Premier League Team of the Week – Raya, Ballard, Reijnders
Goalkeeper: David Raya – Arsenal
A good goalkeeper can make all the difference, and Arsenal's 1-0 win at Manchester United proved that better than most. While Altay Bayindir's blunder gifted Arsenal the decisive goal, the Gunners had their own David Raya pulling off heroics at the other end.
No goalkeeper made more saves than Raya (7) this weekend, with his reflex stop from Matheus Cunha arguably the best of the Premier League's opening games.
Right-back: Josh Acheampong – Chelsea
Drafted in as a late replacement for Tosin Adarabioyo, the performance of Josh Acheampong might lead Enzo Maresca to rethink his desire for a new centre-back.
The 19-year-old remains a work in progress but was excellent in the goalless draw with Crystal Palace. He carried the ball confidently forward down the right-hand side as Reece James inverted into midfield and won 9/12 defensive duels.
Centre-back: Dan Ballard – Sunderland
A hero of Sunderland's play-off campaign and a protagonist again during the club's stunning success on their return to the Premier League. Ballard was outstanding defensively with nine clearances, including one off the goal-line, and a 100% success rate in ground duels (4/4).
At the other end, he scored Sunderland's second with a brilliant header, as the Black Cats thrashed West Ham 3-0 on Wearside.
Centre-back: Dan Burn – Newcastle
It's an all-North East pairing at the back with Dan Burn immense in Newcastle's draw at Aston Villa.
Burn barely gave England teammate Ollie Watkins a sniff, won six aerial duels, and put in some crucial challenges.
Left-back: Rayan Ait-Nouri – Manchester City
Wolves were well aware of the threat Rayan Ait-Nouri can pose, but could do little to stop their former favourite.
Ait-Nouri had an impressive Premier League debut against his old side, leading his teammates for tackles, clearances, and interceptions. The Algerian has added a more traditional left-back to Pep Guardiola's squad and looks a fine fit.
Midfield: Elliot Anderson – Nottingham Forest
Has Anderson won the assist of the season on the opening weekend?
His first-time slide-rule pass to release Chris Wood against Brentford was a thing of beauty, the latest highlight for a midfielder who is getting better and better at Forest.
An England call-up surely beckons for Anderson on this form.
Midfield: Tijjani Reijnders – Manchester City
A dream debut for the Manchester City midfielder. Reijnders opened up the game for the opener at Wolves, with a wonderful slalom run and lofted pass into Rico Lewis.
He doubled the lead with a crisp finish for the second, before setting up Erling Haaland for the third. The Dutchman is the first Manchester City player to score and assist on debut since Sergio Aguero in 2011. Superb.
Midfield: Morgan Gibbs-White – Nottingham Forest
How Forest fans will be relieved that their club has managed to hold onto Morgan Gibbs-White. The midfielder was magnificent in the 3-1 win over Brentford, with the midfield trio of the England international, Elliot Anderson, and Ibrahima Sangare full of class.
He got his first assist of the season with a delicious cross for Dan Ndoye to head home and was full of invention all afternoon.
Forward: Richarlison – Tottenham Hotspur
Followed an impressive outing in the UEFA Super Cup with a standout showing to stake his claim to be Tottenham's number nine.
The Brazilian guided in a brilliant opener from Mohammed Kudus's cross, before scoring a spectacular scissor-kick second as the same two players combined again.
Alongside his two goals, he worked tirelessly out of possession to lead the press.
Forward: Hugo Ekitike – Liverpool
Marked his Premier League debut with a goal after netting in last week's Community Shield.
The Frenchman kept his cool when powering in on the Bournemouth goal, and later turned provider for Cody Gakpo to double the lead. He's made an instant impression at Anfield.
Forward: Erling Haaland – Manchester City
Erling Haaland just loves playing in August. The Norwegian resumed normal service for the Premier League's opening month with two clinical goals in Manchester City's 4-0 win at Wolves.
Haaland has now scored 21 Premier League goals in August, in just 12 games. Absurd.
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New York Times
32 minutes ago
- New York Times
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Yahoo
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Campbell didn't speak to me for six months
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Shorn of both Colwill to an ACL injury and Tosin Adarabioyo to what Maresca would only describe as a 'physical problem', Chelsea needed Acheampong to do Colwill's job off the ball and on it — a double brief that, considering the impressive solidity of Palace and the particular attributes of Mateta, might have been the most difficult individual assignment on the pitch. Acheampong never gives the impression of being fazed and signalled his readiness, as well as his intent, inside the first minute. Palace's narrow three-man attacking line closed in on Chelsea's defenders as they exchanged sideways passes until Acheampong received the ball, moving to his left with Mateta and Ismaila Sarr both closing in and no obvious forward passing options. Rather than going back to Robert Sanchez, he deftly dribbled between them, waited to commit Palace's second line of pressure, and then sent a pass out to Reece James on the right flank before taking the contact. 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Mateta grew grimly accustomed to watching the youngster glide past him. On one occasion around the hour mark, Acheampong carried the ball into the Palace half and delayed for a crucial split second to enable the passing angle he wanted, out to Pedro Neto on the left touchline, to open up. Advertisement Acheampong only played two bad passes in the game, even if both were memorable and nearly disastrous. The first, an attempted progressive pass towards the right intercepted by Eberechi Eze in the 11th minute, initiated the sequence that ended with Palace's star hammering in a free kick through Sanchez, only for Chelsea to be saved by a VAR review and the obscure Law 13. The second, a sideways pass hit behind Moises Caicedo that also fell for Eze in the 69th minute, set up a three-on-two break for Palace that Eze scuppered by immediately attempting a ludicrous shot from 40 yards. Two bad passes out of 86 is a good day on the ball by any estimation, but the reality of this position in Chelsea's system is that any time possession is lost carries grave risk. Maresca insisted on Friday that Colwill and Tosin are the only two defenders in his squad capable of playing as the middle defender and primary ball progressor in his back three. Acheampong's performance against Palace may not have changed his mind, but there were also plenty of flashes of the huge talent that has earned the 19-year-old this opportunity and underpin his case to win many more. Mateta's blend of relentless activity, impressive mobility and smart physicality make him one of the toughest pure No 9s in the Premier League to play against, and he inevitably had moments of dominance when tussling with Acheampong. One of those moments ended up yielding the flashbulb sequence of the Cobham graduate's performance on Sunday. It played out in the 32nd minute, with Mateta holding off Acheampong, bringing down a long ball out of the Palace defence and hitting it ahead of Daniel Munoz's overlapping run on the right. Undeterred by losing the initial engagement, Acheampong pivoted into a sprint and neutralised Munoz with a brilliantly firm but fair sliding tackle. He then got up quickly enough to beat Mateta to the loose ball. The Frenchman clattered into him and was booked. 'Very good,' Maresca said in his post-match press conference when asked about Acheampong's performance. 'I already showed confidence in Josh last year, he played already some games. He did very well, he dealt with Mateta very good. Overall, he did a good game.' Maresca gave no timeframe on Tosin's injury, and when asked whether he is concerned about not having a centre-back to play the Colwill role, his reply was curt: 'I already spoke about that.' Advertisement Concerns about Chelsea's ability to build their possession without Colwill — and perhaps also Tosin — for an extended period of time will not be eased by Sunday's performance. Acheampong may not be a perfect solution to that particular problem position right now, and it is too early to say if he can develop into it. But he supplied further evidence here that he is ready to play in the Premier League this season, and do so regularly. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
