ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE WEEK 1

• ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE MOST POPULAR IN THE WORLD
• CHELSEA STILL SALIVATING OVER FOFANA
• GRANIT XHAKA FIRST PLAYER TO BE CARDED THIS SEASON
• SALAH TO THE RESCUE

Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is quite comfortable with the current state of Chelsea’s transfer business ahead of Everton in the English Premier League amid ongoing talks with both Wesley Fofana and Frenkie de Jong. Ahead of the Premier League opener at Goodison Park on Saturday, the Blues have so far made five first-team recruits with Marc Cucurella being the latest addition in a £63million deal.

With three more transfer deals scouted, this could potentially take the transfer expenditure under Todd Boehly in the first summer transfer window up to the £300m mark. Apparently, Chelsea’s second £70million bid for Leicester star Fofana has been turned down due to the fact a proper valuation has not been made. At the same time, Brendan Rogers has been quoted as saying Fofana is not for sale.

It  has been reported though that Leicester are willing to make the 21-year-old the most expensive defender in the world as £85million is the maximum they will go to this summer which would eclipse the Harry Maguire fee Man United paid

HAIL THE GUNNERS

Arsenal kicked-off their 2022/23 Premier League season in the perfect manner on Friday evening with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace. Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli  scored the Gunners’ first goal of the campaign after 20 minutes, heading the ball past Vicente Guaita from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s super assist.  The three points were secured in the 85 minute when Marc Guehi’s deflection fired Bukayo Saka’s effort into the back of the net.

The victory was just Arsenal’s second win against the Eagles in nine games and was a big improvement on April’s 3-0 defeat at Selhurst Park last season – a loss that had a huge impact on Arteta’s side missing out on Champions League football. Granit Xhaka made the new season’s record of the first player to receive a yellow card. The Switzerland midfielder received his first booking of the new Premier League season when he was shown a yellow card for simulation. It was his 53rd yellow card for the Gunners   in the top-flight with the 29-year-old having developed a reputation for being on the receiving end of disciplinary action from referees.

The Gunners have been  tipped to be one of the sides battling it out for a top four finish this season after their ambitious acquisitions in the market and a superb pre-season. The English Premier League is however unforgiving if teams cant maintain momentum. Such can be said about Arsenal in the last 4 matches of last season , which saw them miss a champions league sport when everybody thought they had it in their hands.

LIVERPOOL WEAK WITHOUT MANE

 

Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score one and create another as Liverpool twice came from behind to secure a point against Fulham at Craven Cottage in their opening Premier League game of the season. Aleksandar Mitrovic headed Liverpool ahead before Nunez restoted parity with a close-range flick. However, Mitrovic restored his side’s lead from penalty spot before Salah rescued the Reds a point.

Liverpool were dealt an early-season injury blow on Saturday in their Premier League opener, as Thiago Alcantara limped out of their clash with Fulham. The Spain international was seen holding his thigh after a coming together and he was attended to on the field by Reds medical staff before the decision was made to withdraw him from the action.

 

 

 

Harvey Elliott was introduced as his replacement, coming on as part of a double substitution with Darwin Nunez when the team was struggling at 1-0 down. The latter went on to equalise for the Reds. Liverppol fans have been lamenting about Sadio Mane’s departure to the Bundesliga and seemingly blame the bosses for not keeping him. It was widely expected that Liverpool would walk away with 3 points but they ended up settling for a draw.

 

ERIK TEN HAG IN FULL CONTROL

 

The English Premier league promises a lot of exciting fixtures as fans worldwide want to see how newly acquired signings will perfom for their respective clubs and if they will be worth the money spent. Fans are eager to know Ronaldos stand at Man United and how he relates to new boss Erik ten Hag.

Pundits are already badmouthing Ronaldo for disrapting the mood at Carrington. Erik ten Hag has insisted that Ronaldo is not for sale and that they have a good relationship. Man United are looking to add at least two more new players to the squad in what is expected to become a bidding war bewteen Man United and Chelsea as they are both eyeing one of the targets.