Manchester City sit top of the Premier League table after Matchweek one, which also saw Sunderland, Liverpool, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Arsenal and Leeds United secure opening-weekend wins.
Highly-fancied Chelsea and Crystal Palace played out a cagey 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, August 17.
A day earlier, Man City cruised to a 4-0 win over Wolves at Molineux, with new signing Tijjani Reijnders capping a strong start to the season for the former champions.
With plenty of reaction from coaches and players, the opening weekend delivered a lively start to the new campaign.
Chelsea struggle through season opener
Enzo Maresca’s side could count themselves fortunate, as Eberechi Eze’s stunning free-kick into the top corner in the 13th minute was ruled out by VAR.
Chelsea registered 19 shots but managed just three on target in a season opener Maresca would likely view as frustrating, considering the post-season success the team enjoyed at the end of last season.
“We always try to win the game. Unfortunately, we didn’t win, but I think overall we deserve it,” Maresca told Sky Sports. “We created enough chances between the first half and the second half.
“They already played, I think, seven, eight games. And for us, last week we played two friendly games, but we tried to share minutes.
“But for sure, slowly, slowly, we’re going to be better.”
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Reijnders a future star for Man City
In a dominant display, Reijnders stood out for the away side with a cultured, controlled midfield performance.
He finished the game with a goal and an assist, while also playing a key role in both of star striker Erling Haaland’s goals.
Haaland’s second strike proved to be the decisive blow that shattered Wolves’ resistance, all-but ensuring Pep Guardiola’s men left Molineux with all three points.
Guardiola was pleased with his side’s performance but tempered his praise, saying: “First half good, second no. The attitude and many things were good, but the second half, they were better in certain moments but it’s good to improve by winning 4-0.
“All the new ones [were impressive]. Tijjani was one of the best players in Serie A, he has an unbelievable rhythm.
“Last season, we also started with hunger and energy…I don’t have any complaints over how we’re behaving in the training sessions.
“But we will see, it is just the first game so there are many points still to play.”
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Key results elsewhere
Liverpool took a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo, but Bournemouth fought back with a brace from star man Antoine Semenyo.
In the closing stages, wide men Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah put the Cherries to the sword, sealing a 4-2 victory at Anfield.
In his first game of the season, new Spurs boss Thomas Frank led his side to a 3-0 win over newly-promoted Burnley at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Richarlison scored twice, including a goal likely to feature in early-season highlight reels, giving Frank plenty to be pleased about.
New signing Mohammed Kudus was also heavily involved, providing two assists to boost Spurs’ creative options for the campaign.
After showing consistent goalscoring form since joining the club last season, Brennan Johnson continued his fine run by closing the opener assertively.
READ MORE: Premier League news: Liverpool leave it late to beat Bournemouth in opener
The most anticipated match of the opening gameweek was Manchester United vs Arsenal.
A lapse in judgment from goalkeeper Altay Bayındır allowed Riccardo Calafiori to score from a corner in the 13th minute.
Despite the loss, United fans were pleased with the attacking efforts of new signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, both standout performers across both teams.
Arsenal struggled for continuity and consistency throughout the match, but that will matter little to manager Mikel Arteta, who left Old Trafford with a 1-0 win, setting the tone for a season in which the Gunners are striving for high-end silverware.
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SportJustSport writers