Week 1 of the Premier League kick-started the season with plenty of big moments, lots of drama and some ‘interesting’ showings from teams who may have been expecting more.

In the last weekend we saw Arsenal start their title defence in style, the newly promoted sides offer more than most expected and questionable showings from the Champions League contenders, possibly opening up this battle even at the earliest possible stage of the season.

In this post, we are picking our the 3 main talking points from this round of fixtures, and will also award our game of the week and player of the week awards. If you have anything to add to this round-up, or have any moments or talking points we missed, get in touch with us on our social media platforms including Bluesky (@NextGoalWinner), Instagram (@NextGoalWin) and our YouTube page (@NextGoalWinner).

Mauled By The Tigers

If there was one result that defined the opening weekend, it was Hull City’s 2–0 victory over Manchester United. Returning to the Premier League after nine years away, Hull were expected to face a stern examination against a United side who had genuine reasons for optimism after finishing third the previous season under Michael Carrick. Instead, the Tigers produced one of the great opening-day statements, with goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy securing a first league win over United since 1974.

What made the result particularly eye-catching was the manner of Hull’s performance. This was not simply a smash-and-grab victory in which United dominated and somehow failed to score. Hull showed the organisation, intensity and belief you’d want from a newly promoted side, while United looked worryingly short of answers when the game became uncomfortable. The result immediately puts a little dent in the optimism surrounding Carrick’s team, although one defeat obviously tells us very little about where United will ultimately finish.

Perhaps the broader story, though, is what it says about the promoted sides. Two of the three newcomers won on the opening weekend, with Ipswich Town beating Sunderland 2–1 thanks to Jack Clarke’s dramatic 90th-minute winner. That is a rare achievement in Premier League history and gives the promoted trio an immediate sense of momentum. After just one round, the assumption that the new boys will automatically occupy the bottom three looks considerably less comfortable.

Not A Good Evening

While Hull supplied the weekend’s biggest upset, Brighton’s 4–0 destruction of Aston Villa was arguably the most emphatic performance of the round. Brighton scored all four goals before half-time, with Jack Hinshelwood finding the net twice, and Villa’s afternoon went from bad to worse when João Gomes was sent off.

For Brighton, it was the kind of opening day that can change expectations. A four-goal victory against a side with European ambitions is impressive enough; doing it before the interval makes the result feel even more significant. Brighton played with confidence and attacking freedom, and Hinshelwood’s brace will inevitably make him one of the early names to watch as the season develops. They finished the weekend top of the table on goal difference, albeit with the obvious caveat that the league table after one game is more curiosity than meaningful evidence.

For Villa, however, there are rather more uncomfortable questions. The club have gone into the new campaign amid considerable squad change and uncertainty, including speculation surrounding Ollie Watkins, while the defensive collapse at Brighton offered very little encouragement. A red card undoubtedly contributed to the scale of the defeat, but conceding four goals in the first half cannot simply be dismissed as an unfortunate afternoon. It is far too early for alarm bells, but Unai Emery will know that his side need to respond quickly.

Changing Landscape

One of the most interesting themes of the opening round was the extent to which money, reputation and expectation were immediately challenged by new-look teams and ambitious clubs. Tottenham were perhaps the clearest example: after spending around £300m during the summer, they were comprehensively beaten 3–0 by Brentford. It was a reminder that assembling an expensive squad and building a coherent team are two very different things.

Brentford, meanwhile, produced exactly the kind of performance that makes them such a fascinating Premier League proposition. Mamadou Sangaré, one of their major summer additions, was singled out among the weekend’s standout performers after an impressive debut in midfield. The Bees were aggressive, disciplined and ruthless against Spurs, while Tottenham looked strangely disconnected despite all the attention surrounding their recruitment.

There were similar signs elsewhere. Manchester City required a stoppage-time Josko Gvardiol goal to come from behind and beat Bournemouth 2–1, while Liverpool rescued a point at Newcastle with a 99th-minute penalty converted by Dominik Szoboszlai. Arsenal, by contrast, looked every inch the defending champions in a comfortable 3–0 victory over Coventry.

That contrast may ultimately be the biggest story of the weekend. The established giants remain capable of dominating, but the Premier League’s competitive landscape looks increasingly fluid. New managers, major transfers, promoted clubs and ambitious mid-table sides are all capable of disrupting the established order. After one weekend, nobody should be rewriting their season predictions, but plenty of people have already been given reason to question them.

Game of the week: Fulham 2-3 Chelsea While there were other big results this weekend with some huge shocks, our game of the week saw the return of Monday night football and also contained possibly one of the closest but most back and forth clashes of the week. With new managers in both dugouts, it led to another reset for Chelsea and life post-Silva for Fulham as despite the visitors taking the win, both teams will have something to be pleased about.

Player of the week: Cole Palmer With new manager Xabi Alonso having 2 fantastic no.10 options for his system, Cole Palmer showed everyone that despite missing out on the World Cup, and despite a stop-start season last year, he can return to the top table of football with a goal and assist, along with the joint-most touches in the opposition box (9), most shots (5) and most completed dribbles (5).