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The Premier League kicked off over the weekend following just a four-week break after the World Cup final. All 20 teams were in action across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as we caught our first glimpse of new signings, managers, and teams in England's top flight.
For the first time ever, the season began on a Friday night as Manchester United started their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Leicester City at Old Trafford. The action continued over the weekend as we saw 25 goals scored and only one 0-0 draw, setting the tone for an exciting campaign ahead.
In this feature, we look at the teams, managers, and players who can come away from the opening weekend extremely satisfied with their work, and those who are perhaps not so satisfied. We also take a look at the season's first team of the week.
Winners
Chelsea
For all the disruptive talk of transfers throughout the summer, Chelsea was superb in dismissing Huddersfield 3-0 during their opening game of the season. Maurizio Sarri could not have hoped for a better start to the season following a disappointing defeat in the Community Shield to Man City.
The Italian manager will now hope he can hold on to players such as Willian and Eden Hazard until the end of August and get them fully focused on a long season ahead at Stamford Bridge. Jorginho looked a delight in his debut for the club and if things click, the Blues might just be one to watch this season.
Richarlison
People were shocked at the incredible €56 million fee forked out by Marco Silva for an uncapped international with only one season in the Premier League. However, Richarlison instantly looks like the player who many scrambled into their fantasy teams for the first half of last season.
Being reunited with Silva seems to have sparked the Brazilian back into life again and his signature could prove essential for Everton's hopes of gatecrashing the top six.
Paul Pogba
The subject of endless speculation over the summer, Pogba not only unexpectedly started for Manchester United against Leicester, but he was handed the captain's armband. This was a clear message from Jose Mourinho and Pogba about the World Cup winner's future - for now at least.
Pogba's penalty in the third minute was greeted with rapturous applause by the United faithful and if he can bring his World Cup form to Old Trafford this year, maybe United will begin to show the style of football that many believe this team is capable of over the coming season.
Liverpool
Pickup up where they left off, Liverpool comfortably dispatched an awful West Ham side. The movement of the front three of Salah, Mane, and Firmino beat West Ham's inexplicably high defense line time and again to score four goals but it could have easily been six or seven.
There will be sterner tests ahead for Klopp and Liverpool, but a 4-0 win at home is the ideal start to the new campaign.
Pitchside Technolgy
You may have noticed managers using an iPad-like device during the games over the weekend. One of the new rules this season allows the pitchside staff of clubs to access real-time data about players such as their movement, distance run etc. This has been used in other sports such as rugby for years and is a welcome addition to the Premier League.
While the technology cannot be used in a VAR-like manner to complain about referring decisions, it could help with tactical tweaks and improve the action on the pitch over the coming months.
Next up, Losers.
Losers
Newcastle
An opening game against an extremely tired Spurs team who signed no players during the transfer window should have represented an opportunity for Newcastle. Instead, they fell to a 2-1 defeat, missing countless chances in what has been a theme at St.James' Park for many years now.
Rafa Benitez notoriously has a very stringent budget to work within and locks horns with Mike Ashley over available funds regularly. However, Newcastle should have expected to get more from this fixture and based on opportunities created were the better side.
They will need to improve significantly in front of goal if they don't want to find themselves in a relegation scrap this season.
Fulham
Fulham began this season as many people's favourites as the surprise team to look out for. Having gained promotion by playing some thrilling football and bringing in a great mix of experience and skillful youth players during the transfer window, it looked as if Fulham could make a push for the top half this season.
However, an extremely disappointing home defeat to Crystal Palace is not how they would have wanted to start the season. Perhaps the many new signings just need time to gel, but this is the sort of match the Cottagers will need to win if they want to fulfill their potential as a top half Premier League team.
Unai Emery
The new Arsenal manager had a baptism of fire by playing Man City in his opening Premier League match. The gap between the champions and sixth-place Arsenal last season remains as big as ever and Emery is going to have to learn to adapt his style of play quickly if he wants to challenge for a top 4 position this season.
Things don't get better for the Spaniard as he plays Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next. A defeat in that game and he will be under immense pressure at this early stage in his tenure as manager.
Pellegrini's High Back Line
Manuel Pellegrini loves using a high back line and has implemented this system throughout his managerial career. However, his inability to change the formation led to a crushing defeat for West Ham at Anfield. His defense was caught sleeping time and again as they stepped up to play an offside trap, leaving Liverpool's players in tons of space to tap in easy goals.
While the third goal was clearly offside, the suicidal tactics were responsible for such a heavy defeat. Pellegrini will need to learn how to change his philosophy quickly and adapt to his opponents if he wants to see out the full season with an impatient and expectant West Ham.
The Gulf Between the Top 6 and the Rest
New season, same mini-league at the top. The gulf between the top 6 and the rest seems larger than ever following the opening weekend. The only top 6 team not to record a victory was Arsenal who lost to a top 6 opponent. It feels like this year the chasm between the elite teams and the rest will become more pronounced than ever.
Next up, Team of the Week
Team of the Week
This week we have lined up the team of the week in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
The team of the week features players with the highest rating in each position. All player ratings are based on data from whoscored.com.
Goalkeeper
Crystal Palace's Wayne Hennessey gained a rating of 8.57 this week after an outstanding performance against Fulham. The 31-year-old kept out Mitrovic time and again to maintain a clean sheet and help his team to an excellent three points at Craven Cottage.
Defenders
The defensive line features another Crystal Palace player in the shape of Aaron Wan-Bissaka (8.63 rating). The 20-year-old right sided defender was excellent for Palace, providing an assist and contributing to his teams' clean sheet.
On the other side of the defensive line is Luke Shaw (8.24 rating) who enjoyed something of a renaissance by scoring a goal in Man United's 2-1 win over Leicester.
The two central defenders, Jan Vertonghen (8.42 rating) and James Tarkowski (8.39 rating), both contributed with outstanding performances over the weekend. Vertonghen grabbed a goal during Tottenham's 2-1 defeat of Newcastle while Tarkowski was a rock in defense as Burnley kept a clean sheet away to Southampton in a 0-0 draw.
Midfield
The two central midfielders, Paul Pogba (8.37 rating) and Roberto Pereyra (9.26 rating), both contributed with goals for their teams. Pogba captained Man United to a 2-1 win, scoring a penalty in the third minute during an excellent and commanding personal performance at Old Trafford.
Pereyra, meanwhile, grabbed a brace to help his Watford side begin the season in style with a 2-0 win over Brighton. At the end of the first game week, Pereyra is the highest rated player in the league.
Forwards
A terrifying trident of players sits across the forward line in our team of the week. On the left side, Pedro (8.29 rating) starred in Chelsea's 3-0 win over Huddersfield, grabbing a goal and showing the type of performance that was missing for much of last season.
On the right side, Richarlison (8.46 rating) netted a brace during his Everton debut and looked like the exciting player from the first half of last season throughout the match.
In the middle, Sadio Mane (9.06 rating) was devastating during Liverpool's 4-0 demolition of West Ham. The forward netted twice and displayed outstanding movement off the ball throughout the match.
Our lone striker, Callum Wilson (8.37 rating), had an eventful game as Bournemouth beat Cardiff 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium. The forward assisted a goal, missed a penalty, and scored a goal in a fantastic performance for the Cherries.
