The new season of the Premier League was full of excitement, drama, and plenty of talking points as fans welcomed back the world’s most popular football league. The opening weekend has set up the fans for yet another season of thrill and enthusiasm with the entertainment at a premium.
Man City started their title defense with an impressive win over Chelsea with title challengers like Liverpool and Arsenal also kicking off their season with three points. Let us take a look at 3 takeaways from the opening weekend of the Premier League.
1. Newly Promoted Clubs Will Have a Tough Season
The first season in the Premier League is often challenging for the newly promoted clubs. The change in the quality and intensity of football from the Championship to the PL is significant and the teams usually find it difficult to adapt to the new surroundings.
Southampton’s return to the Premier League began with a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle. Despite the hosts getting reduced to 10 men early in the first half, the Saints were unable to breach the Newcastle defense due to the lack of cutting-edge in attack. They eventually lost the game 1-0, failing to keep up with their opponent’s pace, physicality, and tactical approach to the game.
Ipswich faced the daunting task of playing Liverpool on the opening day. They expectedly lost the game 2-0 at home with their vulnerable backline exposed by the Liverpool forwards. The Tractor Boys are considered one of the weaker teams in the Premier League this season and the lack of experience in the top flight would make things a little more difficult for Ipswich in their bid to avoid relegation.
Leicester City have the most experienced squad out of the 3 promoted teams this season and are tipped by many to survive the drop zone this time around. The Foxes drew the opening match of their new Premier League season against Tottenham. After falling behind in the first half, the Foxes showed courage and desire, leveling the game in the 2nd half thanks to a Jamie Vardy goal.
With this draw, Leicester showed they could compete at the highest level, especially in the 2nd half where they matched Tottenham stride for stride.
2. Chelsea Far From Identifying Their Best XI
Chelsea signed a whopping 11 players this season highlighting the instability in the squad they are facing. The Blues are struggling to identify their best XI highlighting the challenges that Enzo Maresca has to face in stabilizing a squad full of talent but lacking in experience and confidence.
In the opening weekend, Chelsea showed moments of promise but eventually succumbed to the reigning champions, losing 2-0 at home. The difference in the quality of football between the teams was massive and the Italian has work to do, particularly in tightening up the defense and finding the right balance and partnerships in midfield.
3. Brentford Will Be Alright Without Ivan Toney
Ivan Toney has been linked to a move away from Brentford since the start of the summer transfer window. The English international was left out from their matchday 1 squad against Crystal Palace but that did not stop them from taking all three points against the Eagles on the opening day. Toney was instrumental for the Blades since their Premier League return in 2021-22seaon scoring 72 goals in 141 appearances.
While Toney’s absence will be a miss for Brentford, likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have stepped up their game to lead the line and bang in the goals for the Bees as they look to push for a European spot this season.
Read More: Which Team Will be the Surprise Package of Premier League 2024/25?
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
