa; Haaland Hat Trick Plows Over Tractor Boys; Seagulls Nip Manchester United; Spurs Romp Increases Everton Worries; Liverpool Wins In Arne Slot’s Anfield Debut

Chelsea’s young stars, who led the club’s strong finish last season, had a day on Sunday. Noni Madueke had himself a hat trick. PFA Young Player of the Year Cole Palmer had three assists and a goal. Striker Niclas Jackson had a goal and an assist. Wolverhampton were left to look foolish in a 6-2 home embarrassment. Chelsea were thought the fools the past few weeks for their unusual personnel management which has seen a bloated squad experience more churn. Even Madueke had been the subject of transfer rumors, and at risk of losing minutes to newcomers, before his three-goal output on Sunday. Palmer, of course, is the club’s crown jewel and the man they call “Cold” delivered his first breakout performance of the young season, assisting all three of Madueke’s goals in addition to his own tally. The chemistry between Palmer and Madueke was undeniable, and one can only hope that Manager Enzo Maresca builds on that relationship amid Chelsea’s revolving door of lineups.

An injury to Romeo Lavia dropped Enzo Fernandez deeper along Moises Caicedo while Pamer moved inside to his more comfortable Number Ten position where Fernandez spent an uncomfortable shift against Manchester City the week before. Madueke slotted in on the right flank and excelled. Maresca’s system was evident on Sunday with Chelsea dominating possession and staying on the front foot throughout the match. To cap off an outstanding day, the final goal was the product of two of the club’s newcomers, Joao Felix scoring on an assist by Pedro Neto. Defensively, there’s still vulnerability, but the Blues look to have the goal potential to energize skeptical supporters.

That'll do. #CFC | #WOLCHE pic.twitter.com/Ac2zcXdRzx

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 25, 2024

Arsenal is intent that this will be their year after running second to Manchester City the past two seasons. Things were certainly different on Saturday when Arsenal removed the hex that ex-manager Unai Emery seemed to possess over the Gunners. The London side were 2-0 winners at Villa Park. Last season Arsenal not only lost twice to Aston Villa but failed to score a goal across the two losing efforts. Saturday’s win was also just the second win against Emery in eight meetings. Things were again far form easy on Saturday for the Gunners. Aston Villa had the better chances with Ollie Watkins uncharacteristically failing to convert on two golden chances. The Gunners finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the 67th minute on a goal by substitute Leandro Trossard who continues to bid for a place in Manager Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup. A rare goal by midfielder Thomas Patey then removed all doubt as to the outcome ten minutes after Trossard’s breakthrough. Arsenal joins contenders Manchester City and Liverpool and surprising Brighton and Hove Albion as the Premier League sides with perfect records after two matches.

Brighton, and the Seagulls’ 31-year-old manager Fabian Hurzeler were 2-1 winners at home over Manchester United when Joao Pedro scored a stoppage time winner. No other club has lost in stoppage time as often as the six such defeats suffered since Eric ten Hag arrived at Manchester United. One-time Red Devil Danny Welbeck scored against his old club to open Saturday’s proceedings and give Brighton a 32nd minute advantage. Welbeck’s’ 100th career goal across all competitions was the sixth time he has scored against the Red Devils. Manchester United levelled in the second half on Saturday when Amad Diallo opened his account. A courageous performance saw the 22-year-old Diallo score just a day after the passing of his mother. Joshua Zirkzee would be ruled offside on a potential winner for Manchester United before Joao Pedro delivered the dagger in the fifth minute of stoppage.

There was little doubt as to the outcome at the Etihad where Manchester City spanked newcomers Ipswich Town 4-1. Erling Haaland scored a hat trick, the first coming by penalty, and Kevin De Bruyne had a goal and an assist to down the overmatched Tractor Boys.

Tottenham Hotspur also scored four times to win 4-0 over Everton. Son Heung-min found the net twice against an Everton side which has now conceded seven goals and failed to score any of its own in its two opening matches. Yves Bissouma returned from a club-imposed suspension to open the scoring for Spurs. Everton, meanwhile, managed just a single shot on target with Spurs controlling over 71% of possession. Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s howler  contributed to Everton’s woes when the England keeper was robbed of the ball by Son before the Korean international scored his first goal into an empty net.

While things look dire at Everton, Nottingham Forest is picking up points to try to separate itself from the relegation battlers. The Tricky Trees scored their first victory of the season and remained undefeated after a 1-0 win over Southampton. Morgan Gibbs-White provided the match’s only score with his 70th minute goal. The Saints, meanwhile, join Everton as the only sides yet to score a goal this season.

Crystal Palace surprisingly, is one of five Premier League clubs to have lost both games this season. The Eagles were superb down the stretch of last season under new manager Oliver Glasner, but now are trying to remain competitive while larger clubs poach their best players. Gone is electric young winger Miachel Olise. Gone is center back stalwart Joachim Andersen. Eagle supporters still have their fingers crossed that defender Marc Guehi and midfielder Eberechi Eze are still with the club when the transfer window closes on August 31. Palace suffered their second straight defeat Saturday, losing 2-0 to West Ham. West Ham Manager Julen Lopetegui recorded his first Premier League win when  Hammers Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowne scored second half goals at Selhurst Park.

Controversy clouded the finish of a 1-1 draw between Bournemouth and Newcastle on the south coast. The Cherries’ Dango Ouattara seemingly scored the winner three minutes into stoppage time, but VAR disagreed. The ball was determined on review to have come off the upper arm of the Bournemouth player, rather than his shoulder, and the goal was chalked off, much to the dismay of the Cherries and their home supporters. Bournemouth begins the season with two consecutive 1-1 draws. Newcastle was quite happy to head home with a questionable point.

Mohamed Salah scored for the second consecutive match and Luis Diaz had a goal and an assist to make Manager Arne Slot’s Anfield debut a success in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Brentford. The visiting Bees played a second consecutive match without an appearance by striker Ivan Toney who remains the subject of transfer speculation. Liverpool, meanwhile, remains perfect heading into next week’s confrontation with historic rival Manchester United where Slot will face another Dutch manager in United’s Eric ten Hag.

Two former Arsenal prodigies scored in Fulham’s 2-1 victory over Leicester. Newly acquired Emile Smith Rowe scored the opener at Craven Cottage. After a tying goal by Leicester’s Wout Faes, Iwobi decided the contest with his 70th minute strike. The Cottagers were the far more threatening side on the day with 31 touches in their opponents’ box versus just six for the Foxes. Fulham Manager Marco Silva, however, is still hoping to add a striker capable of converting more of those opportunities.

Premier League Preview: Match Week 2

Villa Park is the setting for the Premier League’s marquee matchup of Week Two. Not only did Arsenal and Aston Villa both finish in the top four last season, but Aston Villa may well have cost the Gunners the Premier League title. Former Arsenal Manager Unai Emery and his Villans were the only club to win both league fixtures against Arsenal last season. The second of those defeats, in mid-April at the Emirates, was particularly devastating for the Gunners as it represented the only loss incurred by Manager Mikel Arteta’s side once the calendar had turned to 2024. The Gunners would lose out to champion Manchester City by just two points and finish second in the league for a second consecutive year. Arsenal is hoping the third time will prove the charm this season and they can deliver a Premier League title to their fans for the first time in 20 years. A win at Villa Park on Saturday would do much to raise those hopes and remove a hex which their former manager seems to have on his former club. Emery has lost only one of seven meetings when facing Arsenal across all competitions. The Gunners’ new signing Riccardo Calafiore could see his first action after being an unused substitute last week. Aston Villa transfer signing Amadou Onana, meanwhile, scored just four minutes into his debut last week.

Eric ten Hag will try to improve his lackluster away record as Manchester United manager when the Red Devils visit Brighton this weekend. Ten Hag has 16 Premier League losses against 16 wins and 6 draws during his tenure. Surprisingly, Brighton has been a nemesis for United, dating to before ten Hag’s time. Manchester United’s 43% win rate against Brighton in league fixtures is worse than against any other side. Both the Red Devils and Seagulls are on redemption tours to again qualify for European competition after disappointing 2023/24 seasons. New Brighton Manager Fabian Hurzeler became the youngest manager to win a Premier League match last week at the age of 31.

Finishing touches ahead of #BHAMUN... 💪 pic.twitter.com/fV0y9DBB2v

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) August 23, 2024

Newly promoted Ipswich Town is receiving a rude welcome back to the Premier League. The Tractor Boys lost their opener to Liverpool and now must trek to the Etihad for a match with defending champion Manchester City. Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, Pep Guardiola’s first ever signing upon becoming Manchester City manager, is returning to the Citizens after a one-year hiatus at Barcelona. The winner of five titles during his previous stay at City could be available for the Ipswich Town match following this week’s announcement.

Liverpool have not lost a home opener in 20 years as the Reds play host to Brentford on Sunday, taking to the pitch at Anfield for a competitive match without Jurgen Klopp for the first time since 2015. The Bees could have Ivan Toney back in their lineup after the striker was held out of last week’s win over Crystal Palace amid transfer rumors. Brentford forward Yoane Wissa, meanwhile, could make Premier League history by becoming the first player to score and assist in four consecutive league matches.

Tottenham Hotspur will look for its first win of the young season when the north London side hosts Everton. The woeful Toffee attack could be just the recipe for Spurs to post a clean sheet for the first time in 16 home matches. Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke is out after spraining his ankle in his debut for the club last week.

Solanke’s former club, Bournemouth, will host Newcastle. Magpie manager Eddie Howe has a tortured history surrounding the fixture. He is winless in the last nine meetings between the two clubs, five while manager of Bournemouth and the last four meetings while in charge of Newcastle.

A London derby on Saturday will see West Ham visit Selhurst Park for a matchup with Crystal Palace. West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui will be seeking his first win with the Hammers. Crystal Place center back Joachim Andersen is being kept out of Saturday’s match as negotiations continue for a transfer to Fulham while Andersen’s partner Marc Guehi also continues to be the subject of transfer rumors. Former Crystal Palace and Manchester United right fullback Aaron Wan-Bissaka could make his debut for the Hammers versus his former club.

A relegation battle will take place on the south coast where Southampton will host Nottingham Forest. The Tricky Trees are expected to be embroiled in the relegation scrap with the newly promoted sides this season.

Former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper was the only manager of the promoted sides to notch a result last weekend when a Jamie Vardy goal gave Leicester a draw with Tottenham Hotspur. This week the Foxes are at Craven Cottage for a match with Fulham, 1-0 losers to Manchester Unted in the season’s opening match last Friday.

Chelsea will bring its traveling circus to Wolverhampton on Sunday. New transfer Joao Felix should be available to play, but it remains to be seen what Manager Enzo Maresca has planned for him and the other 100 Chelsea wingers.

Premier League Results Match Week 1: Top Sides Cruise To Wins; Chelsea Adds More Chaos; Manchester United Additions Pay Immediate Rewards; Spurs Stumble; Vardy Back For One More Party

Much went to script in the Premier League Opening weekend. The clubs who finished one through four last season all won their matches and Chelsea created more off the pitch drama. The first ball was kicked at Old Trafford where Manchester United looked as unready as Manager Eric ten Hag had predicted the day before, but still managed to post a win courtesy of one of their new signings. Joshua Zirkzee, one of three Dutch players recently signed by ten Hag, became an instant hero when he scored in the 87th minute to defeat Fulham 1-0. Zirkzee’s goal was assisted by Alejandro Garnacho as the two substitutes injected life into a struggling Manchester United attack Manchester United right back Noussair Mazraoui proved to be another valuable addition after being thrust into a starting role less than a week after his signing. Mazraoui was relieved in the 81st minute by yet another transfer, Matthijs de Ligt. Both defenders were acquired from Bayern Munich this month, and both have previously played for ten Hag at Ajax. The transfer window so far looks to have been good for the Red Devils.

Liverpool, on the other hand, has made no signings and did not seem to need any in the Reds’ 2-0 victory at Ipswich Town on Saturday. Ipswich Town put up a good fight for a half before Liverpool took over Saturday’s match with Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah scoring in the 60th and 65th minute, respectively. Liverpool’s improved sense of urgency after halftime spoke well of Slot, a winner in his Premier League debut. The quality Slot inherits was evident in Jota’s goal which featured slick passing from Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah to set up the score. Salah’s goal five minutes later was a record ninth time he has scored on the Premier League’s opening weekend.

Arsenal, second to Manchester City in the last two campaigns, is also counting on improvement from its core roster to put it over the top. Kai Havertz addressed the continuing question of his striker credentials by heading in the first goal of the Gunners’ new title chase at the 25-minute mark.

Kai Havertz gets @Arsenal's first goal of the new season!

How good was that Bukayo Saka assist? 🤌#ARSWOL | #TheKickOff pic.twitter.com/n4nnmVzsCB

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 17, 2024

Bukayo Saka knocked in the second goal for a side which scored 91 goals last season, second only to the 96 of Manchester City, despite missing a traditional Number Nine. The Gunners clearly outclassed a Wolves side which probably needs to reinvest some of the proceeds from selling former stalwarts Max Kilman and Pedro Neto. The only offense offered by Wolverhampton in the match was provided by defender Yerson Mosquera  who on one occasion put his hand on the throat of Havertz and then, more strangely, was seen grabbing Arsenal defender Gabrel’s right cheek (not the one beside his nose). Mosquera was not booked for either offense though Gabriel received a card for his understandable aggression following the goosing.

Manchester City were unmolested by a tame Chelsea effort in a 2-0 away win for the defending champions. Erling Haaland, the reigning Golden Boot winner, scored the opening goal for Manchester City while former Chelsea player Mateo Kovacic would score the insurance goal, rubbing salt in the wounds of unhappy Chelsea supporters. Manchester City was far from its best as several stars are still acclimating after international play this summer with midfielder Rodri not even on hand as he enjoys an extended break after Spain’s’ European Championship. It did not matter against Chelsea which is absorbed in self-inflicted chaos. Another 11 signings this transfer window had brought the number of senior players at Chelsea to over 40 heading into match day. Several players are practicing away from the team as options for their disposal are explored. Four different players made their club debut against the Citizens, only the second time a Premier League club has fielded so many newcomers in a single match. Losing out in the game of musical chairs was Premier League veteran Raheem Sterling who failed to make the match day squad despite frequently featuring in preseason for new manager Enzo Maresca. A miffed Sterling camp issued a statement before gametime asking for clarity from the club regarding Sterling’s status. The veteran winger now joins a long list of players questioning their future at the volatile club. Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez was made captain for the match by Maresca, a controversial move after the Argentine’s recent involvement with racist chants.

Just a year ago, Aston Villa was clobbered on opening weekend by Newcastle. The Villans would shrug that off and deliver an impressive 2023/24 season which saw them displace Newcastle in the top four. Villa wasted no time in showing its quality this season by defeating West Ham 2-1 at London Stadium. Aston Villa won the battle of clarets when substitute Jhon Duran found the net in the 79th minute. Duran almost became a Hammer some weeks ago, even posing with a cross armed Hammers gesture on social media before negotiations fell apart. The failed deal cost the Hammers three points on Saturday. Newly acquired midfielder Amadou Onana scored the first goal for Aston Villa in another positive sign on opening day for Manager Unai Emery’s gang. West Ham’s new manager Juan Lopetegui, meanwhile, lost his home debut.

Another new manager made history Saturday when Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler became the youngest manager to win a Premier League match. The 31-year-old Hurzeler is the first Premier League manager to be born after the league’s 1992 founding. His Seagulls soared to the top of the table on goal differential with their 3-0  demolition of Everton at Goodison Park. Karao Mitoma made a triumphant return from last season’s injury to  score the first goal of Brighton’s campaign. Everton were poor and went down to 10 men when defender Ashley Young pulled down Mitoma in the 66th minute. Toffee supporters could be fearfully in store for a fourth consecutive season of struggle in the club’s final season at Goodison Park.

Newcastle went down a man in the 28th minute and were still able to prevail over newly promoted Southampton on a 45th minute goal by the Magpies’’ Joelinton. The Saints self-destructed when goalkeeper Alex McCarthy was guilty of a giveaway leading to the winning goal for Newcastle. The Saints were then unable to raise a prayer against the packed Newcastle defense.

Nottingham Forest bungled a cross into its box late in the Trees’ match with Bournemouth, dropping two points when the Cherries’ Antine Semenyo capitalized for an equalizing goal in the 87th minute of a 1-1 draw at the City Gound. Semenyo pounced when an attempted clearance by one Forest defender struck another Tree and fell to the feet of the Bournemouth striker in front of goal. Nottingham Forest is widely expected to join the promoted sides in the relegation battle this season and the dropped points at home surely will not help.

Brentford secured a 2-1 home win in its London derby with Crystal Palace when Yoane Wissa got the winner in the 78th minute at Gtech Community Stadium. Crystal Palace was robbed of a first half goal by a premature whistle in the season’s first major  refereeing controversy.

Monday’s final match of the opening weekend saw Tottenham Hotspur drop points at Leicester when Jamie Vardy equalized things for the Foxes with his 57th minute goal. The 37-year-old Vardy sparred with both Spurs fans and center back Cristian Romero as the 2016 title winner let his trophyless opponents hear all about it. Spurs did not necessarily play poorly but was victimized by a lack of finishing by its forward players, a skill never lacked for by Vardy.

Let The Race Begin!

The 2024/25 Premier League season begins Friday with Manchester United hosting Fulham at Old Trafford. Despite the presence of new ownership and a new technical director, the Red Devils have doubled down on Eric ten Hag despite the worst finish in the club’s Premier League history. Ten Hag not only received a contract extension, but the Dutch manager has now acquired more of his former Ajax players with this week’s signings of defenders Matthijs De Light and Noussair Mazraoui. It is unclear whether ten Hag will throw them immediately into the deep end on Friday, but it will be tempting. Center back Lisandro Marinez played left back in the Community Shield loss to Manchester City, covering for the perpetually injured Luke Shaw. Right back Aaron Wan-Bisakka was sold to West Ham this week and the other returning, Tyrell Malacia will not be available for months after knee surgery. Fulham, meanwhile, will field several new faces as Manager Marco Silva begins his fourth year in charge. The key transfer loss is Joao Paulhina who departed for Bayern Munch. Other departures included regulars Tosin Adarabiyo, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Tim Ream and Willian. Incomings include Emil Smith Rowe from Arsenal and Ryan Sessegnon, who returns to the club he helped to promotion in 2017/18. Sessegnon played for Bundesliga side Hoffenheim last season, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. Both Smith Rowe and Sessegnon, once prized prospects, will have the opportunity to make a new go of stalled careers.

Meanwhile, the clubs who finished in the medal places last season have seen relatively little change. Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal will look much as they did last season, personnel wise, pending any yet to be concluded transfer business. Manchester City open their title defense versus chaotic Chelsea Sunday at Stamford Bridge. The champions have sold forward Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid in their only meaningful piece of transfer business so far. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to confuse the football world with their difficult to define approach to team building. Wolverhampton’s Pedro Neto, yet another winger for Chelsea’s vast collection of wide men, was the most prominent name acquired during another busy transfer window. Chelsea Academy graduate Conor Gallagher, meanwhile, is in apparent limbo as the man who captained many of Chelsea’s matches during the successful run-in last season is training apart from the senior team after a failed effort to sell him to Atletico Madrid.

Arsenal, which opens at home versus Wolverhampton on Saturday, have pressed Manchester City for the title in each of the past two seasons, falling short on both occasions. The Gunners are running it back with a squad little changed to date but for the addition of defender Riccardo Calafiore. The question of whether a true striker will be required to overtake Manchester City remains open for Manager Mikel Arteta’s squad. Wolverhampton Manager Gary O’Neil has worked wonders in guiding Bournemouth and Wolves, respectively, to midtable finishes the last two seasons. This season could be his greatest challenge to date, however, after the club said goodbye to Max Kilman, the club’s center back captain who played the joint most minutes in the Premier League last season and winger Pedro Neto, whose talent will be missed despite an extensive injury history.

🇧🇷😁 pic.twitter.com/y7y6Js8OP4

— Wolves (@Wolves) August 15, 2024

Liverpool, third in the Premier League last season, has a new leader in former Feyenoord manager Arne Slot but the players will be much the same as fielded by former Manager Jurgen Klopp. A collection of young talent largely suffices for the club to contend again but a defensive midfielder would certainly help the new manager slot in more easily. Slot makes his debut when the Reds visit Ipswich Town in Saturday’s early game which will see the Tractor Boys return to the Premier League after a 22-year absence. Their stay is not expected to be a long one. Despite the presence of highly regarded Manager Kieran McKenna, the promoted side would seem to have a dearth of Premier League level talent. McKenna’s attacking style, which has seen the Tractor Boys score more goals than any English club but for Manchester City since the manager took over the club in December 2021, could work against his side. Vincent Kompany tried to maintain Burnley’s open style after their promotion last season and the club was eviscerated by Premier League attackers. On Saturday, however, the Tractor Boys will have one other factor in their favor in addition to the Portman Road support. Only one of the last eight Liverpool managers has won their initial Premier League match as Arne Slot prepares to lead the Reds onto the pitch Saturday.

Southampton could face similar difficulties to Ipswich Town this season as Saints Manager Russell Martin also prefers an attacking style and fields numerous young players. Former Saint Adam Lallana has been signed from Brighton, a decade after he left Southampton for Liverpool, more to inject some veteran presence in the locker room than any on-pitch contributions. The Saints begin their return season at St. James Park versus Newcastle. The Magpies took a step back last season, missing out on Europe after a fourth place finish the year before. Things seem a bit edgy along the Tyne as the club has made no new marquee singings, part owner Amanda Stavely has divested her club interest, and Technical Director Dan Ashworth is at Manchester United after an ugly divorce. Oh, and Manager Eddie Howe is unhappy and a possible candidate for the England job.

Aston Villa under Manager Unai Emery seemed to be ahead of schedule when they replaced Newcastle in the top four last season. The challenge now is to repeat that performance while juggling a challenging Champions League schedule. The club will look different in midfield. Gone are midfielders Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby, the departure of Luis to Juventus being particularly damaging. Midfielder Amadou Onana, however, joins Villa from Everton to help fill the void. Another interesting signing for Emery’s side is 22-year-old left back Ian Maatsen who played in the Champions League final in May for Dortmund while on loan from Chelsea. The Villans begin their new campaign versus West Ham on Saturday. The Hammers have revamped substantially for their first season under new manager Julian Lopetegui. Defenders Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Max Kilman have been added at right back and right center back, respectively. In attack, the club has added German striker Niclas Fullkrug  and Championship player of the season Crysencio Summerville, a 20-goal scorer for Leeds last season.

One of Summerville’s former Leeds teammates,18-year-old whiz kid Archie Gray is also now resident in London as he joins Tottenham Hotspur in advance of Manager Ange Postecoglou’s second season in charge.

🥇| The staff at #Tottenham absolutely rave about Archie Gray. They can't believe Spurs got him. They are buzzing! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿💎🤍@pokeefe1 pic.twitter.com/Rg7SCxk5vD

— The Spurs Express (@TheSpursExpress) August 16, 2024

Postecoglou’s Spurs made more news this week with the singing of forward Dominik Solanke, scorer of 19 goals for Bournemouth last season. Unfortunately, other news was made with the club’s suspension of midfielder Yves Bissouma for an ill-advised social media posting highlighting his illegal use of nitrous oxide or “laughing gas.” Tottenham Hotspur will be at newly promoted Leicester on Monday. Leicester’s new manager, former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper, faces challenge this season presented both by a thin roster and the looming prospect of a point deduction for financial foul play.

The Foxes are one of five Premier League clubs with new managers this season. One of those clubs is Brighton who visit Everton on opening weekend. The final stretch of last season seemed almost funereal for the Seagulls. The club won only one of its final 10 matches as Manager Roberto De Zerbi sleepwalked though the final stage of his short-lived Brighton tenure. De Zerbi’s bright start in his first year, qualifying the Seagulls for Europe, collapsed amid injury and disagreement with ownership his second year. A new energy and enthusiasm are now injected with the selection of the youngest manager in Premier League history, 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler who led St. Pauli to the Bundesliga II title last season. Hurzeler, unlike De Zerbi, claims to embrace the data-driven policies of owner Tony Bloom which have brought much success to the south coast club. Hurzeler’s odds of success are much improved by the return to fitness of Karou Mitoma, the star winger who went missing in February with a back injury. Brighton’s opponent on Saturday, Everton, would have finished 12th in the Premier League without point deductions levied by the league. Manager Sean Dyche worked seeming miracles for a second consecutive season with a less than exciting roster of talent but for England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Dyche, however, manages positive results with negative play. Expect more of the same this season.

A manager who could be under pressure is Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espirito Santo. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is not a patient man, having cycled though nine managers in his seven seasons of ownership. The Tricky Trees barely survived last season, damaged by a points deduction but also showing little improvement on the pitch after the owner changed out Steve Cooper with Santo. A poor start  to the season, which begins with Saturday’s match at the City Ground versus Bournemouth, could spell the end for the Portuguese manager. Bournemouth Manager Andoni Iraola, after a rocky start to his maiden season, found his footing and guided the Cherries to a 12th place finish. The young manager now must now sustain that success without the services of Dominic Solanke and his 19 goals from last season.

Crystal Palace is desperately trying to hold onto the young stars which enabled the Eagles to finish 10th in Manager Oliver Glasner’s first season. Michael Olise has already gone to Bayern Munich. Bids have reportedly been submitted for Midfielder Eberechi Eze and center back Marc Guehi and striker J.P. Mateta who attracted further interest with his Olympics performance for France after a breakout season with Palace. Glasner should be able to build on last season if he can hold on to some of his key building blocks. His opposite number on Sunday, Brentford Manager Tomas Frank ironically benefits in the short term from his club’s inability to sell its best player, Ivan Toney. Toney is entering the final year of his current contract and wants to play for a bigger club. Brentford is resigned to losing him but so far has not received an acceptable offer for the 28-year-old striker with a gambling suspension in his recent past. Toney might yet move before the transfer window ends in two weeks or could move in January.

Transfers can always hugely change the prospects of clubs. Such impacts, however, would be surprising at the top and bottom of the table this season. Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool look to be in everyone’s top three, though perhaps not in that order, as the new season begins. Meanwhile, a quick return to the Championship is the likely outcome for newcomers Ipswich Town, Leicester and Southampton. Everything in between is anyone’s guess.

Manchester City Seeks A Fifth Consecutive Premier League Title

Approaching the Premier League opening weekend, supporters of Premier League teams are eagerly watching for transfer news which can yet transform their clubs’ fortunes. The transfer window closes on August 30th and could still  make a difference but to date little has transpired to indicate any major shift in the top of the Premier League table. Manchester City has won the league the last four years, much to the chagrin of an Arsenal team under Manager Mikel Arteta which has run second the past two years. Arsenal, like third place finisher Liverpool, has been fairly quiet on the transfer front, adding defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bolgna.

Without major upgrades by other contenders, perhaps the best hope for Manchester City’s opponents is that the defending champions will just become bored with all their success and let their guard down after having booked four consecutive Premier League championships. Of course, the league could also act on the outstanding 115 financial violations alleged against the wealthy Manchester club and drop them down the table with points penalties. Then again, the victory in Saturday’s Community shield could prove the jinx which derails the title run. Entering Saturday’s match with Manchester United, Manchester City had begun the last three seasons with a loss in the Community Shield. Each of those seasons ended with a Premier League title. Saturday’s victory in penalty kicks versus the Red Devils ended that three-year run of losses in the Community Shield for Manchester City. The superstitious might see that streak breaking victory, worthy of celebration in the moment, as being ominous for another successful season ending result.

Unfortunately for the rest of the league, however, Manchester City will again be favored to be Premier League champions for a fifth consecutive year. They will be so despite the loss of forward Julian Alavarez. The Argentine forward, who played the fifth most Premier League minutes of any City player last  season, has moved on to Atletico Madrid after growing frustrated with a second banana role whereby he would sit in favor of other Manchester City stars when titles and cups were on the line. The Alvarez departure leaves Gardiola without a like to like Number Nine replacement when Haaland is not on the pitch.

Plan B options potentially include the use of Phil Foden or rising youngster Oscar Bobb in a false nine role. Bobb assisted on Bernardo Silva’s goal on Sunday in the Community Shield and is currently bidding for a starting spot on the right wing after a strong preseason and impressive flashes in a substitute role last season. Bobb’s potential had been identified as a key factor in the Manchester City decision last summer to let Cole Palmer move on to a starring role at Chelsea. Bobb will compete with Savinho, a 20-year-old Brazilian signed this summer, and Bernardo Silva for time on City’s right side. Sliva will also see time in midfield. Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish battle for the starting job at left wing. Grealish will be particularly motivated after his underwhelming 2023/24 season saw him miss out on England’s European Championship campaign. As with Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden can also play on the wing but should see most of his minutes in midfield where he is most effective inside. Foden, still recuperating from his run with England in the Euros, was the second leading scorer on the club behind Haaland last season. It was Foden’s best league season to date as the 24-year-old blossomed to full bloom stardom, realizing his long known potential. Manchester City’s star-studded midfield also includes world class performers Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri. Rodri’s holding midfield position, however, could be an area where the champions could use more depth as there is no clear backup for the Spanish Ballon d’Or candidate. Kalvin Philips has been a bust after his signing two seasons ago and did not see the pitch on Saturday. Instead, it was Nico O’Reilly holding down the position versus Manchester United. Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis, neither holding midfielders by trade, are other options option should someone need to step in for Rodri. Lewis started at right back on Saturday and is entering his third season with the senior team at only nineteen years old. Lewis was critical to Man City’s crucial draw with Arsenal last May when he filled in for an injured Nathan Ake. The youngster is particularly adept at fulfilling the inverted fullback role that Guardiola favors.

The legendary manager is blessed with depth and versatility in his backline. Manuel Akanji lined up at center back next to Ruben Dias at center back versus Manchester United. John Stones will now be rejoining the club after his post Euros break. The increasingly dependable Nathan Ake can play at center back or at left back where he spelled Josh Gvardiol on Saturday. With Kenny Walker also on granted leave, Lewis has had the opportunity to improve his case for minutes in the competitive Manchester City pecking order. Goalkeeping is yet another area of strength for the champions. It had looked for much of the early summer that goalkeeper Ederson might be leaving the club for Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian was not only between the sticks against Manchester United on Saturday but also scored one of the club’s penalty kicks. Should Ederson depart or be injured as happened last season, Stefan Ortega has proven more than capable of title winning form.

Manchester City begins its title defense Saturday against Chelsea, a club as chaotic as Manchester City is coldly efficient. The Citizens may yet choose to use some of the Alvarez profits to reinforce behind Haaland and Rodri. If not, the innovative Guardiola is more than capable of working with the ingredients he currently has to craft a workable solution should the need arise. Even if not dipping into the transfer pool, Manchester City, winners of four consecutive titles, must be favored to win a fifth. With both Keven De Bruyne and Guardiola potentially entering a final season for the Citizens, sufficient motivation should exist for the Citizens to leverage their powerful roster for what could be one last dance.

Little Change At Manchester United

Manchester United meets Manchester City in the Community Shield on Saturday as the rivals face off in a second consecutive trophy match after the two clubs met at Wembley for the FA Cup final in May. Surprisingly, despite some new ownership and front office transition, there is little noticeable change on the pitch for a Manchester United side which delivered the worst Premier League performance in its history last season. Many thought a makeover was called for beginning with a change of manager. Eric ten Hag, however, remains on the touchline after an uncomfortable post season period where it appeared the club’s INEOS ownership group fruitlessly searched for a suitable replacement. Instead, they gave ten Hag two more years to straighten out the iconic club after a calamitous second season which saw the Red Devils place eighth in the table and suffer their most defeats in 34 years. Supporter, and perhaps ownership, misgivings with ten Hag were perhaps softened by an FA Cup win over rival Manchester City which qualified the Red Devils for the Europa League this season. It was ten Hag’s second trophy in as many seasons with the club, such successes standing in stark contrast to what is generally perceived as a poor run as Manchester United Manger.

The club’s playing style is often chaotic and disorganized, bearing little resemblance to the finely tuned machine that was Ajax during ten Hag’s time there. Problems in midfield and defense have prevented the team form fully utilizing the talents of goalkeeper Andre Onana, acquired for his skill in distribution. Onana instead was under siege all last season, leading the league with 149 saves. Last season’s results were shocking for Manchester United supporters who saw their club post a negative goal differential in falling to its lowest ever finish in the Premier League table.

In fairness to ten Hag, however, his already thin roster was decimated by injuries last season. It can be debated how much the manager is responsible for a flawed transfer policy, but the fact remains that ten Hag does not have the material to work with to truly contend. Striker Rasmus Hojlund looks to have potential but is likely not ready for a starring role at such a big club and also exhibits troubling muscle injuries for one so young. Hojlund is out the first six weeks with a hamstring issue. Marcus Rashford has never been comfortable at striker and, in any event, was terrible last season. Long time disappointment Anthony Martial is finally gone. Joshua Zirkzee, acquired from Seri A Bologna this summer, is known more for creating chances for others but it is unknown who those others might be. Jadon Sancho is back after being exiled for his clashes with ten Hag but who knows how long a truce might endure between the two. Antony, a ten Hag player at Ajax, has been nothing but a bust in the Premier League. More positively, ten Hag will hope that 20-year-old Alejandro Garnacho, fresh off a Copa America championship with Argentina, can build on his seven goals for last season. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes led the Red Devils in both goals and assists last season and remains a splendidly creative plyer. His gunslinging style of play, however, does not help in a midfield which allows large spaces for an opponent to exploit. Transfers to help bolster the midfield in recent seasons have not proved out. Misfires and underperformers include Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat.

A beacon of hope in a grim midfield is youngster Kobie Mainoo whose composure with the ball helped him work his way into both the Manchester United and England lineups last season. The 19-year-old Mainoo is a potential star if he can improve on his defensive positioning and bulk up a bit as he can sometimes be bullied off the ball. In any event, the young man needs a new partner in front of the back line as the aging Casemiro is taken advantage of far too often by young attackers. Hard working yet underwhelming academy graduate Scott McTominay is the subject of transfer talk as he enters the final year of his contract. The midfield instability is unfortunately exacerbated by a worrisome back line. Harry Maguire’s wages continue to keep other clubs at arm’s length despite a desire by Manchester United to move on from its one-time captain. Maguire’s one time partner in the center of defense, Raphael Varane, has departed for Serie A. Rumors are that the club would also like to cut ties with center back Victor Lindelof.

Meanwhile, 36-year-old Jonny Evans looks to stay in a clear sign of how bare the cupboard is. The front office tried to bring in reinforcement in the form of Lille defender Leny Yoro. The center back, however, immediately injured himself this preseason and is out for three months. Returning from injury is Lisandro Martinez. The Argentine’s absence made supporters’ hearts grow fonder for the Argentine Copa winner as the Red Devil defense struggled last season. Left back Luke Shaw should also return from an injury ravaged season. Shockingly, after a late run out with England at the European Championship, Shaw is again on the injury list for this weekend’s Community Shield. His backup, Tyrell Malacia is out for months with a knee injury, causing some real concern on the left of the defense. Right fullback Aaron Wan-Bissaka, meanwhile, is supposedly being shopped, the club never having been satisfied with the offensive contributions of the defensive specialist. Talks with West Ham have been off and on for the former Crystal Palace defender. New Sporting Director Dan Ashworth may yet help ten Hag with some new additions. If not, the Dutch manager will, rightly or wrongly, once again become the focus of supporters’ angst.

Positive Early Signs For Slot’s Liverpool

For a club undergoing seismic change, preseason has gone relatively smoothly for Liverpool. The Reds identity had reflected the personality and style of Jurgen Klopp for nine seasons which included both a Premier League and a Champions League title during a prolonged period of top-level competitiveness. There was understandable trepidation after the German manager stepped aside after last season.

Into the breach steps Arne Slot, the former Feyenoord manager in the Dutch Eredivisie. Slot can be expected to tone down the fast-paced Gegenpressing style that was so successful for his predecessor and to implement a bit more possession-based control, perhaps not born of the Pep Guardiola school but certainly reflecting the more controlled philosophy of many Dutch coaches influenced by Johan Cruyff. Perhaps more “soft rock” versus Klopp’s “heavy metal” style of play. Early returns from the less than definitive, certainly not predictive, preseason tour of the US have been encouraging.

Things have gone well in stark contrast to some of the other top English Premier League clubs who are experiencing disasters perhaps not seen by the British in North America since 1776. Manchester City, of course, looks fine with Erling Haaland lighting up the scoresheet even as many other City stars are yet to rejoin the club after competing for their countries. The first look at Chelsea under new manager Enzo Maresca has been exceptionally troubling as the Blues have looked confused and disorganized in losing three of their four matches in poor fashion. Manchester United has already suffered key injuries to striker Rasmus Höglund and new center back Lenny Yoro and was spanked 3-0 by rival Liverpool on Saturday.

Liverpool, meanwhile, has sailed to three consecutive victories, knocking off Premier League top four contenders Manchester United and Arsenal in the process. Mo Salah has appeared to be a man on a mission, shining on the US tour despite the constant speculation that he may leave the club for Saudi Arabia. Salah’s relationship with Klopp had become fractious last season (and perhaps less visibly before) and eyes are understandably focused on how things begin out of the gate between the Liverpool legend and his new manager. So far, so good as Salah seems to be enjoying himself, shedding the despondent mien that characterized his demeanor last season and displaying the joy, and importantly the production, Liverpool fans have been accustomed to from their star. Salah assisted on the winning goal versus Real Bettis and then followed up with a goal of his own versus Arsenal. Fabio Carvalho scored the second goal in the win over the Gunners and then added one in the romp over Manchester United. Carvalho was not favored by Klopp and spent the last two seasons on loan at RB Leipzig and Hull City, respectively. Either the attacking midfielder provides another weapon for Slot or Liverpool can choose to cash in with Southampton reportedly in hot pursuit.

With seven players yet to return after international duty, opportunities have been plentiful for other players to make an impression on the new manager. Harvey Elliot and Curtis Jones, each of whom saw some time in Klopp‘s lineups, have impressed in bids for larger roles this coming season. Elliot assisted on both goals versus Arsenal. Right back Conor Bradley has again shined in the preseason, working well with Salah on the right flank, after logging extensive and impressive minutes in the latter half of last season while Trent Alexander-Arnold was injured. The rise of Bradley creates genuine competition for Alexander-Arnold who, like Salah, is entering the final season of his current contract. Slot inherits from Klopp a cupboard which is far from bare with a wealth of young talent helping to ease the transition to a new managerial regime.

There are needs, however, which could be addressed in the transfer market. Chief among these is a Number 6. Wataru Endo became the preferred choice after the club missed out on several sought-after midfielders in last summer’s window. Endo, while serviceable, is not viewed as the long-term answer. Slot is reportedly looking for a more deep lying playmaking from his defensive midfielder. Ryan Gravenberch got a run at the position versus Manchester United, but the consensus thinking is that the solution probably lies in the transfer market. Failing that, the club may look for 19-year-old youngster Stefan Bajcetic to fill the role or even Alexis Mac Allister in a pinch. Another area likely needing strengthening is center back where Joel Matip has departed and there has been talk that Joe Gomez could be following him out the door. Crystal Palace center back Joachim Andersen has been rumored to be a potential transfer target. The trajectory of 21-year-old Jarell Quansah, who continued to impress this preseason after a strong debut last season, also helps to mitigate center back concerns.

There is some worry about the lack of precision by Liverpool’s attack last season. Much of that concern focuses on striker Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan international works selflessly and creates chances. Finishing with the ball in the net is where the often wildly inaccurate Nunez often falls short. An emotional and sometimes immature Nunez was falling out of favor with Jurgen Klopp towards the end of season. It seemed the striker was reaching the end of the road at Anfield. Nunez, however, will reportedly be given a new lease by Slot as rumors of a new striker acquisition have quieted. Nunez is just one star in a constellation of attackers which should be the envy of many Premier League rivals. It all starts with Salah, of course, but Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota also provide menace. Alexis Mac Allister is a force in the center of the midfield. Dominik Szoboszlai, however, cooled off considerably after a bright start to his Liverpool career last season. The Hungarian international will need to regain his top form or lose his spot to Harvey Elliot in a position from which Slot will be looking for the type of creativity which is a strength of Elliot’s. Talk of a possible move by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson to Saudi Arabia has become muted of late. Liverpool has a competent backup in Caoimhin Kelleher but could also look to the transfer market should Alisson look for a payday.

In short, despite a quite transfer window, the Reds under new manager Arne Slot have no shortage of options on their deep roster. The Reds should be poised for another top four run, and possibly more, when they open their season at newly promoted Ipswich Town on August 17th.