The story of United’s weekend was simple and emphatic. Bruno Fernandes, wearing the armband for his first home appearance this season, delivered a captain’s performance that silenced any lingering doubts about his form. The Portuguese midfielder scored a hat-trick and added an assist as United dismantled Ipswich 5-2 at Old Trafford. Ipswich opened the scoring to make it uncomfortable, but United had too much quality on the day. Either way, the PFA player of the year was the difference in every sense.
Chelsea 4-3 Brighton — Seven Goals and a Very Nervous Finish
Chelsea got their three points on Sunday but made it far harder than it needed to be. The Blues led 4-1 before Brighton staged a dramatic comeback to pull it back to 4-3. Chelsea held on, but Xabi Alonso will not have been entirely satisfied with what he saw. The seven-goal affair was entertaining for the neutral and deeply stressful for everyone connected with Stamford Bridge. However, Chelsea take the points.
Tottenham 0-2 Newcastle — Matthias Jaissle’s Side Expose Expensive Fragility
Newcastle were excellent. Tottenham, despite their significant summer spending, were poor. The Magpies won 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a performance that raised genuine questions about Spurs’ big investments. Newcastle were organised, direct, and effective, while the hosts offered very little in attack and looked vulnerable at the back throughout. A statement result from Jaissle’s side and a sobering weekend for Spurs fans.
Liverpool 2-2 Nottingham Forest — Drama at Anfield Continues
As we reported separately, Liverpool twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Nottingham Forest in a pulsating encounter. Victor Munoz’s thumping debut goal rescued a point for Andoni Iraola’s side eight minutes from time. Both managers remain without a win in their new roles.
The Rest of the Action
Manchester City started brightly, winning 4-1 at Crystal Palace on Friday night. Bournemouth and Everton shared a 1-1 draw, while Hull took all three points from Coventry with a 1-0 win. Sunderland continued their strong start to the season, beating Fulham 1-0. Leeds and Brentford played out a 1-1 draw.
Monday Night Football — Arsenal vs Aston Villa
The weekend’s biggest fixture is still to come. Arsenal host Aston Villa on Monday night in what promises to be a blockbuster fixture. Both clubs are expected to be in contention at the top of the table throughout the season, and an early statement result would carry real psychological weight. Arsenal will be looking to build on their opening day momentum. Villa will be eager to recover from a disappointing opening weekend.
The weekend gave us goals, drama, and a captain’s performance that reminded everyone why Bruno Fernandes is the best player in the league. Monday night, however, promises to cap what has been an entertaining weekend in English football.
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