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Ben Browning·31 August 2024
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Ben Browning·31 August 2024
Seven Premier League games take place this Saturday, with Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa among the sides in action.
Here's how it's all going down.
Scorers: Haaland 10, 30', 83'; Dias 19' (OG)
A second Haaland hat-trick in his opening three games gave Manchester City a comprehensive 3-1 away win at West Ham.
City survived an early scare as some perfect last-ditch defending saw Joško Gvardiol deny an almost certain goal, before a stinging shot from Jarrod Bowen was well saved by Ederson.
But it didn't take City long to find their rhythm as a chipped cross from Bernardo Silva should really have been converted by an unmarked Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian striker didn't make the mistake a second time when Silva slipped him in again, and the simple finish put Man City ahead.
Yet shortly after Kevin De Bruyne crashed a shot against the bar, West Ham found themselves level, when a dangerous ball into the box from Jarrod Bowen was turned into his own net by Rúben Dias.
Haaland was just playing too well for the Hammers to cope with, as he put City back ahead when some neat passing around the box found him unmarked again as the striker delivered the finish with his feet this time.
West Ham were forced to swap goalkeeper Alphonse Areola for backup Łukasz Fabiański at half-time, but the home side didn't seem to let it bother them as Mohammed Kudus crashed a left-footed shot onto the angle.
The win was sealed when Erling Haaland sealed his second consecutive hat-trick as he was played through perfectly by Matheus Nunes and delivered a deft chip over the top of Fabiański.
With Arsenal dropping points at home to Brighton earlier in the day, this means that Man City have taken an early advantage at the top of the Premier League table.
Scorers: Keane 50', Calvert-Lewin 57'; Semenyo 87', Cook 90+2, Sinisterra 90+6
Everton capitulated at home to Bournemouth as they threw away a two-goal lead to eventually lose 3-2 in stoppage time.
Bournemouth saw most of the early possession, but couldn't carve out any clear cut opportunity against 20th placed Everton.
Indeed, it was the Toffees who had the first effort on target of the game on the half hour mark, as new signing Iliman Ndiaye volleyed towards goal only for new stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga to keep it out well with his legs.
Dwight McNeil also tested the new Bournemouth goalkeeper before the break, but neither side could break the deadlock as they headed into the half-time interval.
Into the second half and Michael Keane finally got Everton off the mark as Jack Harrison provided the cross and Keane finished with a superb strike on the half-volley.
Just seven minutes later, the Toffees were in the ascendancy, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubled their lead with a classy finished lifted over Kepa.
There was a late scare for Everton as Bournemouth pulled one back when Dango Outtara's brilliant cross was finished at the back post by Nelson Semenyo.
It was Luis Sinisterra who proved to be the thorn in Sean Dyche's side, as he provided the assist for Lewis Cook to fire home and then scored the winner deep into stoppage time while inexplicably unmarked in the box.
Scorers: Mbuemo 43', 65', Wissa 69'; Sugawara 90+4
Brentford delivered a comprehensive 3-0 win over a defensively fragile Southampton side.
Southampton almost fell behind in the first minute, with Aaron Ramsdale forced into making a strong save to keep out an effort from Mikkel Damsgaard.
But Russell Martin's side dominated the ball from there on in, seeing efforts from Kyle Walker-Peters, Brereton Diaz and Armstrong saved or blocked in the opening ten minutes.
The Bees managed to bring the game back under control and tested Ramsdale through Yoanne Wissa in an end to end affair.
And in the closing stages of the first half, it was Thomas Frank's side who took the lead through talisman Bryan Mbuemo. Seizing on a mistake from Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Kevin Schade's effort rebounded off the post and into the path of Mbuemo, who steered it past Ramsdale to give his side the lead.
Within a four minute spell, this became a miserable day for the newly-promoted Saints as Mbeumo grabbed his second, capitalising on Southampton's hesitation in trying to play out from the back, and Yoane Wissa soon added the third, bundling home from close range after a flick-on from Vitaly Janelt.
Southampton's Yukinari Sugawara fired home a consolation in stoppage time, but in truth it will have done very little to brighten the day for their supporters.
Scorers: Delap 15'; Traore 32'
Ipswich can feel somewhat pleased with their first point since promotion to the Premier League after a 1-1 draw with Fulham.
Though Fulham began the game brightly, they fell behind after just 15 minutes as Liam Delap produced a moment of magic for Ipswich Town. Picking the ball up 45 yards from goal, he ran through the Fulham half before letting fly from 25 yards and finding the corner despite the best efforts of Bernd Leno.
But on the half hour mark, the Cottagers were on level terms with their first effort on target as a cross from Antonee Robinson found Adama Traore at the back post, with the Spaniard tapping home from six yards out.
And Fulham continued to press on as the first half wore on, with the visitors dominating the ball but not unduly testing Muric to leave the sides level at the break.
Scorers: Onana 28', Dúran 63'; Buonanotte 73'
Aston Villa held on to take a 2-1 win away at Leicester as the Foxes failed to mount a credible comeback.
It was a low key start to the game, with Aston Villa's rhythm punctured by an early injury to Leon Bailey, who needed to be replaced by Jacob Ramsey early in the first half.
But they began to find their groove and only an excellent save from Mads Hermansen prevented Ollie Watkins from handing Villa the lead before Unai Emery's side had a strong shout for a penalty turned down.
Moments later they took the lead though through a beautifully worked set piece. Youri Tielemans played a short free-kick to the onrushing Jacob Ramsey, who squared the ball for midfielder Amadou Onana to tap home his second goal of the season.
The visitors continued to dominate the ball against a Leicester side that looked cagey despite vociferous home support.
Jhon Dúran – heavily linked with a move away in the summer – made an immediate impact when he came on a substitute, with a powerful header from a cross supplied by Lucas Digne.
That could well have been game over, but Steve Cooper's side rallied and Facundo Buonanotte netted his first for the Foxes from close range.
Scorers: Wood 10'; Bellegarde 13'
Neither Nottingham Forest nor Wolves could build on their early goals, as the points were shared between the two sides with a 1-1 draw.
Wolves began the game on the front foot but fell behind against the run of play just 10 minutes in when Chris Wood nodded home from a corner for his second goal of the season.
That lead was swiftly cancelled out though, as all action midfielder Jean-Richter Bellegarde found the top corner with an excellent strike on the half volley from outside the penalty area.
Forest goalscorer Wood had the ball in the back of the net for the second time as the minutes ticked down, but the attempt was ruled out by VAR for offside.
Scorers: Havertz 37': João Pedro 57'
Arsenal and Brighton both headed into Saturday's clash with maximum points from their opening games, but had to settle for a point apiece as they played out a controversial 1-1 draw.
Mikel Arteta's side began the game stronger, with Bukayo Saka testing Bart Verbruggen in the opening two minutes.
The Gunners continued to press on, with Saka central to their nice interplay and testing the Brighton goalkeeper once more as his side dominated the ball in the opening 10 minutes.
Brighton weren't helped by an injury to James Milner after just 15 minutes, which forced them into a change in midfield as Arsenal continued to probe around the Seagulls penalty area.
But Hurzeler's side began to see more of the ball, forcing Arsenal into some defending of their own as Mitoma fired wide and Yankuba Minteh testing David Raya.
But seven minutes before half time, Arsenal got the goal that their first half performance deserved. Bukayo Saka brought down a long ball before flicking the ball to Kai Havertz, who lobbed the ball over the advancing Bart Verbruggen to hand the Gunners the lead.
Brighton responded well, with João Pedro impressing in particular, but the Seagulls headed into the break behind.
Just five minutes into the second half, however, they were handed a further boost as Declan Rice, booked in the first half, was shown a second yellow after the referee judged him to have kicked the ball away, leaving the hosts down to 10 men.
And 10 minutes later they took full advantage as an effort from Yankuba Minteh was parried only as far as João Pedro, who buried the rebound to bring his side level.
The Seagulls continued to dominate the ball as they probed for a second goal, with Arsenal moving to a back five in a bid to minimise the damage from the red card.
They remained a threat on the counter attack though, and both Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka had efforts saved by Verbruggen.
Meanwhile, Brighton continued to test the Gunners with no joy despite their man advantage, and as Arsenal ran down the clock it was the visitors who will feel that it was two points dropped rather than Arsenal.
Sunday sees a huge Premier League clash between Manchester United and Liverpool, as well Newcastle's fixture with Tottenham and Chelsea's home game with Crystal Palace.