1
Forest clip Liverpool’s wings
A lot of the focus was on how Nottingham Forest clogged the midfield to frustrate Liverpool before bringing on two wingers to change the game for their first victory at Anfield in 55 years. What might have gone unnoticed were the performances of their full-backs Ola Aina and Àlex Moreno. Neither are household names, the former a free transfer from Torino and the latter on loan after underwhelming at Aston Villa. They were both excellent at Anfield against some of the Premier League’s finest wide players; Aina kept Luis Díaz quiet on the left and Cody Gakpo had no impact after replacing the Colombian, while Mohamed Salah up against Moreno put in one of his most underwhelming performances in a Liverpool shirt. The Forest duo showed the club might be finally losing their reputation for being chaotic when it comes to doing transfer business. Will Unwin
Match report: Liverpool 0-1 Nottingham Forest
2
Gabriel takes the derby plaudits
Gabriel continued his knack of important goals for Arsenal, with the Brazilian now having found the net 13 times in the Premier League since his arrival from Lille in 2020. Mikel Arteta was understandably full of praise for the defender, who has formed a formidable partnership with the outstanding William Saliba over the past two seasons. “The way he has evolved first as a person and then in his role in the club and the team has been phenomenal,” said Arteta. “It has been great to watch. This is why we are here, this is one of my passions to give players the environment, the support and coaching to grow, to prepare them for life and to get to levels they probably didn’t think [they could reach] before. Gabriel is one of the best examples of that. Why? He loves what he does, he applies himself extremely well and he wants it. When that happens, good things happen to these kinds of people.” Ed Aarons
Match report: Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal
3
Watkins and Durán hit form together
Unai Emery must be loving some of the problems he is facing as Aston Villa embark on their first elite European campaign in more than 40 years. As he tries to pick a team to beat Young Boys, the Villa manager has the conundrum of trying to maximise the output of Ollie Watkins and Jhon Durán, and keep both happy . While the England striker Watkins looked sharper and scored his first two goals of the season, it was Durán who again came off the bench to score the winner in the operatic 3-2 win over Everton. Watkins is the proven scorer and more reliable team player, while Durán is the wild card. But, having almost left for West Ham in the summer, will the young Colombian be satisfied with a bit-part role? “You have to feel comfortable with those strikers,” Emery said. “We have to think about how we can play with two strikers – this is the challenge I have.” Pete Lansley
Match report: Aston Villa 3-2 Everton
View image in fullscreenJhon Durán proves his worth to Aston Villa with a stunning winner against Everton. Photograph: Jacob King/PA
4
Sancho makes good first impression
Jadon Sancho had become English football’s lost boy before Chelsea loaned him with an obligation to purchase for a £20m fee that will constitute a £50m loss for Manchester United. Even considering Chelsea’s dealings, signing another winger when Pedro Neto had only recently been added to a rich collection seemed curious and yet Enzo Maresca spoke at Bournemouth of Sancho’s signing as part of a plan. After a supporting role in his fellow sub Christopher Nkunku’s winner – the Frenchman’s physique did most of the job – and decent second-half performance coming off the bench, perhaps Sancho might finally show off his talents in English club football. “The first day I came in, they made me feel welcome and I’m so happy to feel this comfortable,” said a player reported to have been banished to eating from his car at United. “I don’t see problems around Jadon, I don’t see anything,” Maresca said. Erik ten Hag’s ears might have been burning. John Brewin
Match report: Bournemouth 0-1 Chelsea
5
Martin will stick to his guns
The last time Southampton were promoted to the Premier League and lost their first four games they finished 14th. That was 2012-13, Mauricio Pochettino replaced Nigel Adkins halfway through the season, Rickie Lambert was up front and their Japanese summer signing was not Yuki Sugawara but Maya Yoshida. Sugawara, one of the positives this campaign, was one of seven summer signings to start Saturday’s defeat against Manchester United as Russell Martin sought a winning formula, with Lesley Ugochukwu, Mateus Fernandes and Cameron Archer making first league starts. Though it did not materialise the Southampton manager is convinced they can avoid relegation. “I’m much happier with the level of performance this season than I was at this stage last season,” said Martin, whose side lost four successive games in the Championship last September. “The lads have had so many moments in the games where they’ve shown they can really impact the league and not just fight to survive. I played in the league for five seasons and I didn’t have any, really.” Ben Fisher
Match report: Southampton 0-3 Manchester United
1:01Ten Hag confident Rashford will keep goals flowing after Manchester United win – video
6
O’Neil’s Wolves cut to the bone
In a Super Sunday carrying heavy profit and sustainability portents, Wolves ended up losing to Newcastle, who despite missing out on Marc Guéhi had not been required to sell both their best attacker and defender this summer. Wolves badly miss the defensive organisation of Maximilian Kilman, and the cutting edge of Pedro Neto. With that pair, would they have held off Newcastle’s second-half surge? It briefly seemed a defence marshalled by the evergreen Craig Dawson might hold out. Then came a deflection – off Dawson – for Fabian Schär’s equaliser. Harvey Barnes’s winning goal represented the level of class that departed Wolves when Neto joined Chelsea. If Eddie Howe remains unhappy with a lack of summer recruitment, his relationship with the sporting director Paul Mitchell widely reported as uneasy, he might offer sympathy to Gary O’Neil. Winless Wolves appear set for little but a relegation battle, their manager having had the rug pulled from under him. JB
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Match report: Wolves 1-2 Newcastle
7
Guardiola relishes City’s workload
Pep Guardiola quickly scythed down fatigue as an excuse after the first of seven matches in 22 days. A relentless student of his players’ application and attitude, he welcomed a season prolonged by June’s first 32-team, quadrennial Fifa Club World Cup, with Internazionale next up in Wednesday’s Champions League opener. “It’s more games but it is what it is,” Manchester City’s manager said. “So we are going to play Wednesday against the best team in Italy by a big margin and after against Arsenal [on Sunday] the best contender we have had in the last two seasons, then another game [and on] and we go. We have an academy. We have to adapt and go.” Manuel Akanji has made 127 appearances for City and Switzerland in the past two years and the defender’s stance contrasts that of his manager. “You can’t just keep adding game after game and assume everything will be like it was. You have to think about the players,” he said. “We train as hard as possible and are fit – but there has to be a limit.” Jamie Jackson
Match report: Manchester City 2-1 Brentford
View image in fullscreenErling Haaland scored twice for City but could not score a third successive hat-trick. Photograph: Ryan Crockett/Every Second Media/REX/Shutterstock
8
Hammers lack style under new regime
When West Ham’s owners replaced David Moyes with Julen Lopetegui they presumably did not imagine the team would be playing route-one football four games into the new season. Against Fulham it was hard to see much evidence of Lopetegui making his new team more expansive. West Ham were reliant on long balls during the first half and even reduced to their striker, Michail Antonio, hurling a couple of ineffective long throws into the Fulham area. In fairness, the stodginess in possession was partly down to Lucas Paquetá starting on the bench after returning from international duty. Yet it was strange that Lopetegui adjusted without Paquetá by starting Tomas Soucek as No 10, with the defensive duo Guido Rodríguez and Edson Álvarez further back. The plan backfired and West Ham were lucky to leave Craven Cottage with a point. Jacob Steinberg
Match report: Fulham 1-1 West Ham
9
Nketiah finds good home at Palace
Eddie Nketiah showed enough promise during his Crystal Palace debut to suggest the former Arsenal forward can prove a shrewd acquisition. Nketiah had spent too long on the periphery in north London but the chance to secure regular football at Selhurst Park, after his £30m move, could be a defining moment for his career. The 25-year-old had six shots during their comeback draw against Leicester and was involved in some of Palace’s best attacks. Oliver Glasner said: “Everyone can see he is a threat. He had good movement and runs between the lines. He was a little bit unlucky not to score. It was a good debut for Eddie.” Jean-Philippe Mateta may have taken the headlines with his two goals but Nketiah combined sharply with him and Eberechi Eze. A prolonged run of matches will be crucial, being pushed into prominence at Palace is likely to benefit him after a frustrating career spent playing second fiddleat Arsenal. Simon Mail
Match report: Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester
10
Dogged Ipswich wait on first win
The meeting of the Premier League’s two youngest managers – though Kieran McKenna has almost seven years on Fabian Hürzeler – ended in a stalemate. The type of contest euphemistically referred to as an intriguing tactical battle? Brighton had 21 shots to Ipswich’s six, as McKenna’s team defended in a dogged style rather different from their opening three matches. The Town goalkeeper Arijanet Muric was afterwards praised by McKenna as Hürzeler singled out the Ipswich full-back Axel Tuanzebe for shutting down Kaoru Mitoma. Like Roberto de Zerbi and Graham Potter before him, Hürzeler is without a goalscorer beyond João Pedro. Evan Ferguson, a late sub, remains a shadow of the player who made an impressive breakthrough two seasons back. For Ipswich, each game so far has seen positive signs but a first win evades them. Liam Delap’s brilliant solo run almost resulted in a goal but, like Brighton, a cutting edge is what Ipswich require most. JB
Match report: Brighton 0-0 Ipswich
| 1 | Man City | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 3 | Newcastle | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 6 | Brighton | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 7 | Nottm Forest | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 9 | Brentford | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 10 | Man Utd | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 11 | AFC Bournemouth | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 12 | Fulham | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 13 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| 14 | West Ham | 4 | -1 | 4 |
| 15 | Leicester | 4 | -2 | 2 |
| 16 | Crystal Palace | 4 | -3 | 2 |
| 17 | Ipswich | 4 | -5 | 2 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton | 4 | -7 | 1 |
| 19 | Southampton | 4 | -7 | 0 |
| 20 | Everton | 4 | -9 | 0 |
