After the opening round of games in the new season, week 2 brought yet more interest and intrigue. With several teams starting quickly out of the blocks, some are in need of a catch up. It’s been dramatic, exciting and ultimately everything we hoped for in the opening stages of the season.

As always, in this post we will be picking out 3 of the biggest talking points of the weekend, along with giving out the game of the week and player of the week awards. If we’ve missed something in this post that you saw over the weekend please do get in touch with us on all the usual places (Bluesky @NextGoalWinner – Instagram @NextGoalWin), and if you prefer an audio round up of the action then do check out our YouTube channel (@NextGoalWinner) where we post weekly reviews on there of all the key talking points in the Premier League and around Europe.

Haaland’s Hat-Trick

What looked like a potential banana skin for Manchester City turned into a display of ruthless finishing and mental strength. Ipswich Town stunned the Etihad early on, as Sammie Szmodics capitalised on a miskick by Ederson to put the newly promoted side 1–0 up after just seven minutes. It was a moment of real belief for Ipswich, and a warning to the reigning champions that nothing is guaranteed, even at home.

But City responded in emphatic style. Within the space of just over three minutes, they ripped through Ipswich’s defence. Haaland opened the floodgates by coolly converting a penalty in the 12th minute; seconds later, Kevin De Bruyne slotted home after a mistake from Ipswich’s keeper; then Haaland ghosted in to finish off a De Bruyne lofted pass in the 16th minute. The speed and precision of that turnaround underscored City’s class and ruthlessness when under pressure.

Erling Haaland was not done. He wrapped up his hat‑trick in the 88th minute with a drilled finish from just outside the 18-yard box, a strike that felt like the exclamation point on a statement performance. This was another reminder of what a complete goal machine he remains. Even more telling: his consistency. That thunderous third goal brought him to 23 career hat-tricks.

Beyond the goals, there was another emotional subplot, the return of Ilkay Gündogan to the Etihad. He was brought on in the second half to a hero’s welcome, and his presence clearly buoyed the crowd. For Pep Guardiola, Haaland’s treble and Gündogan’s return make for encouraging early signs: a potent blend of firepower and experience that could be key in their title defence.

Wolves’ Struggle

After two games of the season, Wolverhampton Wanderers already look toothless in the final third, and it’s not hard to see why. Wolves have mustered only 15 shots in their opening matches, and their expected goals (xG) total is just 1.0, lowest in the division. That’s a stark contrast to what fans might have hoped for, especially given that the club retained ambitions beyond just survival.

Much of the issue stems from key departures or absences. Matheus Cunha and Rayan Aït‑Nouri, two players who made significant attacking contributions last season, are no longer offering the same punch. Those two were directly responsible for 32 of Wolves’ 54 league goals in the previous season, nearly 60%. Strip away that influence, and Wolves have been left scrambling for creativity and cutting edge.

As a result, the early-season picture for Wolves is worrying. Without their principal goal threats, they struggle to generate quality chances, and the numbers back that up. While other teams have moved on from their own key players over the summer, few have been hit as hard as Wolves. It’s not just about replacing goals, it’s about identity. Can the side rework their style to create new patterns, or will this bluntness persist?

For fans, this is a real red flag. If Wolves don’t solve this quickly, either by integrating replacements or shifting their strategy, they risk sliding into a relegation battle. Their early xG output suggests they are far from where they need to be, and with every match that goes by without improvements, pressure mounts both on the pitch and in the transfer market.

Who Goes Down?

One of the more encouraging talking points emerging from Matchweek 2 was about the promoted clubs, and not because they dominated, but because they didn’t fold. After two rounds, the newly promoted sides had accumulated two points between them. It’s a modest total, but in the context of recent seasons, it’s meaningful.

To put it in perspective: the season before, the promoted teams failed to pick up a single point between them in their first six combined matches. The fact that this year they are already on the board suggests a shift. The league even frames it as good news for the health of the competition, should these clubs continue to take points off each other (or even mid-table sides), the relegation fight could be more open and less predictable.

This early resilience from the promoted teams could pay huge dividends. A tight relegation battle means more meaningful games throughout the season, which is good for fans, TV, and the competitive integrity of the league. It’s exactly what many wanted to see: not a procession of newcomers being steamrolled, but a genuine fight.

Of course, two points is just the beginning. There’s a long way to go, and early form can be deceiving. But if the promoted clubs use this as a foundation, picking up more points from winnable games, staying organized, and capitalizing on opportunities, they could force a relegation scrap that lasts all the way to May. That would make for compelling viewing, and may even shift expectations of survival early on.

Game of the week: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-6 Chelsea After a poor showing on the opening weekend, Chelsea more than made up for it this time around. Hammering their hosts to suggest that Chelsea will be the unpredictable side as we expected.

Player of the week: Erling Haaland With a hattrick against a newly promoted side, Ipswich’s lead lasted just 5 minutes before Haaland and co turned things around. Looking at his best once again, Haaland continues to be the cheat code for City.