Welcome back, Premier League, and thank you for delivering a weekend full of top-end drama to start off the 2024-25 season.
There were title contenders Man City, Arsenal, and Liverpool looking like title contenders. There were curiosities Manchester United and Chelsea showing improvement to varying degrees.
[ MORE: JPW’s 3 things learned from Chelsea vs Man City ]
There was so much more, as we saw Leicester City surprise Spurs after the initial publication of this post. Read about the Foxes’ 1-1 draw with Tottenham here.
Here are 10 thoughts about Week 1 from our writers, as Joe Prince-Wright, Andy Edwards, and Nick Mendola share their observations from the first nine games of the 2023-24 Premier League season.
Ten things we learned from Week 1 of the 2024-25 Premier League season
Away we go!
1. Patience is not plentiful among the Chelsea faithful
The one thing new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca requested before the season started was patience to help his methods bed into the team. The reaction of the home crowd on Sunday proved that won’t be plentiful. There was agitation, frustration, and annoyance in the air when Chelsea kept the ball at the back for large periods of the first half. Chelsea’s fans were moaning and groaning when they gave the ball away in midfield multiple times. This style of football will take a lot of time to get right and with so many players coming in and out of the squad pretty much on a daily basis right now, it will take time for Chelsea to find rhythm and understanding on the pitch. At times it worked and it will also be easier for them to break down lesser opponents than the champions this season. It’s clear the way Maresca wants to play is the most difficult to master. Ask the master, Pep, how difficult it was in his first season in charge at Man City. Maresca may have to repeat his call for patience on many occasions but it already seems like a large chunk of the Chelsea fanbase have decided they don’t need to be patient. “Come on Enzo, this is poor!” yelled one Chelsea fan towards the final whistle. Patience is not plentiful at Stamford Bridge. — Joe Prince-Wright
2. Mohamed Salah’s class the difference as Liverpool click
Ipswich did their best to disrupt the game in the first half and they succeeded in frustrating the visitors, but you have to do more than just be spoilers to get something against this Liverpool side. The Tractor Boys couldn’t keep up the tempo of their play and Liverpool took full advantage of that in the second half. Salah’s supreme quality set up the first goal and the way he plucked the ball out of the air, played a one-two with Szoboszlai and then finished is a perfect example of what Ipswich will come up against most weeks in the Premier League this season. Liverpool weren’t fluid throughout and still have plenty of stars getting up to top speed — not Salah, who is looking lean after a full preseason with Liverpool — but when they clicked in the second half it was a joy to watch. You can already see the new philosophy Arne Slot has brought in and how it can add an extra layer to all of the great work Jurgen Klopp did with this squad of players, which has remained largely unchanged. — Joe Prince-Wright
3. Mikel Arteta has Arsenal looking the part — his part — straight out of the gate
It didn’t take long for Arsenal to assert control over the Week 1 proceedings in North London and it really didn’t feel like anything but an impending ‘W’ even as the Gunners suffered through an early second-half malaise. A kind witness would say the mistakes were down to over-confidence, but the key part of that word is the second half; Arsenal looked like Mikel Arteta in his playing days — intense, intentional, and not without technical flair. Look out, Premier League — the Gunners look assured and quite good and their season is just 90 minutes old. — Nick Mendola
4. Erik ten Hag’s 1-0 ‘blowout’ gives hope to Manchester United
Fulham are a headache to play against under Marco Silva. There’s Antonee Robinson and Kenny Tete relentlessly pushing the outside and a real plan to make the middle of the park a pain. Oh, and Bernd Leno is a terrific goalkeeper. Add in the fact that this was 0-0 into the 87th minute, when Joshua Zirkzee put the Red Devils on the board, and you might be tempted to believe this was more of United’s 2023-24 Erik ten Hag malaise. But this wasn’t that. United produced 2.43 xG while conceding very little danger (0.44 xG) and had a handful of solid chances before Zirkzee’s clever redirection. Noussair Mazraoui was solid on debut at right back and Matthijs de Ligt’s cameo showed size and strength. The midfield is still a big question as is second striker — Bruno Fernandes needs to be in the middle of the attack not at false nine — but the Red Devils also got good control of the 18 from keeper Andre Onana and should feel good after just one week.— Nick Mendola
5. Short-handed champs Man City showcase title mettle
There shouldn’t be any worries around the Etihad Stadium aside from minor concern regarding Savinho’s first-half injury. Haaland got on the scoreboard, Kevin De Bruyne went 90 minutes, and the four-time defending Premier League champs held Chelsea to two shots on target. Much like Arsenal on Saturday, City did what they had to do with little worry along the way. Chelsea was improved but the anxiety put on City was nominal apart from Nicolas Jackson’s needlessly-offside goal. Manuel Akanji and Josko Gvardiol were very good and City have so many options at the back this season as Kyle Walker, John Stones, and Nathan Ake all were unused subs. Some of that may be by design; Pep Guardiola only used Phil Foden off the bench and may be making a point to his bosses as City hunt more hardware. — Nick Mendola
6. Dream debut for Fabian Huerzler, who is building on Roberto De Zerbi’s foundation
The Seagulls made the decision to move on from Roberto De Zerbi in the summer, and they decided to replace him with someone younger in the American-born Huerzler — by 14 years, at just 31, the youngest head coach or manager in PL history — and even more radical with his tactics. Brighton will win a lot of games 3-0 or 4-1, just like under De Zerbi, and they will lose their fair share of games 3-0 or 4-1 as a trade-off. The high press and quick counter-attacks of Brighton were simply too much for Everton’s midfield, which lost Amadou Onana in the summer. That looked a real weakness for Sean Dyche’s side in the opener. — Andy Edwards
7. Magpies roll back the years to Rafa ball (for a day)
Newcastle United 1-0 Southampton
There was never any danger of Newcastle failing to respond to Fabian Schar’s surprise red card, what with it being opening day in front of the Toon Army on home soil. But the way Newcastle answered going down to 10 men, by feasting on a newly-promoted side’s error and then showing the proper humility to defend like heck with the lead despite their perceived status, would’ve been welcomed by the home faithful. The performance itself recalled the pride shown by the Magpies under Rafael Benitez late in a doomed relegation campaign, where breaks didn’t come their way but belief didn’t leave the side. This is a much better team and was playing an inferior foe — Saints don’t look bad, however! — but Newcastle’s new era display would’ve made Rafa proud. — Nick Mendola
8. Lopetegui and Emery bring entertainment via clash of wits
West Ham United 1-2 Aston Villa
Pau Torres, Max Kilman, Alphonse Areola, and Emiliano Martinez all have impressive defensive chops, prowess that was put to the test repeatedly at the London Stadium on Saturday. West Ham produced 2.80 xG and Aston Villa 2.67 in a back-and-forth affair that could’ve finished with any multi-goal score (and probably should’ve been 2-2 at the very last minute). Both of these teams’ benches are deep and their managers well-established as top minds. This is definitely not David Moyes’ West Ham and Emery is Emery. Should investment and faith continue, these two men could be match claret wits for some time. Get used to “West Ham” as a name you seek on the fixture list. — Nick Mendola
9. Promise for Bees, Eagles as transfer deadline to define expectations
Michael Olise is gone and a few promising names are through the Palace doors, but will Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze stay through the transfer deadline. Brentford have bought a couple of strong attackers — one injured — but will Ivan Toney stick around to help? The questions are huge, because both Brentford and Crystal Palace flashed promise for their supporters on Sunday but so much feels dependent on what happens in the next few weeks. Either side could attack well enough to contend for the top half of the table, but both could just as well end up in an unholy bottom-half scrap if there are a couple exits and/or injuries. Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo looked terrific for Brentford and the backs and midfielders are up for the challenge of leaping into attack, while Palace still have solid defenders behind Adam Wharton and an attack with many fun pieces. Let’s see how the squads look at the end of the month. — Nick Mendola
10. Bournemouth’s first day post-Solanke puts pressure on Evanilson
Nottingham Forest 1-1 AFC Bournemouth
This was three points for the visitors last year, plain and simple. Nothing against Nottingham Forest, who took their chance to take a 1-0 lead, but Andoni Iraola’s men created more dangerous chances on the day but couldn’t get the finishing touch until Antoine Semenyo’s late marker. Cherries fans know where I’m going here — Where would they have been last year without the 19 goals of recently-sold Dominic Solanke? Enter Evanilson. Yes, Semenyo scored from the center forward spot and Enes Unal will return soon enough, but Iraola’s task of recreating last season’s impressive finish is much, much, much more difficult without Solanke and that’s why Bournemouth splashed big money on Porto’s 24-year-old No. 9, who has a pair of Brazil caps and produced reliably in Portugal. How quickly can he get up to speed? — Nick Mendola