Arsenal's set-piece mastery. At Old Trafford, the Gunners were statistically inferior, with 38% possession and 9 shots with 3 on target, compared to Man Utd's 22 and 7. However, they still won, thanks to their signature corner kick play. From Declan Rice's cross, center-back William Saliba cleverly blocked goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, allowing defender Riccardo Calafiori to head in the only goal of the match from close range.

Since the start of the 2023-2024 season, Arsenal have scored 31 goals from corner kicks in the Premier League—11 more than second-placed Liverpool (20 goals). Meanwhile, Man Utd have conceded the most goals from set pieces during the same period, with 23.

Cunha and Mbeumo offer hope for Man Utd. Despite the 0-1 home defeat to Arsenal, Man Utd showed positive signs. Gone was the lifeless display of previous seasons; the Red Devils played with sharp bursts of speed and created danger from various angles, thanks to new signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo maintaining their form from last season.

Manager Ruben Amorim finally has players operating centrally who can disrupt opposing defenses with their speed and power. Cunha led in dribbles (6) and challenges (20), while Mbeumo, despite being tightly marked, was very active on the right wing.

Man Utd had 22 shots in this match—their highest total against Arsenal in the Premier League since their 8-2 victory in August 2011 (25 shots). This was also the most shots Arsenal have faced in a clean sheet since their match against Leeds United in November 2020 (25).

Ekitike shines, but Liverpool's defense exposed. Liverpool experienced an emotional 90 minutes at Anfield. Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo took turns scoring before Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah added late goals to seal the win.

However, Antoine Semenyo's quick-fire double gave manager Arne Slot's side some anxious moments. Both goals came from counter-attacks, with the second seeing Semenyo sprint almost the entire length of the pitch before finishing into the bottom corner of Allison Becker's goal.

Carragher was particularly critical of center-back Ibrahima Konate, who was deemed at fault for both goals. "It's unbelievable," the former England player said on Friday Night Football. "Semenyo was outstanding, but Liverpool have had this problem for a long time. How can you have eight players high up the pitch when you're leading 2-1? At this level, it's unacceptable. Konate had a terrible night at the heart of the defense."

Man City back as title contenders? Man City started the new season with a victory that was more than just three points; it had the hallmarks of the team that once dominated the Premier League: sharp, efficient, and confident. This is a positive sign for their rebuilding process after a disappointing season.

The standout player was new signing Tijjani Reijnders. The Dutch midfielder contributed to the opening goal, scored the second, and assisted the third. His tricky dribbling and bursts of speed brought a new dimension to Man City's play.

For the first goal, Reijnders initiated the attack with a powerful run. For the second, he finished a swift counter-attack himself, reinforcing the notion that Guardiola is aiming for a more direct and faster style of play this season.

The third goal originated from a long pass by goalkeeper James Trafford, while fellow newcomer Rayan Cherki scored the fourth, demonstrating Man City's attacking versatility.

Reijnders' breakthroughs contributed significantly to both of Erling Haaland's goals. The Norwegian striker seems to have rediscovered his sharpness, signaling a revival after a slump in the latter half of the 2024-2025 season. All of this creates the feeling that Man City are ready to return to the title race.

Newcastle struggle to replace Isak. Without Alexander Isak, manager Eddie Howe experimented with Anthony Gordon as center-forward, flanked by Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga. Newcastle didn't play badly, generating an expected goals (xG) value of 1.43, but they couldn't score and were held to a 0-0 draw by hosts Aston Villa.

An away point isn't a negative result, but the Magpies might have taken all three if Isak had been available. The Swedish striker is still training separately, determined to wait for a move to Liverpool, leaving a big void in the attack.

Last season, Isak scored 23 goals in the Premier League, second only to Mohamed Salah (29). In their last six matches without Isak, Newcastle haven't won, including four goalless draws.

Richarlison recreates World Cup wonder goal. The Brazilian forward shone with a double in the 3-0 win over Burnley. This was the first time he scored two goals in a Premier League match since February 2024. His second goal was a masterpiece. From new signing Mohammed Kudus' right-wing cross, Richarlison unleashed an acrobatic volley, rendering goalkeeper Martin Dubravka's diving effort futile.

Richarlison scored a similar goal in Brazil's 2-0 victory over Serbia in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup. It was also voted the best goal of the tournament.

Eze denied goal by rare rule. In the 13th minute, Eberechi Eze scored from an 18-meter free-kick. However, VAR determined that center-back Marc Guehi was less than one meter from the wall when the shot was taken, thus disallowing Crystal Palace's opening goal.

According to Law 13 of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), "when three or more defending team players form a ‘wall’, all attacking team players must remain at least one metre from the ‘wall’ until the ball is in play."

This rule has been in effect since the 2019-2020 season, but not everyone is aware of it. The IFAB implemented this rule because "attacking players standing very close to, or in, the defensive ‘wall’ at free kicks often cause management problems and waste time."

Nottingham Forest allay Nuno's concerns. Before the match, manager Nuno Espirito Santo expressed concerns about his limited squad options.

But Nottingham Forest proved otherwise, crushing Brentford 3-1. Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson were energetic in midfield, Callum Hudson-Odoi was dynamic on the wing, and striker Chris Wood continued his excellent form with a double. This is not to mention new signings Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee making their debuts before the match.

"Nuno has reason to be pleased: Forest possess a young, talented, and promising squad. With what he has, what more could he ask for?", Sky Sports commented.

Newcomers Sunderland pull off shock win. After 8 years away from the Premier League, including four seasons languishing in League One, returning to the top flight was enough to satisfy most fans. But their 3-0 thrashing of West Ham in their opening match was something few dared to imagine.

In the last two seasons, the three newly promoted Premier League teams have only earned one point from their first six opening matches, and all were relegated immediately. In the last 10 seasons, only 5 of 30 promoted teams won their opening game, and three of them (Brentford, Bournemouth, and Huddersfield) survived relegation.

First "victim" of the new rule. In the Burnley vs. Tottenham match, goalkeeper Martin Dubravka held the ball for more than eight seconds inside the penalty area. Immediately, referee Michael Oliver blew the whistle and awarded Tottenham a corner kick.

Under the new Premier League rules, goalkeepers have a maximum of eight seconds to put the ball back into play. If they violate this rule, the opposing team is awarded a corner kick, and the goalkeeper can also receive a yellow card. This rule is designed to prevent time-wasting.

Previously, the rule stipulated a maximum of six seconds, with the penalty being an indirect free-kick, but it was rarely strictly enforced by referees. This time, enforcement is more rigorous after being trialed at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the USA.

Hong Duy

Photo: Reuters, AP, AMA, Premier League