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Liverpool began the defense of their Premier League title with an unexpected thriller against newcomers Leeds, as the 2020-21 season began just 48 days after the last campaign ended.
Arsenal won despite a pre-match fight between two of their own players, while Everton put up a score to finally sneak into the top six.
Here are some of the talking points from this weekend’s action.
Leeds is not only here to participate
Marcelo Bielsa would not have been to blame if he had decided to “park the bus” upon discovering that the first top flight match in 16 long years would be the indomitable champion. But the Argentine has another cut and does not have time for reputations. Such a prospect helped Leeds go head-to-head with a superior opponent, matching three times before Mohamed Salah’s 87th-minute penalty, which sealed the hat-trick, prevented a surprising result. A 4-3 loss to the Reds is not a disgrace and if Leeds can bottle this brave formula, they will cause some bloody noses in the months to come.
Arsenal bared its teeth
Stan Kroenke’s ownership has in the past been called “passive” by Arsenal fans, and it was a similar story on the field under Unai Emery and even in the later years of Arsene Wenger’s rule. It has not been easy for Mikel Arteta either, but it seems that little by little he is coming together. A 3-0 win at Fulham, with new signings Gabriel and Willian impressing, came after Dani Ceballos and Eddie Nketiah had a setback earlier. Arteta called for “passion, aggression” when he first took over earlier this year and it seems that is what the Spaniard is getting.
Breath buds for Newcastle
Hope has been desperately thin for Newcastle under the ownership of Mike Ashley. It looked like his tenure was coming to an end, but as a takeover proposal collapses and recriminations continue, Ashley, to the surprise of many, has green-lighted several transfers. The signings of Callum Wilson, Jeff Hendrick, Jamal Lewis and Ryan Fraser seem like shrewd deals, and the first two were an ideal start to life with the Magpies. Wilson put Newcastle ahead at West Ham, while Hendrick secured a 2-0 win at the end. A swallow does not make a summer, but it is a beginning.
Is this finally Everton’s year?
There have been plenty of false dawns for Everton as they sought to break the dominance of the top six in recent seasons. They have fallen short on some occasions, but last season they came close to nothing. However, at Carlo Ancelotti they have a top-notch coach who can take them to the promised land, so it’s no wonder he was funded. The Italian’s pull has persuaded James Rodríguez and Allan, players he has previously worked with, out of a meeting and the pair impressed when José Mourinho’s Tottenham was defeated 1-0.
Evergreen Vardy is still a fox in the box
Jamie Vardy scored 23 times last season to win the Golden Boot and his two goals, both from penalties, in a 3-0 win over newly promoted West Brom led to 105 goals in the top flight, one ahead of Former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba on the all-time leaderboards. He will turn 34 in January, but boss Brendan Rodgers knows that Vardy is still one of the best. “There are a lot of elite forwards at this level, but any team would want someone like him,” Rodgers said. “He’s super cool, clinical, and still has pace and running ability. It’s a great start for him to score two goals and very good for the team ”.
Online editors
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