A look at the week which was in the Premier League.

LAS VEGAS – Matchweek 1 of the new Premier League season has concluded. It was only Round 1/38 but if this weekend was even a modicum of a preview of what is to come then fans globally are in for a real treat amongst another fine season in the best league there is.

Here, we’ll take a condensed look at the fixtures from MW1 focusing on impactful notes and statistics from each match.

MUNFUL

• Man Utd 1 Fulham Nil
• Possession: MUN 54% FUL 46%
• Shots On Goal: MUN 5 FUL 2
• xG: MUN 2.72 FUL 0.48
• Corners: MUN 7 FUL 8
• Tackles: MUN 20 FUL 23
• Yellow Cards: MUN 2 FUL 3

MOMENTS OF CLASS

87th Minute: United debutant Joshua Zirkzee sends the Old Trafford crowd into a frenzy as the forward astutely found danger area where he put a foot on a ball for a game-winning goal via a deft pass from Alejandro Garnacho.

IPSLIV

• Ipswich Town 0 Liverpool 2
• Possession: IPS 42% LIV 52%
• SOG: IPS 2 LIV 5
• xG: IPS 0.51 LIV 3.40
• Corners: IPS 2 LIV 10
• Tackles: IPS 20 LIV 9
• Yellow Cards: IPS 3 LIV 1

MOMENTS OF CLASS

60th minute: Trent Alexander-Arnold makes a beauty of a pass through three Tractor Boys defenders up the right side into the final third where Mo Salah makes an easy touch pass to a streaking Diogo Jota who finds the net at top left corner.

65th minute: LIV star man Mo Salah scores a tap-in goal to earn a Premier League record, scoring in 9 Opening Day matches. Salah now has 300 goal contributions in 350 matches.

ARSWOL

• Arsenal 2 Wolverhampton Nil
• Possession: ARS 52% WOL 48%
• SOG: ARS 6 WOL 3
• xG: ARS 1.51 WOL 0.40
• Corners: ARS 8 WOL 2
• Tackles: ARS 19 WOL 20
• Yellow Cards: ARS 2 WOL 2

MOMENTS OF CLASS

25th minute: ARS star boy Bukayo Saka works up the right side and makes a delightful cross from distance into the middle of the box where Kai Havertz heads it home.

74th minute: It’s Saka again. This time the Gunners RW and England International gets one in from right about the top right corner of the box. A sublime finish.

EVEBHA

• Everton Nil Brighton & Hove Albion 2
• Possession: EVE 42% BHA 58%
• SOG: EVE 1 BHA 5
• xG: EVE 0.46 BHA 1.75
• Corners: EVE 1 BHA 5
• Tackles: EVE 22 BHA 20
• Yellow Cards: EVE 1 BHA 1
• Red Cards: EVE 1 BHA 0

MOMENTS OF CLASS

25th minute: BHA MF Kaoru Mitoma begins a run from a defensive third, past the half line, gives the ball up in transition, continues in, and eventually smashes home a cross for a 1-Nil advantage

56th minute: A very poor Everton giveaway leads to a sterling left-footed finish from former Toffee Danny Welbeck. EVE did little right at Goodison Park on this day.

86th minute: Substitute FW Simon Adingra gets his first goal of the new term to solidify the comprehensive win for BHA.

NEWSOU

• Newcastle 1 Southampton Nil
• Possession: NEW 32% SOU 68%
• SOG: NEW 1 SOU 5
• xG: NEW 0.25 SOU 1.92
• Corners: NEW 3 SOU 12
• Tackles: NEW 16 SOU 16
• Yellow Cards: NEW 2 SOU 4
• Red Cards: NEW 1 SOU 0

MOMENTS OF CLASS

46th minute: On a day where the stat sheet says The Geordies were outplayed, MF/FW Joelinton blasts one home, central box, off a feed from ST Alexander Isak, who took advantage of a misplayed ball from the SOU GK sending the St. James Park crowd into bedlam.

NFOBOU

• Nottingham Forest 1 Bournemouth 1
• Possession: NFO 51% BOU 49%
• SOG: NFO 8 BOU 4
• xG: NFO 1.3 BOU 1.2
• Corners: NFO 2 BOU 6
• Tackles: NFO 24 BOU 19
• Yellow Cards: NFO 1 BOU 3

MOMENTS OF CLASS

23rd minute: Forest ST Chris Wood sends the City Ground faithful into a frenzy smashing home a rebound (Ryan Yates) to give NFO the 1-Nil advantage.

86th minute: The Cherries left it late but eventually got level thanks to the poaching of BOU FW/MF Antoine Semenyo. The joust would conclude 1 all.

WHUAVL

• West Ham 1 Aston Villa 2
• Possession: WHU 50% AVL 50%
• SOG: WHU 3 AVL 3
• xG: WHU 2.59 AVL 1.95
• Corners: WHU 5 AVL 3
• Tackles: WHU 14 AVL 23
• Yellow Cards: WHU 1 AVL 2

MOMENTS OF CLASS

4th minute: AVL debutant DM Amadou Onana scores off a set-piece (corner) to give Villa the 1-Nil lead. The away end goes bonkers.

37th minute: The Hammers get level as FW/MF Lucas Paqueta converts from the spot. He was awarded the try after leg entanglement occurred in the box with AVL MF Thomas Soucek.

79th minute: Villa FW Jhon Duran silences the London Stadium crowd with a deluxe finish and GWG from about the PK spot. Big three points for Unai Emery’s crew.

BRECRY

• Brentford 2 Crystal Palace 1
• Possession: BRE 47% CRY 53%
• SOG: BRE 5 CRY 6
• xG: BRE 1.45 CRY 1.22
• Corners: BRE 4 CRY 7
• Tackles: BRE 20 CRY 21
• Yellow Cards: BRE 1 CRY 5

MOMENTS OF CLASS

29th minute: Bees FW/MF Bryan Mbeumo scores bottom left corner to give BRE the 1-nil advantage. A wonderful piece of counterattacking, transitional play from Thomas Frank’s side.

56th minute: A clumsy error equates to an own goal (OG) committed by Bees CB Ethan Pinnock and The Eagles are level.

76th minute: Ivan Toney backup Yoane Wissa send home a rebound and GWG to give BRE the 2-1 win. Complete hysteria from the Gtech Community Stadium crowd.

CHEMCI

• Chelsea Nil City 2
• Possession: CHE 49% MCI 51%
• SOG: CHE 3 MCI 5
• xG: CHE 1.38 MCI 1.24
• Corners: CHE 4 MCI 3
• Tackles: CHE 20 MCI 16
• Yellow Cards: CHE 1 MCI 1

MOMENTS OF CLASS

18th minute: City goal machine ST Erling Haaland gets his first goal of new Prem term off some splendid work in front of net to give The Citizens a 1-Nil lead.

84tj minute: Former CHE MF Mateo Kovacic bangs one top shelf, left to put a bow on this match. He declines a celebration in front of the home Stamford Bridge crowd.

LEITOT

• Leicester City 1 Tottenham 1
• Possession: LEI 38% TOT 62%
• SOG: LEI 3 TOT 7
• xG: LEI 1.09 TOT 1.21
• Corners: LEI 2 TOT 13
• Tackles: LEI 23 TOT 23
• Yellow Cards: LEI 1 TOT 1

MOMENTS OF CLASS

29th minute: Spurs FB/DM Pedro Porro opens the TOT scoring ledger for the new term off a lovely ball in from James Maddison and converts it center net. Ange Postecoglou’s side had dominated play to this point and throughout the 1H.

57th minute: Veteran Foxes ST Jamie Vardy gets LEI level off a header in front of net amidst numerous TOT defensive breakdowns. Vardy has 137 career Premier League goals to his ledger.

MY EPL POTW (Player of the Week):

• Liverpool FW Mo Salah
• A goal and an assist on away turf equating to 300 goal contributions in 350 matches gets The Egyptian King the nod here. He even set a Premier League record on Saturday by scoring in 9 Opening Day fixtures.

MY EPL MOTW (Manager of the Week)

• Aston Villa boss Unai Emery
• For AVL to pick up where it left off last term and open with 3 points collected away at a decent West Ham United side was yet another reminder of Emery’s tactical and organizational prowess.

CHOICE CUTS MW2

• BHAMUN
• AVLARS

REFERENCES

• FB Reference
• The xG Philosophy
• Premier League dot com
• X
• NBC Sports Soccer
• USA Network
• Peacock
• CBS Sports