Premier League Matchday 2: Gunners out to bounce back

The Premier League returned with a thrilling set of fixtures last weekend — and Matchday 2 promises more of the same.

After a calamitous defeat against newly-promoted Brentford, things do not get much easier for Arsenal as they welcome Chelsea, who have eyes on the title after making a convincing start against Crystal Palace.

Elsewhere, there is a return to Wolves for Nuno Espirito Santo as his Tottenham side look to build on their impressive victory over champions Manchester City.

Liverpool vs Burnley (Saturday, 12.30pm, BT Sport)

The 2019-20 champions began their new campaign in impressive style with a 3-0 victory over Championship winners Norwich at Carrow Road. 

Saturday’s tie may present more issues for Jurgen Klopp’s men with Burnley claiming a 1-0 victory over the Reds in this fixture last season during the Reds’ six-game winless run at home over the turn of the year.

Mohamed Salah followed on from his 22-strike campaign last season with a goal and two assists and no doubt will be Burnley’s man to watch. 

The Clarets are unbeaten on their last two trips to Anfield but a returning crowd promises to be in good voice and should give Liverpool the boost they need to claim the victory.

Sean Dyche’s men will be looking to bounce back from defeat against Brighton after letting their early lead slip in the second half in a 2-1 reverse at Turf Moor, stretching their winless run at home to 11 games.

Aston Villa vs Newcastle (Saturday, 3pm)

It was a tough start to life without talisman Jack Grealish for Aston Villa as the returning Watford earned a deserved 3-2 victory at Vicarage Road.

Dean Smith will still be without last season’s top scorer Ollie Watkins but he will have been encouraged by fellow striker Danny Ings’ goalscoring start and an impressive cameo off the bench by new man Leon Bailey.

Villa’s hope for a top-half finish but their new-look side will take time to settle, though their five-game unbeaten record against Newcastle at Villa Park is a good omen.

The Magpies, meanwhile, suffered a disappointing collapse in a 4-2 defeat by West Ham, but their 17 shots attempted a vast improvement on the 10.4 they managed per 90 minutes last term.

Striker Calum Wilson will hope to start a scoring run after netting five minutes into the 2021-22 campaign, while new signing Joe Willock could be in contention to start.

Dazzling winner Allan Saint-Maximin attempted the second-most take-ons in the top flight last weekend with 12 and his battle with Matt Targett on the right flank is one to watch following the left-back’s unconvincing display up against Ismaila Sarr.

Crystal Palace vs Brentford (Saturday, 3pm)

The Eagles’ new era under Patrick Viera started in difficult fashion with a 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

The new manager will hope Palace’s first league meeting with fellow Londoners Brentford in 57 years will end in a happy one at Selhurst Park to kickstart their season.

A return to the starting lineup for Christian Benteke could be a likely change as they return to Selhurst Park, after the Belgian struck in each of his final four games at the end of last season.

It could hardly have been a better entrance to Premier League football for the Bees on Matchweek 1 after stunning Arsenal in front of a raucous crowd in West London.

Ivan Toney and Brian Mbeumo remain the men to watch in attack for Thomas Frank’s men following their combined total of 39 goals last term and influential displays against the Gunners.

The last time Brentford won at Selhurst Park was in 1957, when the pair were in Division Three, so it will be a much different occasion this time around.

Leeds United vs Everton (Saturday, 3pm)

A 5-1 drubbing by Manchester United at Old Trafford will not have been the start Marcelo Bielsa envisaged for Leeds’ second season back in the Premier League.

If last season is anything to go by, it could get worse for the Whites after falling to a 2-1 defeat by Everton in this fixture last season.

But the last time Leeds lost their opening two games in a top-flight campaign was in the 1980-81 season and will be determined to secure victory as a full-capacity Elland Road sees Premier League action for the first time in 17 years.

New manager Rafa Benitez got the perfect start to appease Everton fans with a 3-1 victory over Southampton, and the former Liverpool boss has won on his last three visits to Elland Road.

English strike duo Patrick Bamford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have both scored 17 goals in the top flight since the start of last season.

Another man to watch will be Leeds man Rafinha after the Brazilian fired goals in both meetings between these two sides last term.

Manchester City vs Norwich (Saturday, 3pm)

It was far from the ideal start to their title defence for the Citizens last weekend but all the omens suggest they will bounce back on Saturday.

On the Canaries’ last three visits to the Etihad, City have won by an aggregate scoreline of 14-1, with the most recent a 5-0 defeat in July 2020.

The possible return of Kevin De Bruyne hands more ammunition to Guardiola after he and £100m man Grealish ranked fourth (80) and third (81) respectively for chances created last season.

The Belgian playmaker has also been involved in four goals in his last five appearances against Norwich in all competitions, scoring or assisting every 45 minutes.

But Daniel Farke’s men did manage one of the scalps of the season during their last season in the Premier League, claiming a shock 3-2 victory in 2019-20, albeit at Carrow Road.

If they are to have any hope of a similar result this time, they will need Teemu Pukki in form, with the striker scoring 66 goals over his last three seasons in Norfolk.

Brighton vs Watford (Saturday, 5.30pm, Sky Sports)

Two sides who got impressive starts to their 2021-22 campaigns go head-to-head at the Amex.

After their late turnaround at Turf Moor, Brighton will hope to win their first two Premier League games for the first time.

Meanwhile, the Hornets capped their return to the top division with one of the standout results of the weekend against Villa.

If they make it two from two on the South Coast, it will be their very first away victory against Brighton in the top flight.

Graham Potter will hope his side keep winger Sarr quiet if they are to continue that unbeaten run, with the Senegalese scoring five goals in his last six appearances for the Hertfordshire side.

Southampton vs Manchester United (Sunday, 2pm, Sky Sports)

Southampton fans will need no reminding of their last meeting with Manchester United in the Premier League.

The Saints’ 9-0 drubbing at Old Trafford in February ranked as the joint-heaviest defeat in Premier League history, with both these sides involved in the other two occasions (Saints’ nine-goal reverse by Leicester in 2019 and United’s thrashing of Ipswich in 1995).

To make matters worse for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, the Red Devils visit St Mary’s on the back of a thrilling 5-1 win over Leeds this campaign, while it was defeat for the Saints last time out.

Paul Pogba registered four assists in that game, on the seventh player to do so in the Premier League era and will be the man Southampton will look to stifle.

After sales of key players Danny Ings and Jannik Vestergaard this summer, Saints have been lifted by captain James Ward-Prowse committing his future to the club.

The set-piece king’s 41 chances created from dead ball situations was the joint-most last season, and his four goals from direct free-kicks was also on top.

New striker Adam Armstrong’s goalscoring debut is a positive despite Southampton’s opening day defeat, the former Blackburn man will hope to continue to build on his 28-goal campaign in the Championship last term.

But fresh off his hat-trick last week, Bruno Fernandes is hoping to continue his unbeaten run of away games for United, with the Portuguese talisman yet to lose in any of his 25 (W16 D9) Premier League trips.

Wolves vs Tottenham (Sunday, 2pm)

Nuno returns to his home of four seasons with a point to prove after struggling to reach his usual heights in the West Midlands prior to his departure.

His start to life at Spurs could hardly have gone better after Heung-Min Son handed his side victory in the absence of wantaway striker Harry Kane.

The South Korean forward was the ideal man for Spurs’ counter-attacking display last week. His 10 goals scored following ball carries since the start of last season is twice as many as anyone else.

But as the favourites for this, the North London club will be forced to play on the front foot, which could leave them susceptible against Matchday 1’s top dribbler Adama Traore (11).

Following a 1-0 defeat to Leicester in Bruno Lage’s first game in charge, the Portuguese boss will hope to call on Raul Jimenez for his first outing at Molineux since November 2020. 

The Mexican is the club’s highest Premier League scorer with 34 goals and fans will hope their star man’s return will see them end their run of four straight Premier League defeats.

It is not known whether Sunday’s tie will see a return to action for last season’s top scorer Kane, who is yet to feature for Spurs this season as speculation over his future rumbles on.

Arsenal vs Chelsea (Sunday, 16:30pm, Sky Sports)

Mikel Arteta was handed a stark reminder of the work still to be done at Arsenal following their loss to Brentford.

New man Martin Odegaard won’t be available for the visit of Chelsea on Sunday, so Arteta needs to work with what he has at the Emirates.

Arteta can take heart in his side attempting the most efforts (22) in Matchday 1 and the possible return of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang following a coronavirus absence could provide them with the clinical edge needed.

The pair’s meetings last season also bode well for Arsenal, after getting the better of their London rivals in both fixtures.

Sunday could see Chelsea’s £97.5m man Romelu Lukaku make his return to English football.

The Belgian’s 113 Premier League strikes ranks him in the top 20 in the competition's history, while he could be coming back an even better player after 47 goals over two seasons at Inter Milan.

West Ham vs Leicester (Monday, 8pm, Sky Sports)

The weekend’s action closes with two teams with high aspirations after gatecrashing the top-six last season.

Both sides were unfortunate to miss out on a Champions League place after falling away to finish sixth and fifth respectively but started with wins in their openers.

After drawing level with Paulo Di Canio with his 47th Premier League goal for West Ham last time out, Michail Antonio will aim to become the club’s outright top scorer at the London Stadium.

The Hammers did the double over their counterparts last season and will look to make it three in a row against them for the first time since 1997.

Meanwhile, Foxes striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been involved in four goals in his last four appearances against West Ham.

But the Nigerian will have a job forcing Jamie Vardy out of the team, with his match-winning goal last weekend his 119th in the competition.