The Premier League’s Matchday 1 has come and gone, and already endless debates are happening around the league. The EPL saw the two new boys, Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez, score on their debuts, while there were plenty of upsets and surprises transpiring around the rest of the EPL.
Some EPL Matchday 1 Stats from the Weekend events:
- Number of winners and losers: 8 winners and 8 loses
- Points shared: In two games, the points were shared, and four teams shared points
- Biggest win: Spurs 4-1 Southampton
- Lowest scoring game: Everton 0-1 Chelsea
- Goals scored: 28 Goals
- Clean Sheets: Five Clean Sheets
- Opening Goal of the Premier League: Gabriel Martinelli
- Every EPL encounter had a goal
After an entire weekend of 38 teams playing, 10 games completed, and some rest in between the opening day and the next matchday, The Top Flight selected their best XI from Matchday 1. The series promises to be agree-worthy material as well as controversial.
But would English football be without facts and controversy? The French league. Here is TTF’s team of the weekend.
EPL Best XI Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Aaron Ramsdale
Besides a couple of nervy moments, Aaron Ramsdale was 100% on form for the Gunners’ first game of the season. Not the stopper with the most saves made over the weekend as Dean Henderson made the most (9 shots taken against him and 7 saves), but the man who played a part in his team’s victory, no doubt.
With his 100% save record on Friday night, Ramsdale matched his perfect shot-stopping with some great distribution, turning defence into attack quite well. Also, Henderson’s effort couldn’t steal at least a point, while Ramsdale’s efforts got his side three points and a clean sheet.
Defender: Oleksandr Zinchenko – Arsenal
He is already paying Mikel Arteta back for the £32m spent on him to lure him away from Manchester City. In his first game for the Gunners, a clean sheet, a near goal scored, and an assist was collected by the fullback on the night.
He had 64 touches on the ball, and made three tackles and interceptions, completing 44 of his 54 passes on the night. A great start to his Arsenal career.
Defender: Fabian Schar – Newcastle United
What a way to open your club’s account in the Premier League. Schar makes the team of the week for his spectacular effort that gave Newcastle the lead. A goal on the one end and a clean sheet on the other. If it wasn’t him, it would have been one of Newcastle’s other defenders to make the team of the week.
Defender: William Saliba – Arsenal
Signed in 2019 but played his first professional game for Arsenal in the EPL now in 2022 and it was well worth the wait. Saliba’s defending was 100%. He made three blocks, four interceptions, five clearances, and one tackle. The third and final Gunner to make the team of the week.
Defender: Ryan Sessegnon – Tottenham
The fourth North London player on the list but not the last, and making the city the talk of the league at the moment. Ryan Sessegnon, trusted by Conte, repaid the starting berth with a goal, which then set off a chain reaction of goals in their 4-1 win over Southampton.
Sadly, he picked up a yellow card, but it did not put a dent in his step, as he managed 57 touches, three tackles, three interceptions, two blocks, and 34 completed passes from his 45 attempts.
Midfielder: Moises Caicedo
The man that was the orchestrator at The Theatre of Dreams was Moises Caicedo. He took full advantage of a weak United midfield and was the general and commander for Brighton taking control of the game.
He is one of two Seagulls to make TTF’s EPL Team of the Week for Matchday 1. With 27 ball carries, he managed 49 touches, four tackles, two interceptions and two blocks, and three shot-creating actions. He was a massive influence in Brighton’s 2-1 over Manchester United.
Midfielder: Dejan Kulusevski – Tottenham
The fifth and final North London star of the week is the biggest goal contributor coming out of the northern sector. He picked up a goal and an assist in a team where Harry Kane and Son Heung-min drew blanks.
But make no mistake, Spurs were flying on Saturday past and were the team with the most rewarding output; they were a clean sheet away from the perfect start, and Kulusevski was a huge reason for it.
He took two shots, one was the goal and on target. Kulusevski also completed two dribbles out of four tries. With this, he completed 38 passes out of 41 attempts.
Midfielder: Joao Palhinha
The man who never let Liverpool rest on the ball and unsettled them for the entire game. You can see why Wolves wanted him and why Fulham worked so hard to steal him from their grasp. Palhinha was the heart and soul of what could have been a win.
He managed to get 49 touches, the most tackles in the game and the fourth-highest in the league with six, plus two interceptions and three blocks. A consistent figure in the middle of the park.
Forward: Aleksandar Mitrovic – Newcastle United
The star of the show at Craven Cottage was Aleksandar Mitrovic. He was one of two players in the EPL to score a brace on opening day. He not only secured a point but also took the game to the league’s second-best team, tormenting Klopp’s world-class defence.
Forward: Danny Welbeck – Brighton
It was an afternoon where every Man United fan asked themselves: “why did we have to let go of Danny Welbeck?” It was a toss-up between Pascal Groß and Danny, but without the menace that was Welback at Old Trafford, Groß could not have scored his brace for Brighton on opening day.
The Englishman did pick up an assist on the day and had 20 ball carries, plus completing 100% of his dribble attempts in the 83 minutes he played. All that was missing was a goal.
Forward: Erling Haaland – Manchester City
The second player of the two who got two goals with a penalty and an open-play goal is the newcomer, Erling Haaland. The Viking goal machine quickly silents his critics with a statement EPL debut.
In the 77 minutes he was on the pitch he showcased to the world what we are installed for, for the rest of the season and his time at Manchester City.
Alan Shearer’s EPL Team of the Week Matchday 1
✨ @alanshearer's Team of the Week is 🔙❗️ pic.twitter.com/ntrVctI786
— Premier League (@premierleague) August 8, 2022
Bench Selection for Matchday 1
- Darwin Nunez – Liverpool
- Pascal Groß – Brighton
- Bruno Guimaraes – Newcastle
- Jefferson Lerma
- Emerson – Tottenham