Premier League hits and misses: Eddie Nketiah makes positive start for Arsenal
Gabriel Jesus' stand-in makes a persuasive audition, Everton pay for familiar failure in front of goal, and Man City's winning machine marches on...
Sunday 13 August 2023 10:58, UK
Reliable Nketiah faces biggest season yet
"The way he trained this week, he was telling me: 'Gaffer, if I don't play - you are blind.'" Mikel Arteta explained the one change he made from last weekend's Community Shield victory over Manchester City.
Eddie Nketiah took the striker spot for Arsenal due to how hard he worked in training - and another chance at becoming a permanent replacement to the injured Gabriel Jesus.
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It's not the first time he's been given that chance. When Jesus was ruled out for four months last season, he stepped in for a little while then lost his place to Leandro Trossard. When Kai Havertz took the striker spot at Wembley in Nketiah's absence, you could imagine the player's frustration at seeing another player restrict him to the bench. But he responded.
"I'm delighted for him because he's a role model," said Mikel Arteta. "A player who was so disappointed, after the injury from Gabi, not to play a final, he came on and changed the game.
"A lot of players come and say: 'why am I not playing?' You have to try to say these are the reason why I deserve to play. This is exactly what he did and then he goes on the pitch. A very good example for everybody."
The 24-year-old has the potential to be a big player for Arsenal. In his last nine Premier League starts, Nketiah has six goals and two assists. It is why he started up front for Arsenal and why Folarin Balogun is nowhere to be seen. With another chance to make the No 9 spot at Arsenal his own, this could be Nketiah's biggest season yet.
Sam Blitz
Kovacic slots smoothly into City midfield
Mateo Kovacic is so up Pep Guardiola's street that it's a wonder the two have not worked together before. The midfielder possesses so many of the skills the manager loves - the ability to resist the press, pick a pass and adapt to various tactical demands.
While tougher tests than Burnley await, Kovacic's Premier League debut for the champions was highly promising.
Slotting into a narrow midfield trio, he quietly racked up a pass-completion percentage of nearly 95 per cent - a number bettered only by the outstanding Rodri.
So smooth was Kovacic's performance that City were barely affected by the loss of Kevin De Bruyne. Promising signs for the Croatia midfielder and his new boss.
Joe Shread
Big win, but Brighton missed Caicedo influence
It might not have been obvious when looking at the 4-1 scoreline, but Brighton did miss Moises Caicedo against Luton.
The wantaway Ecuador international, who is hoping to finalise a £115m move to Chelsea, ranked among the best midfielders in the Premier League last season for recoveries, tackles and interceptions.
His importance to Brighton without the ball in stemming potential counters against them was a key reason why Roberto De Zerbi's relentless football flourished as teams could not break out from their defensive shape.
It's why Chelsea are willing to pay massive money for his services - the job he does is critical for sustaining attacks. Although it's a small sample size of 90 minutes, that task did look easier for Luton without Caicedo patrolling the midfield.
Luton managed 36 entries into Brighton's final third and 22 touches in their box. That is a huge spike in terms of the numbers usually associated with relegation-threatened teams playing away at Brighton.
For instance, Southampton managed just five final third entries and just five touches in the Brighton box during the 3-1 defeat in May. With a little bit more care and quality, Luton could have taken advantage of such promising positions and the narrative of what looked a routine win for Brighton on paper would have been very different.
Lewis Jones
Dyche yet to solve Everton's problems in front of goal
Six of Fulham's last seven Premier League clean sheets have come away from home - but they should not have had one on Saturday. It was just the third time on record Everton have had as many as nine shots on target in a Premier League game without scoring (also 10 vs Wolves in March 2010 and nine against Sunderland in December 2013).
Bernd Leno made vital saves, but it was a result of their opponent's poor finishing that Marco Silva left Goodison with another three points against his former employees. Everton were the second lowest goalscorers with 34 goals in 38 games as they narrowly escaped relegation on the final day of the season - and their glaring goalscoring issue was laid bare once more.
Back in April, Silva was in the stands serving a touchline ban for Fulham's 3-1 away win, but here he could toast a hard-fought victory from close quarters, and it was his intervention which swung the balance his team's way. Substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored with Fulham's first shot on target.
A new season brought new hope for recent relegation strugglers Everton but for all the improvements Sean Dyche has made over the summer, it appears he he has not yet solved their problems in front of goal.
The return of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and a debut for new signing Youssef Chermiti, the £15m Sporting Lisbon striker watching from the directors' box, cannot come soon enough.
Ben Grounds
Professional Paqueta catches eye amid City interest
With talks continuing between West Ham and Manchester City over Lucas Paqueta, it would have been easy for the Brazilian to cause disruption ahead of their Premier League opener against Bournemouth in a bid to force a move to the treble winners.
Instead, the midfielder showed true professionalism as he started in the Hammers' 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium.
He matched that commitment with an eye-catching display that showed why the Premier League champions want to sign the 25-year-old.
Paqueta won possession the most times (14) and won the most tackles (6) of any player in the game, while he combined that tenacity with quality on the ball making the most passes (39) for the visitors.
West Ham boss David Moyes admitted afterwards that he does not want to lose Paqueta and it is easy to see why with his increasing influence on this Irons side.
But unfortunately for Moyes, Paqueta's performance on the south coast will only heighten City's interest - especially considering Kevin De Bruyne is reportedly set for a scan on Monday to discover the extent of the injury he suffered against Burnley.
Declan Olley
'World star' Isak helps Newcastle lay down a marker
Newcastle produced a statement win against an Aston Villa side who plenty expect to do good things this season, and key to that win was a scintillating display from striker Alexander Isak.
It was a performance full of pace, power and skill. He terrorised the Aston Villa defence at St James' Park with Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp describing the striker as a world star.
"Isak is such a fantastic player and a world star," the former Liverpool midfielder told Sky Sports after Newcastle's 5-1 victory. "He can score goals, he's great on the ball. This guy can do everything. He's a sensational player."
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said after the game that Isak's performance epitomised Newcastle against Villa. "Isak is a special player and he can do special things. I didn't realise quite how good his second finish was. He epitomised the team. We were really front foot again and tried to impose ourselves and take the game to Aston Villa and could've score more really."
Toon fans, who love an iconic striker, will be hoping this is just the start for the Sweden international as Newcastle look to improve upon their top-four finish last season.
Oliver Yew
Kompany must address set-piece issue
Burnley made light work of the Championship last season, and they return to the Premier League a different team under Vincent Kompany. "I was impressed by the energy Burnley showed in the first half and the fact they got the crowd involved in the game," said Jamie Carragher.
When it comes to 10+ pass sequences in the Premier League, they only achieved it 112 times under Sean Dyche and Matt Jackson the last time they were in the top flight just over a year ago. In the Championship last term, they did so on 744 occasions. While they will find it harder back in the Premier League, Kompany has got his troops playing in his image. On nine occasions on Friday night, they regained possession in the final third.
Manchester City got their early goal, but the game did not die. The Clarets will not be judged on nights like these, but they will need to show a killer punch up front. That could soon change. Talks are ongoing with Ajax over a potential deal for Mohamed Daramy. The 21-year-old Denmark international has been linked with a move to Turf Moor this year, after spending last season on loan at Copenhagen.
They are an attractive team to watch - but after conceding 10 goals from set pieces even in earning promotion, they shipped another two on the opening night - that must be addressed to ensure they live up to the expectation of a season free from relegation fears.
Ben Grounds
No Zaha, no problem?
Crystal Palace started their first Premier League game without former talisman Wilfried Zaha within the ranks for the first time in nine years - but dominated newly-promoted Sheffield United and should have scored more.
Would Zaha have provided the breakthrough to score more? Perhaps, but the rising influence of Eberechi Eze in a floating role eases the transition for life after Zaha. The England forward frequently, and effectively, drifted into advanced areas down the left flank and combined with full-back Tyrick Mitchell at Bramall Lane.
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Additionally, the customary tenacity of Jordan Ayew once again helped to provide the breakthrough when his drive into the box created Edouard's winner, while the Eagles could still have Michael Olise to return - if they can stave off interest from Manchester City and his host of powerhouse suitors.
Palace have not had a regular No 9 for some time, but Odsonne Edouard looked dynamic and latched onto opportunities that fell his way, firing seven shots with three on target - scoring on the opening day for the second time in three seasons with the club.
Elsewhere, new signing Jefferson Lerma slotted in seamlessly alongside the reliable Cheick Doucoure, while Joachim Andersen continues to impress at centre-back - making crucial blocks, spraying sublime long passes and using his aerial prowess in the opposition box.
However, the real test will come next time out - when Hodgson's side face high-flying Arsenal.
Adam Smith
