The first weekend of the English Premier League season delivered plenty of excitement. The defending champions started strong with comfortable wins, showing why they are the team to beat. Newly promoted teams had a tough time adjusting to the Premier League level. The biggest match of the weekend ended in a thrilling draw, with both teams scoring late goals. There were also some surprising results as underdog teams pulled off unexpected victories. Overall, fans enjoyed plenty of goals, comebacks, and great individual performances, making it a memorable start to the new Premier League season.
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Manchester United 1-0 Fulham
Joshua Zirkzee made a memorable debut for Manchester United by scoring a late winner in a 1-0 victory over Fulham. The £35m signing from Bologna came off the bench and flicked in Alejandro Garnacho’s cross with just three minutes left, after United had struggled to break down Fulham.
Despite the win, United had a shaky start to the season, with Fulham creating early chances and forcing good saves from Andrea Onana. Bernd Leno also denied several United attempts, including shots from Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount. Though Fulham looked dangerous on the counter, Zirkzee’s goal secured the win for Erik ten Hag’s side. Garnacho later missed a golden chance to score, but United held on for the victory.
Ipswich 0-2 Liverpool
Arne Slot began his time as Liverpool manager with a win, as his team defeated Ipswich Town 2-0. Despite a tough first half where Ipswich’s strong pressing kept Liverpool from getting any shots on target, Liverpool’s quality showed in the second half.
Diogo Jota scored the first goal after a great pass from Mohamed Salah, and then Salah scored five minutes later, setting a Premier League record for most goals on opening day with nine.
Arsenal 2-0 Wolves
Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka each scored and assisted as Arsenal secured a 2-0 win against Wolves in a tense Premier League match. Arsenal, aiming to win their first title in 21 years, dominated the first half, with Havertz scoring from Saka’s accurate cross.
However, Wolves had better chances for much of the second half and nearly equalized through Jorgen Strand Larsen, but Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made a crucial save. Saka then sealed the win by scoring from Havertz’s pass with a powerful left-footed shot, prompting Arteta to compare Saka’s left-foot ability to Lionel Messi’s.
Everton 0-3 Brighton
Fabian Hurzeler had a perfect start as Brighton & Hove Albion head coach with a 3-0 win over Everton. Brighton led in the first half when Kaoru Mitoma scored from Yankuba Minteh’s cross. Everton thought they had a chance to equalize with a penalty, but VAR overturned the decision due to minimal contact. Brighton then doubled their lead after Idrissa Gueye lost the ball, allowing Danny Welbeck to score with a clever finish. Everton’s troubles continued when Ashley Young was sent off for fouling Mitoma, becoming the oldest player ever to be red-carded in the Premier League.
Newcastle 1-0 Southampton
Newcastle earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Southampton with Joelinton’s goal, despite Fabian Schar being sent off in the first half for a headbutt. Joelinton scored just before halftime after Alexander Isak intercepted a poor pass from Southampton’s goalkeeper. Southampton had chances, including a missed header by the Chilean forward and two good opportunities from Adam Armstrong, but Nick Pope made a great save, and Lewis Hall cleared another shot off the line to secure the win for Newcastle.
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Bournemouth
Antoine Semenyo scored a late goal for Bournemouth, earning a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. Chris Wood had given Forest the lead in the first half, but the match was marred by a serious injury to Danilo, who broke his ankle after a collision with Semenyo. After a long delay for treatment, Danilo was stretchered off, and Ryan Yates, who replaced him, played a key role in Forest’s goal. Bournemouth thought they had equalized earlier, but Dango Ouatarra’s goal was ruled out for offside by VAR.
West Ham 1-2 Aston Villa
Jhon Duran, a West Ham transfer target, scored the winning goal for Aston Villa in their 2-1 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium. The 20-year-old Colombian celebrated with an apparent apology to Villa fans after earlier social media posts hinted at a West Ham move. Villa took an early lead through Amadou Onana’s header, but West Ham equalized with a penalty from Lucas Paqueta after a VAR-reviewed foul. Despite West Ham’s pressure, Duran’s second-half goal secured the win for Villa in Unai Emery’s side’s Premier League opener.
Brentford 2-1 Crystal Palace
Yoane Wissa helped Brentford secure a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, but the match was marked by controversy. Eberechi Eze thought he had scored for Palace with a quick free-kick, but the referee disallowed it because he had already blown the whistle for a foul by Will Hughes. This decision upset Palace, especially after replays showed Hughes might have been the one fouled. Brentford almost increased their lead when Kevin Schade’s shot went just wide, but Palace managed to equalize in the second half when Daniel Munoz’s header led to an own goal by Ethan Pinnock.
Chelsea 0-2 Man City
Enzo Maresca’s first Premier League game as Chelsea’s coach ended in a 2-0 defeat against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. Man City showed their quality, with Erling Haaland scoring in the 18th minute after receiving a pass from Bernardo Silva. Chelsea thought they had equalized when Nicolas Jackson scored from a rebound, but VAR ruled it out for offside.
Both teams had chances in the second half, and City had a goal disallowed due to a foul by Haaland. Chelsea’s penalty appeal was ignored, and former Chelsea player Mateo Kovacic sealed City’s win with a second goal in the 84th minute.
