Premier League Gameweek two action kicked off at the Villa Park and ended at the Community Stadium in Brentford on Saturday as Manchester City and Arsenal made it two wins from two while Manchester United suffered another recorded breaking loss in London.
Manchester City 4-0 Bournemouth
Manchester City extended their superiority over Bournemouth in a 4-0 win at the Ethiad to make it 18 games of 16 wins without a defeat against the Cherries.
Starting for the second this season, Ilkay Gundogan opens the scoring in the 19th minute of the match, exchanging pass with Erling Haaland, who teed him up for a neat finished.
Kevin De Bruyne doubled the lead in the 31st minute after receiving a pass from Phil Foden in the midfield. The Belgian surged forward and inside from the right and once on the edge of the area, performs few stepovers before curling one into the back of the net with a delightful outside foot finish.
Kevin De Bruyne repays the favour to the young Englishman moments later with Foden this time whose powerful shot beats Mark Travers to make it 3-0 to the host.
Joao Cancelo’s low shot was diverted into the Bournemouth net by Jefferson Lerma eleven minutes from time as run out 4-0 winners and assume the top of the league standing on goal difference.
Arsenal 4-2 Leicester City
Gabriel Jesus shone on his first official game as the Emirates as an Arsenal player, playing a direct role in all four goals as Arsenal extend their winning run against Leicester City to four.
After what had been an even opening 20 minutes, the Brazilian showed his class in front of goal, curling a wonderful effort into the top corner in a very tight and almost impossible position.
The Brazilian got his second five minutes after the half-hour mark as Jamie Vardy flicked a Granit Xhaka corner into the former Manchester City man at the far post, who poked home from close range.
Leicester City started the second half on the front foot and were rewarded eight minutes in, as William Saliba was forced to divert a James Justin’s long ball into his own net under pressure from Vardy.
Arsenal hit back almost immediately as Danny Ward made a mess of Ben White’s cross. The ball fell to Jesus, who took a touch to roll it into the path of Granit Xhaka to restore Arsenal’s two goal cushion in the 55th minute.
James Maddison scored his second goal against Arsenal and Leicester City’s second of the game in the 74th minute after being set up by substitute, Kelechi Iheanacho.
Arsenal scored again one number later with Gabriel Martinelli, who scores in a third consecutive Premier League game for the first time ever. Gabriel Jesus again with the assist to cap off a man of the match performance in front of the Arsenal fans.
Six points from their opening two games, a start to the season Mikel Arteta would have wished for and will hope they can sustain for most part of their season.
Arsenal travel to the Vitality Stadium next weekend to face newly promoted Bournemouth while Leicester City play at home against Southampton.
Brentford 4-0 Manchester United
For the first time in more than 84-years, Brentford have recorded a win over Manchester United in any competition, inflicting a 4-0 defeat to the Erik Ten Hag’s side, with all the goals coming before half time.
It is also the first time United have conceded four in the first half of a Premier League game, dealing further blow to the new Manager’s credentials, whose first game also saw Brighton record their first ever win at Old Trafford.
Manchester United were the architect of their own downfall as Joshua Dasilva opened the scoring with what should have been an easy pick-up for goalkeeper, David de Gea with just 10 minutes played.
The Goalkeeper was again to blame eight minutes later, as his pass to already closed down Christian Eriksen was easily won back by Mathias Jensen, who turns and fired home for 2-0.
Ben Mee made it 3-0 on the half-hour mark following a corner kick. Ivan Toney headed across goal to find the head of Ben Mee and into the back of the net.
Five minutes later, Brentford break away on the counter and Ivan Toney found his partner, Bryan Mbeumo, who fendoff the challenge of Luke Shaw before slotting into the bottom corner to complete a 4-0 scoreline.
Erik Ten Hag becomes the first manager since Sir Alex Ferguson in 1986 (2-0 defeat away at Oxford United) to lose their first away match in charge of the club, of which none of the last seven managers (including caretakers) has ever lost, winning four and drawing three.
The defeat means United go bottom of the league standings with zero points from two games and a negative goal difference of five.
Except own goals, Manchester United have failed to score in each of their last four Premier League games, all by an aggregate of 11-1. A really struggling end to last season has extended to a new season despite the appointment of a new manager.
The story continues for Manchester United, who are running out of time to have anything sorted before the end of the transfer window as again, it was made obvious at the community stadium in Brentford that it is the the players that are not good enough.
In the other games, Aston Villa record first win of the season with a 2-1 home win over Everton thanks to goals in either half from Danny Ings and Emiliano Buendia while Lucas Digne scored an own goal late on to deny Emiliano Martinez a first clean sheet of the season.
Brighton and Newcastle United played out a goalless draw at the AMEX and the same was the outcome in Fulham’s trip to the Molineux as Jose Sa denied Aleksandra Mitrovic from the spot.
Southampton came from two goals down to earn a point at home to Leeds United. Rodrygo Moreno strike in the first minute of the second half and on the stroke of the hour mark to help Jesse Marsch side establish a two goal lead.
The Spaniard now has three goals in the opening two games, more than any other player so far. But those will only be worth a point as Joe Aribo halve the deficit before Kyle Walker-Peters completed the comeback nine minutes from time as the spoils was shared at the Saint Mary’s.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
