Manchester United sit down Major league for the first time in 30 years after tempers flared and temperatures soared in the second weekend of the season.
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United couldn’t handle the heat as they conceded four times in 35 minutes 4-0 humiliation at Brentford.
Another Manchester side sit at the top of the table again as Manchester City cruised to a 4-0 to win Bournemouth.
The points were shared in the weekend’s games as Chelsea and Tottenham drew 2-2 in a fierce clash that will be remembered for two altercations between the managers Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte.
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Below, a look at three topics of conversation from the Premier League weekend.
Tuchel will win the battle but not the war with Conte
Tuchel won the tactical battle following Conte’s return to Stamford Bridge, but his side failed to land a knockout blow as Chelsea dropped two points in the season opener between the traditional top six.
Spurs head into the campaign with a lot of optimism on the back of a strong finish to last season and six new signings to support Conte in his first full season.
After a grueling pre-season tour of the US and a slow start in the transfer market, Chelsea were, by Tuchel’s own admission, “not ready” for the new campaign.
But with new chairman Todd Boeli in the stands to usher in a new era at Stamford Bridge, it is the Blues who have said they will be City and Liverpool’s most likely challengers for the title.
Tuchel’s surprise selection of Ruben Loftus-Cheek ahead of captain Cesar Azpilicueta gave Chelsea the ability to switch between five and four teams with ease as they pounced on their London rivals.
“It was a good plan but the execution was brilliant” – said Tuchel.
“I loved the commitment, the intensity and the level of concentration.”
Tuchel ultimately blamed two controversial calls that allowed both Spurs goals to not win the game.
However, Tottenham showed as much fight as their manager on the touchline to pull back twice and grab a point through Harry Kane’s 96th-minute header.
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“Manchester United” sinks to new depths
A new dawn for Manchester United brought only new lows.
A week after Brighton’s first win at Old Trafford, the Red Devils were stunned at Brentford as Erik ten Hag became the first United manager since John Chapman in 1921 to lose his first two games.
The Dutchman is just the latest manager in the firing line as the public face of the failing institution.
Further protests against the Glazer family’s ownership of the club are planned ahead of United’s next game at home to Liverpool on August 22.
Ten Hague’s predecessor Ralf Rangnick backed away from his unhappy caretaker spell last season, saying United needed “open heart surgery” and up to 10 new players after they finished sixth.
For two games in the new season, only three new faces have appeared in the form of Lisandro Martinez, Tyrrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen.
The final three weeks of the window are expected to see more business, but once again United are spending their vast commercial resources on a panic-buying spree of players unwanted by the Premier League’s elite.
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Jesus is raising Arsenal’s standards
A behind-the-scenes documentary on Arsenal’s last season has revealed details of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s shock departure from the Emirates last season, leaving the Gunners without a natural goalscorer for the second half of the season.
Mikel Arteta’s decision to freeze the club captain for indiscipline has been questioned as Arsenal have faltered in the final months of the season and just missed out on the Champions League.
Gabriel Jesus showed what Arteta’s men have been missing on his home debut as the Brazilian scored twice, scored two more and missed a number of other chances to complete his hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Leicester.
“He feels disappointed in this locker room because he said he could have scored four.” – said Arteta.
“That’s the standard, that’s the mentality you want. To go to another level, you need that kind of mentality.”
Arsenal already look a class above last season, when they got off to their worst start in 67 years.
This time, after two games, they are level with City at the top of the Premier League table.
Garin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
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