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At The Emirates, Arsenal were looking to bounce back after a heavy defeat last week at home to Leeds, and they faced one of the teams with a 100% record, Blackburn. Both sides started cagily and at half-time the teams went in 0-0, with not many chances on offer. Humphris adopted the Tim Davey team-talk approach at half-time, and it came off 8 minutes after the interval, Rodrigo Bentancur scoring to put the Gunners in the lead. Arsenal survived a penalty shout on the hour mark, and then Bentancur again provided Pino with a perfect cross to make it 2-0. Substitute Roland Sallai had a rare outing from the bench and wrapped up the home side’s win with a third - Arsenal back on track, Blackburn’s winning start halted.
MOM : Rodrigo Bentancur (Ars)
Barnsley took on Newcastle at Oakwell, after a fine away win and Newcastle being part of the 10 goal thriller with Chelsea last week. This was a very close match, with both sides frightened to commit too far forward, and then just before half time Jonathan Clauss hit a long range shot which smashed onto the bar and over the line to give the away siude the lead. Barnsley looked strong after the break, adopting a continental style of play, and after a good bit of penalty box pin ball Mitoma stuck out a leg to equalise and light up the stadium. Both sides looked happy to play out the draw until the last minute of added on time when the Magpies took advantage of some tired legs to break and score with academy star Kobei Moore netting the winner 2-1 to Newcastle
MOM : Toni Kroos (Newcastle)
Chelsea themselves faced Southampton at Stamford Bridge, with both teams looking to kick on into the European positions. Chelsea attacked from the start and scored after 10 minutes, Mason Mount scoring after Odegaard had hit the post.Both sides had chances and it was Saints who equalised 5 minutes before half time with a shot from Kulusevski which Dean Henderson let slip through to the boos of the home crowd. Southampton had a shout for a penalty but the second half was somewhat quiet and the game ended in a 1-1 draw
MOM : Martin Odegaard
Everton faced Aston Villa at Goodison Park and the big question pre-match was whether Nathan Patterson would be starting. This time the Scot was on the bench as Gooch seems to have taken heed of the press criticism, but unfortunately he didn’t pick anyone else in his place so the home side left the dressing room with 10 men. It wasn’t a good day for the Toffees. Luckily Marcao was in the car park and got changed quickly to take the pitch. Villa are a good side and scored in the 12th minute through Todibo, manager Keith Drummond giving his players some instructions to go out there and play hard - and 5 of the Villa players were booked as a result. Gabriel Jesus and Josip Sutalo completed the win in the second half to make it 3-0 to the Claret and Blues and a miserable, pointless start for Everton.
MOM : Josip Sutalo
Massive clash at Elland Road, as 100%‘ers and free scoring Leeds took on the champions Man City. Tim Davey’s men got off to the perfect start with a beauty from Victor Osimhen, who nutmegged Jude Bellingham in the build up. 2 minutes later Juan Cuadrado doubled the lead and Elland Road went wild. The game was pretty much done on 54 minutes when Antonio Rudiger outrageously chipped the keeper for 3-0. Dussan Vlahovic pulled one back quickly but it was too little, too late, and Leeds march on - are we seeing the start of something special here? It’s a pretty impressive start.
MOM : Victor Osimhen
Liverpool looked to build on last weeks first win with a home fixture against Crystal Palace. Graeme Edwards went for a more direct tactic this week to break down the Eagles, but they had not come to make up the numbers today, and after 25 minutes Vogt won a penalty for the away team. Adama Traore blasted it just over, and the home side held on, but the Kop was restless. 6 minutes later, and another goalkeeping gaffe saw Onana let Traores shot slip through and Palace went ahead. Liverpool huffed and puffed in the second half but never really got going and created very few chances again for their strikers who had 4 shots between the three of them. Palace held on for a fabulous away win but they didn’t really have to do enough for it.
MOM : Adama Traore
Man Utd faced pointless Burnley at Old Trafford, both sides having experienced 4-2 defeats against Spurs. United were purring today, and looked like the title challengers we recognise. They coasted home 4-0 in the end, Ansu Fati opening the scoring after 11 minutes, followed by second half strikes from Adeyemi with an acrobatic effort, Saka with a rare headed goal and then again with an incredible strike that left Old Trafford bouncing. Morata, who keeps popping up with goals, scored one for Burnley, but it was the definition of a consolation goal for Simon Hills team who also are staring up at the foot of the table with a pointless start
MOM : Bukayo Saka
Sheffield Wednesday faced Cardiff who swatted aside West Ham at home last week, and needed to get some points, almost as much as the Hammers as both sides looked for their first points of the season - Cardiff though are flying high and executed a perfect smash and grab to take the points back to Wales with a Brekalo goal with 8 minutes to go. Ryan Allsop in goal was outstanding for Cardiff as they take the Premiership by storm - 1-0 Cardiff
MOM Ryan Allsop
Newly promoted Watford have been battling away already and this week faced fellow Londoners Tottenham who have started well. Tottenham put in a highly ‘Spursy’ performance, and with the exception of debutant Aaron Hickey were very poor here. Hickey was said to be delighted to be free of the shackles at PSG where the boss insisted on each defender having a set of spreadsheets for different tactical outcomes. Not to take away from an excellent Watford performance, helped by one of those fatal first minute goals from Sarr.Embolo scored at another killer point as the sides went in at half time to make it 2-0 and as Spurs pushed forward with 7 attackers Watford hit on the break to make it 3-0 and underline their great start to the season. Spurs will have to improve on this..
MOM Amir Rrahmani
West Ham surely needed a victory against Leicester at Upton Park, with the fans baying for better performances after losing 5-1 at Cardiff last week. Leicester have been very good so far, but Todd Fortune called this a ‘must-win’ already in this season, and that he got with a polished home performance. First half goals from Politano who grabbed a brace, then Cole Palmer and Mancini scored in the second half to make it a resounding 4-0 win for the Hammers, and their first points
MOM : Matteo Politano
Team of the round: Allsop (Cardiff) , Sutalo (Villa), Rudiger (Leeds), Tarkowski (Newcastle), Hickey (Spurs), Rrahmani (Watford), Bentancur (Arsenal), Kroos (Newcastle), Saka (Man U), Politano (West Ham), Osimhen (Leeds), Traore (Palace)
Performance of the week: Watford are very unlucky not to make it 3 newly promoted sides in a row, but i think it has to go to Leeds - Tim Davey’s boys look unstoppable at the moment and brushed the champions aside 3-1, so now are the only side with a 100 % record in the premiership.
Shocker of the week - Again Spurs made a good claim for this, as did Liverpool, but it is their Merseyside neighbours Everton who pick up the gong again with a 10 man starting line up. What is going on at Goodison??