Premier League's Rising Star: Eddie Nketiah's Spectacular Debut Win for Arsenal

Reliable Nketiah faces biggest season yet

"The way he trained this week, he was indicating to me: 'Boss, if I am not on the field - you are unaware.'" Mikel Arteta elucidated the one alteration he made from the previous weekend's triumph in the Community Shield against Manchester City.

Eddie Nketiah assumed the striker position for Arsenal owing to his incredible dedication in training - and another opportunity to potentially replace the injured Gabriel Jesus on a permanent basis.

He has had previous opportunities to prove himself. Last season, when Jesus was sidelined for four months, he temporarily filled in before being replaced by Leandro Trossard. When Kai Havertz took over as striker in Nketiah's absence at Wembley, it must have been frustrating for him to be benched again. However, he showed resilience.

Mikel Arteta expressed his delight for Nketiah, acknowledging him as a role model. Despite the disappointment of missing out on playing in the final due to Gabi's injury, Nketiah came off the bench and made a significant impact on the game.

Many players often question why they are not given playing time, but it is important for them to communicate their worth and show why they deserve to be on the field. This is exactly what Nketiah did, setting a great example for everyone. The 24-year-old has the potential to become a key player for Arsenal, as evidenced by his impressive record of six goals and two assists in his last nine Premier League starts. This is why he was chosen to start up front, leaving no room for fellow player Folarin Balogun. Nketiah now has another opportunity to claim the No 9 spot as his own, making this potentially his most significant season yet.

Kovacic slots smoothly into City midfield

Given his exceptional skillset, it is truly astonishing that Mateo Kovacic and Pep Guardiola have not crossed paths earlier. Kovacic perfectly encapsulates the characteristics that Guardiola deeply admires – his adeptness at evading pressing, his impeccable passing abilities, and his versatility in adapting to diverse tactical situations.

Kovacic's Premier League debut for the champions showed great promise, despite facing tougher opponents in the future. Operating in a compact midfield trio, he impressively maintained a pass-completion rate of almost 95%, second only to the exceptional 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

Despite the 4-1 scoreline, the absence of Moises Caicedo was evident for Brighton against Luton. The Ecuadorian midfielder, who desires a £115m transfer to Chelsea, proved to be one of the top performers in the Premier League last season in terms of recoveries, tackles, and interceptions.

The key reason for Roberto De Zerbi's successful football at Brighton was his ability to prevent potential counters against them, which led to teams being unable to break out of their defensive shape. This crucial role is why Chelsea is willing to pay a huge sum for his services, as he is critical for sustaining attacks. However, during the small sample size of 90 minutes, Luton found it easier to maneuver without Caicedo patrolling the midfield.

Luton recorded an impressive 36 entries into Brighton's final third and 22 touches within their box. These statistics are significantly higher than what is typically seen from teams fighting relegation playing as the away side at Brighton.

To provide context, during Southampton's 3-1 loss in May, they only managed five entries into Brighton's final third and five touches within their box. With better execution and precision, Luton could have capitalized on these promising opportunities, potentially altering the outcome of what appeared to be a straightforward victory for Brighton on paper.

Dyche yet to solve Everton's problems in front of goal

Fulham has managed to keep clean sheets in six of their last seven Premier League matches played away from home. However, this achievement was not the case during their recent fixture. Everton recorded a remarkable statistic as they had a total of nine shots on target without managing to score. This was only the third time Everton has accomplished such a feat in a Premier League match, with the previous instances occurring against Wolverhampton Wanderers in March 2010 (10 shots on target without scoring) and Sunderland in December 2013 (nine shots on target without scoring).

Bernd Leno's exceptional saves weren't the sole reason for Marco Silva's triumph against his former club, as Everton's lackluster finishing played a significant role. With just 34 goals in 38 games, Everton struggled to find the back of the net throughout the season, barely avoiding relegation. This persistent problem was once again evident in their latest match.

In a twist of fate, Silva, who had previously served a touchline ban during Fulham's 3-1 away victory in April, now celebrated a hard-earned win up close. The balance of the game shifted in his team's favor thanks to the goal scored by substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid, which happened to be Fulham's first shot on target.

Everton, recently plagued by relegation troubles, welcomed a new season with a renewed sense of hope. However, despite Sean Dyche's efforts to improve the team, their struggles in scoring goals remain unresolved. The imminent return of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the debut of Youssef Chermiti, a £15m signing from Sporting Lisbon who observed from the directors' box, cannot come quickly enough.

Professional Paqueta catches eye amid City interest

Possible Revision:

Professional Paqueta catches eye amid City interest

As negotiations persist between West Ham and Manchester City regarding Lucas Paqueta, it could have been tempting for the Brazilian to disrupt preparations for their Premier League opener against Bournemouth in an attempt to secure a transfer to the triumphant treble winners.

The midfielder displayed great professionalism as he started in the Hammers' 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium, proving why the Premier League champions are interested in signing the 25-year-old.

Paqueta demonstrated his dominance by winning possession 14 times and making 6 successful tackles, surpassing any other player in the game. Additionally, he showcased his skill on the ball by completing the most passes (39) for the visiting team. Following the match, West Ham manager David Moyes openly expressed his desire to retain Paqueta, recognizing the growing impact that he has on the Irons side.

Unfortunately for Moyes, Paqueta's display on the south coast will undoubtedly increase City's interest, particularly given the reports that Kevin De Bruyne will undergo a scan on Monday to determine the severity of his injury suffered against Burnley.

'World star' Isak helps Newcastle lay down a marker

Newcastle delivered a resounding victory over an Aston Villa team with high expectations for the season, and central to their triumph was a dazzling performance by striker Alexander Isak.

Isak's display was a remarkable combination of speed, strength, and technique. He caused constant trouble for the Aston Villa defense at St James' Park, prompting praise from Jamie Redknapp who hailed him as a global sensation.

"Isak is an exceptional player and a global sensation," expressed the former Liverpool midfielder to We following Newcastle's tremendous 5-1 triumph. "He possesses remarkable scoring abilities and exhibits exceptional ball control. This individual can accomplish any task on the field. He is an extraordinary player."

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, in reviewing the match, declared that Isak's performance embodied the essence of Newcastle against Villa. "Isak is a phenomenal player capable of achieving remarkable feats. I was not fully cognizant of the brilliance of his second goal. He personified the team's spirit. Once again, we maintained an aggressive, attacking approach, dictating the game against Aston Villa, and could have even achieved a higher score."

Kompany must address set-piece issue

The Newcastle supporters, who adore a legendary forward, will likely be optimistic that this is merely the beginning for the Swedish player, as the team strives to surpass their top-four performance from the previous season. Oliver Yew

Burnley breezed through the Championship last season and now, under Vincent Kompany, they have returned to the Premier League as a completely transformed team. Jamie Carragher praised their impressive energy in the first half and their ability to engage the crowd. In their previous stint in the top flight over a year ago, they only managed to achieve 10+ pass sequences 112 times under Sean Dyche and Matt Jackson. However, in the Championship last season, they accomplished this feat 744 times. While their return to the Premier League will undoubtedly present more challenges, Kompany has successfully instilled his style of play in his squad. On Friday night, they impressively regained possession in the final third on nine occasions.

Manchester City scored an early goal, however, the game remained competitive. The Clarets' performance on nights like these will not be used to judge them, but they must improve their attacking prowess. This could change soon, as negotiations with Ajax regarding a potential deal for 21-year-old Denmark international, Mohamed Daramy, are ongoing. Daramy, who spent last season on loan at Copenhagen, has been linked with a move to Turf Moor this year.

Although they play attractive football, the Clarets have struggled with defending set pieces, conceding 10 goals even in their promotion-winning campaign. On the opening night, they conceded two more goals from set pieces. Addressing this issue is crucial to ensure they meet the expectations of a season free from fears of relegation.

No Zaha, no problem?

Crystal Palace began their inaugural Premier League match without their long-time star player Wilfried Zaha, breaking a streak of nine years with his presence. Nevertheless, they exhibited remarkable control over newly-promoted Sheffield United and squandered several opportunities to add more goals to their tally.

Could Zaha have been the one to score more goals? It's possible, but the growing influence of Eberechi Eze in a versatile role makes the transition to life without Zaha easier. The talented forward often moved into advanced positions on the left side and collaborated effectively with full-back Tyrick Mitchell at Bramall Lane.

Moreover, the relentless determination of Jordan Ayew played a crucial role in creating Edouard's winning goal when he made a strong push into the box. Additionally, the Eagles still have the potential return of Michael Olise, unless they can fend off interest from Manchester City and other strong competitors.

Palace has lacked a consistent striker for quite a while, but Odsonne Edouard showed great skill and capitalized on the opportunities he had. He took seven shots, with three on target, and managed to score on the opening day - a feat he has now achieved twice in three seasons with the club.

In other areas of the team, Jefferson Lerma, a new signing, seamlessly fit in alongside the dependable Cheick Doucoure. Joachim Andersen, the center-back, continued to impress by making crucial blocks, delivering excellent long passes, and making use of his aerial abilities in the opponent's box.

However, the real test will come next time out - when Hodgson's side face high-flying Arsenal.

Adam Smith