Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal made headlines in different ways this week.
- Old Problems Still Haunt Erik ten Hag
After a hard-fought victory against Fulham in the opening round, Erik ten Hag’s team traveled to The Amex under the scrutiny of Manchester United fans, despite the club spending nearly €200 million on new signings.
The concerns of Manchester United supporters became reality as the Red Devils suffered a 1-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, with Joao Pedro scoring a late winner in the 90+5′ minute. The old issues that plague the Dutch manager and his squad remain evident.
A disjointed defense, slow midfield play from Casemiro, and poor performances from Marcus Rashford clearly indicate that Erik ten Hag has much work ahead to steer the Old Trafford side towards their ambitions.
- Arsenal Overcomes Their Aston Villa Nightmare
After two defeats to Unai Emery’s side last season, Arsenal knew they had to beat Aston Villa at Villa Park to affirm their title ambitions in the Premier League, even though it was never going to be an easy task.
Throughout the 90 minutes against Aston Villa, the North Londoners faced intense pressure from the home team. Had Ollie Watkins been sharper with his finishing, the outcome could have been different. However, goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey secured a 2-0 victory for Arsenal.
Despite areas needing improvement from their performance at Villa Park, beating a tricky opponent like Aston Villa proves that Mikel Arteta’s side is capable of continuing their challenge against Manchester City for the title.
- Noni Madueke Guides Chelsea Past Molineux
After their defeat to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in the opening round, Chelsea faced Wolverhampton with some apprehension. In their last three encounters with the Wolves, the West London club had lost every match.
However, despite the challenges posed by the hosts in the first half, Enzo Maresca’s team emerged victorious with a 6-2 win. Notably, Noni Madueke shone with a hat-trick.
Chelsea fans will hope this emphatic victory boosts their confidence moving forward. The team needs to improve their on-field performances to quickly resolve off-field issues.