Who makes the Premier League team of the week?
The second weekend of the 2023/24 Premier League saw 27 goals scored across nine matches. Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United, while 10-men West Ham United beat Chelsea. Aston Villa thrashed Everton 4-0, Brighton repeated their 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Nottingham Forest won their first against Sheffield United. AFC Bournemouth lost to Liverpool, Brentford beat Fulham, while Manchester City and Arsenal both won 1-0 against Newcastle United and Crystal Palace respectively. WhoScored’s player rating system highlighted the week's best performers.
Arsenal maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace, despite playing with 10 men for most of the second half. Meanwhile, West Ham also won a game with 10 men, defeating Chelsea 3-1, while Tottenham Hotspur clinched their first win under new coach Ange Postecoglou, beating Manchester United 2-0. In the first London derby of the weekend, Brentford triumphed 3-0 over Fulham. Following these matches, data experts predict the most likely finishing positions for each team.
Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu was sent off against Crystal Palace for receiving two yellow cards within seven minutes. The first was for time-wasting during a throw-in, while the second resulted from an alleged tug on Jordan Ayew's shirt. This dismissal further depletes Arsenal's defence, with new signing Jurriën Timber out with an ACL tear. Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher, commented the referee made the correct decision in sending off Tomiyasu, despite the outcome seeming a touch extreme.
Arsenal secured a narrow win over Crystal Palace due to a penalty by Martin Ødegaard. Despite being reduced to ten men after Takehiro Tomiyasu's dismissal for two yellow cards, the Gunners managed to defend their lead. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta refrained from commenting on Tomiyasu's sending off but expressed surprise at Ødegaard's decision to take the penalty instead of regular spot-kicker Bukayo Saka. Despite the close finish, Arteta expressed satisfaction with the result, maintaining Arsenal's winning streak.
Former Chelsea player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang critiqued the club after moving to Marseille. Following a lacklustre season with Chelsea, Aubameyang's performance has improved in France with two goals in four games. The latest player to depart Stamford Bridge is midfielder Haki Ziyech, who has moved to Galatasaray on a season-long loan. Aubameyang shared a post relating to Ziyech's move, adding the caption "free Hakim," referring to Ziyech's struggle for game time at Chelsea. The club confirmed Ziyech's move, acknowledging his contributions including helping the team win the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Monday night. A penalty from Martin Ødegaard secured the victory for the Gunners, who managed to withstand a late onslaught from Crystal Palace. The match wasn't without drama, as Arsenal were reduced to ten men following Takehiro Tomiyasu's sending off for double yellow cards. The win keeps Mikel Arteta’s side unbeaten this season.
Arsenal narrowly beat Crystal Palace in their latest match, with Martin Odegaard securing the win. The team is preparing for a weekend match against Fulham while also finalising the squad ahead of the transfer window. Among the players likely to move on is Folarin Balogun, linked to both Chelsea and Monaco. Meanwhile, Brighton may sign Arsenal's Albert Sambi Lokonga on loan as a replacement for Moises Caicedo who moved to Chelsea. Lokonga needs to prove his value to stay with the club long-term.
Arsenal FC has no intention of selling star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, despite interest from Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad and his absence from the starting line-up this season, says transfer insider Fabrizio Romano. Gabriel, a key player for the Gunners last season, is under contract until 2027 and could have the chance to reclaim his starting position given that fellow defender Ben White can also play as a full-back.
Chelsea is looking for a new striker due to lack of clear-cut chances in the game against West Ham United. The club has reportedly approached Arsenal's Folarin Balogun who is interested in moving to west London. Other teams including Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Monaco have also shown interest in Balogun. Chelsea's manager Mauricio Pochettino, facing a squad injury crisis, admits the search for the right fit isn't easy, given strikers Nkunku and Broja being injured. Meanwhile, the team is preparing to face Luton Town.
Arsenal has the highest net spend in the Premier League for the summer, with a total of £162.7m. The club's most significant acquisition was Declan Rice from West Ham for a record £105m. Manchester United had the second highest net spend at £135.2m, followed by Bournemouth at £89.9m and Newcastle at £88.6m. Meanwhile, Brighton recorded the lowest net spend, making a profit of £117.9m. Chelsea was the largest overall spender, investing over £290m in new players, but also sold a substantial number of their high earners.
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