Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Premier Table Match Week 1: Arsenal Is Dominant; New Managers Score Wins For Chelsea And Manchester City; Liverpool Lucky To Steal A Point; Two Newcomers Win; Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur Flop On Opening Weekend

Arsenal kicked off the Premier League season with a clear message that it will not be easy to knock the Gunners off their title perch. The champions were dominant in a 3-0 spanking of Coventry City. Newly promoted Coventry, meanwhile, was so outclassed that one must wonder if Manager Frank Lampard is in store for a brutal season in his return to the league. The Sky Blues managed only a single shot on target versus the Gunners and could be facing a short stay in the league.

Manchester United seemed to be on the right track with an impressive third place finish under interim manager Michael Carrick last season. Red Devil supporters are now scratching their heads after a confusing 2-0 failure at Hull, one of two promoted teams to win this weekend. United fell victim to a promoted club on opening day for the first time in 13 such matchups in its club history. New signings Youri Tielemans and Andry Santos, and the return of Marcus Rashford had no positive impact for a club which looked unready under Manager Carrick.

A similar disaster was experienced by Tottenham Hotspur Manager Roberto De Zerbi. The manager was a hero when he saved the club from an embarrassing relegation in the final weeks of the 25/26 season. Momentum was expected to continue after offseason player additions like Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali. Didn’t happen. Spurs still looked like a bottom of the table club and were no match for Brentford in a 3-0 loss where De Zerbi’s team looked unprepared and even disinterested in contrast to a well-organized and energized Bees club managed by Keith Andrews.

Unlike Spurs supporters, bad things were already feared entering this season by fans of Aston Villa which suffered a massive talent drain during this transfer window even as striker Ollie Watkins awaits his own ticket out of Birmingham. Villa was spanked 4-0 at Brighton, a shocking result even for pessimistic supporters.

One of the Aston Villa escapees, star midfielder Morgan Rogers, made the scoresheet in his Chelsea debut, a 3-2 Blues victory at Craven Cottage over Fulham. Rogers, Palmer and Joao Pedro scored for a Chelsea attack which looked worlds better under new Manager Xavi Alonso. Palmer and Pedro never clicked last season, but each assisted on the other’s goal on Monday.

The man who began last season as Chelsea’s manager has a massive challenge ahead of him as Enzo Maresca attempts to maintain the winning culture which predecessor Pep Guardiola established at Manchester City. Maresca is off to a good start after a comeback 2-1 victory over Bournemouth and its own new manager, Marco Rose. Rayan Cherki assisted on each of the Manchester City goals, both of which were scored after the 80th minute to erase the Bournemouth lead. There must be worries, however, after Erling Haaland failed to score shortly after shearing his flowing locks, raising concerns of a “Samson” effect.

As was the case at the Etihad, there were new managers on both touchlines as Newcastle and Liverpool battled to a 2-2 draw at St. James’s Park. The draw should be a moral victory for the Magpies who lost not just a manager but many of their key players this offseason. Satisfaction has to be muted, however, after new manager Matthias Jaissle saw his club concede a penalty in the ninth minute of stoppage time to squander what would have been an additional two points on opening night. Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola escaped with a point in his debut for the Reds but can’t be impressed with what was a generally rocky performance masked by the late game gift.

Crystal Palace and Manager Oliver Glasner parted ways after the Eagles scored a European title in the Conference League last season. Eyebrows were raised when Glasner took the helm a Nottingham Forest, not a clear step up in class and a dangerous partnership with an equally volatile personality in Nottingham Forest Owner Evangelos Marinakis. Forest and Palace were both losers on opening weekend, Crystal Palace falling 2-0 at Everton while Glasner and Forest were 1-0 losers at home to Leeds.

A late goal by substitute Jack Clark made Ipswich Town one of two promoted sides to grab three points on Saturday. The Tractor Boys, who were relegated two seasons ago, announced their return with a thrilling 2-1 win over last season’s Premier League darling Sunderland when Clark scored in the final minute of regulation time. With Hull and Ipswich Town both winning, could we possibly see a second season in which two promoted sides secure a second season? 

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