LONDON — Arsenal and Manchester City already look set for another duel for the English Premier League title after overcoming adversity to stretch their perfect starts at the top of the table.
City won the Manchester derby against United 1-0 despite playing with 10 men for over an hour after Phil Foden’s red card.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was also left fuming at the officials for the award of a Sunderland penalty, saved by David Raya, as the Gunners ran out 2-0 winners at the Stadium of Light.
Promoted Hull extended their superb start with a 2-2 at Chelsea, while Liverpool stumbled in a goalless draw against Fulham.
AFP Sports looks at three talking points from the English Premier League weekend.
City get bang for their buck
City are enjoying an immediate return on their £460 million ($623 million) splurge on new signings with a performance and result at Old Trafford that blow away fears of an immediate fall from grace in the post-Pep Guardiola era.
United reinforced their midfield in the transfer window with a trio of new faces but were unable to compete with City’s financial might in the battle for Elliot Anderson.
The England international’s £116 million move from Nottingham Forest was eclipsed by Enzo Fernandez’s £125 million arrival at the Etihad Stadium from Chelsea.
City got what they paid for as the big-money pairing dominated the midfield despite being a man light due to Foden’s dismissal.
Alonso seeks ‘boring’ Chelsea
Chelsea have quickly earned a reputation as the league’s great entertainers under Xabi Alonso, but the former Real Madrid boss is craving a boring 1-0 win.
In five games against top-flight opposition this season, the Blues have scored 16 times but conceded 12.
The front three of Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer have blossomed into arguably the most potent forward line in the league.
But Chelsea are calamitous at the back and needed a string of saves from Emiliano Martinez just to restrict Hull to two goals in their 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
“I hope one day you’ll say it was a boring game and we win and we don’t give these entertaining moments,” Alonso said.
Guimaraes proves his worth
Arsenal’s biggest signing of the transfer window has been made to wait for his chance to shine as Arteta kept faith with the stars that guided the Gunners to a first league title for 22 years.
On his return to England’s north-east after four years at Newcastle, Bruno Guimaraes was met with a frosty reception from Sunderland fans.
The Brazil midfielder is still to start for the English champions but made a telling impact after Arteta turned to him at half-time.
Just two minutes after David Raya saved Enzo Le Fee’s penalty to deny Sunderland the opener, Guimaraes rocketed a shot into the top corner for his first Arsenal goal.
Guimaraes also played in Bukayo Saka for the move that led to Arsenal’s second.
The England winger converted from the penalty spot after he had been upended by Reinildo.
“The personality that he has. He comes in and this is a special game for him as well, what it means for him, and how he grabs the game,” said Arteta.
“The decisions that he’s made and the two actions. The goal is incredible and the assist as well to Bukayo to put him through in front of goal, it’s unbelievable as well.”
