Premier League roundup: Jesus shines on home debut as City asserts dominance

Arsenal - Leicester City 4-2

After their opening day victory over Crystal Palace, you would be forgiven for expecting a fast Arsenal start. It was in fact the opposite, and the Gunners needed a fine Aaron Ramsdale stop to deny Wesley Fofana to ensure they reached the five-minute mark with a clean sheet intact.

That chance seemed to spur Arsenal into action and the Gunners came tantalisingly close to taking the lead when Bukayo Saka’s delivery was met by Granit Xhaka, but the Swiss international saw his effort cannon back of the post.

Fortunately, Arsenal didn’t have to wait much longer to take the lead and it was a moment of magic from summer signing Gabriel Jesus, who picked the ball up and curled a sumptuous effort beyond a desperate dive of Danny Ward.

Fittingly, like London buses, Jesus’ second Arsenal goal wasn’t far behind, a little over ten minutes in fact, as the Brazilian headed home at the far post to double the Gunners advantage. Arsenal had to survive a late first-half scare though, with VAR coming to their rescue after Darren England had provisionally awarded Leicester a penalty.

Leicester did manufacture a reprieve after half time though, when a comical moment saw William Saliba head the ball past Ramsdale and into his own goal to inadvertently halve his side’s lead. That Leicester joy was incredibly short-lived, however, as despite the woodwork denying him in the first half, Xhaka fired home from close range to restore Arsenal’s two-goal cushion.

Both sides continued to trade blows in what was turning out to be a real humdinger of a game. 

James Maddison made the score 3-2, before yet again Arsenal hit back instantaneously through Gabriel Martinelli, who has now scored in back-to-back PL games, to again re-establish Arsenal’s two-goal lead. A clean sheet may have eluded Arsenal, but points are all that matters to Mikel Arteta, whose side have now won their first home league game in three of the last four seasons.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal)

Manchester City - Bournemouth 4-0

Man City came flying out the gates at the Etihad, creating seven goalscoring opportunities by the tenth minute. The big issue the hosts were having was getting those shots on target, with six missing Mark Travers' goal.

The Citizens didn’t have to wait much longer for their goal. Erling Haaland received the ball on the edge of the box and as he was going to ground he flicked the ball into the box for lkay Gündoğan to run on to and slot past Travers to give the hosts the lead.

City then doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark, as Phil Foden played a long ball towards Kevin De Bruyne who made his way towards the Bournemouth box. His quick footwork had the defenders on their heels as the Belgium playmaker swung with the outside of his right-foot, curling a beautiful shot from the edge of the box into the bottom left of the goal.

With half time only seven minutes away, the Cherries suffered a huge setback as City got their third. De Bruyne received the ball on the left wing, heading towards the box, as he approached he slowed down to play a light through ball to the edge of the six-yard box, where Foden appeared with his late run to shoot across the face of goal for the Englishmen’s first goal of the season.

City continued to control the second half in search of more goals, but Bournemouth continued to stand strong as they attempted to prevent the scoreline from getting out of hand.

But much like the first half, the Cherries could only stand strong for so long, as City finally went for their fourth in the 79th minute. Joao Cancelo surged into the box to catch a lobbed pass and from the byline he forced a low-driven cross into the six-yard box, with the ball deflecting off Jefferson Lerma’s foot into his own net.

Pep Guardiola will be happy with his side's overall performance, but may see some issue with their wastefulness in front of goal, meanwhile Scott Parker’s Cherries will look to avoid more score lines like today’s as they face Arsenal and Liverpool in their next two league games.

Flashscore man of the Match: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

Brighton - Newcastle United 0-0

The two sides started their Premier League campaigns with confident opening match victories last time out. But, spurred on by a packed Amex Stadium, Brighton started strongly as they went in search of a third consecutive home Premier League victory and Solly March’s early close-range effort was blocked by a troop of Newcastle defenders. 

Newcastle held firm and eventually responded as they sought a fourth consecutive Premier League victory and Callum Wilson, who opened his account in the 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest last weekend, lifted the ball over Lewis Dunk and volleyed into the net mid-way through the half but the goal was swiftly ruled out for a high foot in the build-up.

The Seagulls remained cool in the searing South coast heat and March looked dangerous once again and his half volley beat Pope only for Kieran Trippier to clear off the line and keep the scores level at half time. 

Possibly sensing some Magpie nerves after they lost their last two away matches in pre-season, Brighton continued to apply pressure in the second half. Adam Lallana almost got his first goal since early 2021 when he rose highest to meet March’s inch-perfect cross, but he couldn’t find a way past Pope who clawed the ball away at the vital moment.

An end-to-end finish ensued as both sides felt a late goal could be decisive and Dan Burn almost came back to haunt his former club, but he headed over from close range. 

Brighton ended the stronger side but Pope would not be beaten as Newcastle’s keeper palmed away a vicious March strike to keep Newcastle in the contest and debutant Sven Botman made another goal-line clearance from Joël Veltman’s strike late on.

It was a familiar feeling for Graham Potter’s side who had a league-high 15 draws in the 2021/22 season. He will be left frustrated by a supremely in-form Pope as Newcastle’s stopper looked unbeatable at times to help his side earn a hard-fought Premier League point. 

Flashscore Man of the Match: Nick Pope (Newcastle)

Wolves - Fulham 0-0

As Bruno Lage’s men flooded forwards, it was only Fulham stopper Marek Rodak who kept the hosts at bay early on, as first Pedro Neto, then Hwang Hee-Chan, were deterred by the Slovakian international.

The lack of a finishing touch is not a surprise however, with Wolves’ struggles in front of goal well documented - Lage’s side won 11 league games by a single goal last season. There were then further frustrations for the home crowd when Neto was deterred by a recovering Tim Ream, before Daniel Podence also struck the rebound well wide of the Fulham net. 

Such goalscoring problems seemed to have disappeared for Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored twice against Liverpool last weekend. Yet, there was rarely a strike on goal for Fulham’s talisman, who cut an isolated figure at a sun-drenched Molineux throughout the first half. The striker could only blaze into the stands when offered an early glimpse of goal and also headed wide later on, after a Bobby De Cordova-Reid header, Fulham’s sole shot on target in the first-half, was well-blocked.

After the interval, Mitrovic then had a huge chance to record his side’s first top-flight win at Molineux since 1962. A penalty was awarded with 10 minutes to go in the West Midlands, but the Fulham striker was unable to convert from 12 yards, with José Sá diving to his right to stop a tame spot-kick, and preserve his side a well-deserved point. 

The miss from the spot meant Mitrovic was unable to equal his tally of three goals he netted in Fulham’s last Premier League campaign in 2020/21, although, on reflection, the newly-promoted side will be pleased to take a point from Wolves, who have won nine of the last 12 head to heads. 

Flashscore Man of the Match: Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Southampton - Leeds United 2-2

Despite the sweltering conditions, neither side wavered from their high pressing principles, leading to an open feel early on. Leeds looked the more dangerous outfit, but suffered a huge blow as talisman Patrick Bamford hobbled off with yet another injury.

A well-worked set-piece ought to have given Leeds the lead before the break. Brenden Aaronson’s delivery was headed on by Rodrigo Moreno, but Rasmus Kristensen fluffed his lines at the back post with the goal at his mercy.

Whatever Jesse Marsch said at the interval proved incredibly effective, as his side took just 29 seconds after the restart to take the lead. Jack Harrison’s cross to the near post was turned home by Rodrigo, whose brilliantly clever finish beat Gavin Bazunu at his near post. The Spaniard netted again on the hour mark, first to react to a Pascal Struijk header that had looped toward the goal line, nodding home from a yard out.

Southampton found an unlikely route back into the game as two of their substitutes combined to reduce the arrears. Adam Armstrong’s explosive pace down the left allowed him the space to cross and find Joe Aribo, and the midfielder showed tremendous composure to round Illan Meslier and find the bottom corner.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men were in the ascendancy as Leeds’ high-energy style started to fade in the extreme heat. A remarkable and seemingly unlikely comeback was complete when Sekou Mara’s threaded through ball found Kyle Walker-Peters inside the box, and the full-back rifled his finish through Meslier, securing Saints’ first point of the season.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Rodrigo Moreno (Leeds United)