Five things we learn from the Premier League weekend featuring debutants, Chelsea and Arsenal

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The weekend marked the return of club football after players return from their respective countries where they went to take part in the World Cup qualifiers during the international break.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United smiles during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford on September 11, 2021 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

A lot were anticipated prior to kickoff of the Premier League games last weekend and after the nine games that have gone down so far in the English top division, here are the top five things we learn from them.

5. Arsenal not convincing

Despite the expectations in the build up to the game which the Gooners have almost everyone available, they struggled to breakdown a Norwich City side, that had conceded multiple goals in all league games so far this season.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored Arsenal's first league goal of the season in a 1-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday. The goal came in an unusual circumstance, with the ball bouncing off Nicolas Pepe and into the path of the captain, who poked into the unguarded net from close range.

Mikel Arteta side needs to do better and they have to start as early as their next league game away to Burnley, before they host Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby later this month.


4. World class Salah deserves more

Mohamed Salah enters a list of Premier league elites as he becomes just the 30th player to reach the 100 goals milestone. He is the fifth fastest player to reach this feat, as his 162 games taken is only bettered by Alan Shearer, Harry Kane, Sergio Agüero and Thierry Henry.

The Egyptian is now four goals away from equalling the record of most goal by an African player in the Premier league which is currently held by Didier Drogba (104).

Salah has also notched 40 league assists and only few players can better his numbers in the league, and without a doubt better than any other African player in the history of the Premier league.

This is a player who has the best numbers since his second debut in the most prophesied league in the world, he deserves more recognition and mentioning than he is getting.

3. Chelsea a title favourite

The Blues return to winning ways at Stamford Bridge with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa. Romelu Lukaku scored a brace to add to his debut goal against Arsenal, while Matteo Kovacic was an unusual name on the score sheet.

Chelsea are level on points with league leaders, Manchester United, and have played Arsenal and Liverpool away this season and are yet to concede a goal from open play.

The team is doing well, building on the success of the later stages of last season and can even get better as the season goes on. Chelsea are one of the few teams who can surely win the Premier league.

2. Debutants the star of the weekend

Cristiano Ronaldo, Odsonne Edouard, Hee-Chan Hwang, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Aaron Ramsdale all impressed on their Premier league debut for their new clubs.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Edouard both net brace in their club's win. Hee-Chan also scored on his cameo for Wolverhampton Wonderers. The duo of Tomiyasu and Aaron Ramsdale helped Arsenal to their first league win and clean sheet of the season.

1. Never write-off Cristiano Ronaldo

At 36, while fans are delighted of his arrival, critics feel Cristiano Ronaldo will not be a fit for the Premier league as the intensity of the English top division might prove too much for someone his age.

But most of the doubters would have been proved wrong after his second debut last Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo scored United's first two goals against Newcastle United, the most important goals in the 4-1 win at Old Trafford.

His brace takes him to the list of 20 players to have scored 120 goals for Manchester United. The Portuguese had scored 118 goals in his first spell with United and achieved this feat after hitting the ground running on his second debut.

His target in the next few games will be reaching 130 goals and overtaking the likes of Andrew Cole (121), Ole Gunnar Solksjær (126) and Brian McClair (127).

With Manchester United having less difficult fixtures in the next couple of games, the Portuguese will be looking to build a formidable form before United start to clash with the other heavyweights.


Afolabi Kehinde Hassan

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