Soccer

Premier League wrap: Arsenal get season off to winning start

Everton well beaten by Brighton after red card; Newcastle beat Southampton; Forest draw with Bournemouth

Bukayo Saka of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's second goal. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty
Sat Aug 17 2024 - 17:30

Premier League: Arsenal 2 Wolves 0 (Havertz 25, Saka 74)

Arsenal began their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win over Wolves at the Emirates as goals in either half from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka got Mikel Arteta’s side off to the ideal start in their quest to end a 21-year wait for the title.

Though comfortable in the end, the result had looked in the balance for a period in the second half when the visitors had chances to peg Arsenal back and wipe out the lead given to them after 25 minutes by Havertz’s close-range header.

Wolves’ Matheus Cunha had a golden opportunity to level from a horrendous error from William Saliba but badly miscued his side’s best chance to equalise.

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Saka sent relief around the stadium when he blasted in at the near post 16 minutes from time, settling Arsenal nerves and easing the path to victory on the opening weekend.

They had made the busier start and had the first chance after 14 minutes, Havertz sliding the ball into the right-hand channel of the box for Saka, who stepped inside Rayan Ait-Nouri and drew a save at his near post from Jose Sa.

Ben White lashed a shot wide from the edge of the box, Saka drilled straight at Sa from Havertz’s cushioned pass, then Declan Rice ballooned high over the bar from a good position as Wolves’ defence was stretched.

The first goal was not much longer in arriving.

Saka collected the ball in space wide on the right, Mario Lemina was slow to close him down and, as the inswinging cross dropped towards the six-yard box, in stole Havertz between Sa and debutant defender Yerson Mosquera to get to the ball first and head Arsenal in front.

The hosts had goalkeeper Raya to thank for preserving the lead in the 35th minute.

Hwang Hee-chan was given room to deliver towards Jorgen Strand Larsen, who showed wicked movement to lose Saliba and nod towards goal, only to be thwarted by a superb one-handed stop.

The second half continued the trend of Arsenal pressure.

They ought to have doubled their lead when Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cutback deflected to the feet of Thomas Partey, who swept wide from the edge of the box.

Ait-Nouri almost made Arsenal pay for their profligacy when he lashed inches wide from 25 yards, a reminder of the fragility of the home side’s one-goal lead.

And they almost gifted an equaliser minutes later, Saliba collecting the ball from Raya and playing a blind square ball straight to the feet of Cunha, whose hurried finish was hit straight at the goalkeeper.

Arsenal rallied, Saka feeding Martin Odegaard from the left, giving the captain space to unleash a stinging drive from range that was beaten away well by Sa.

Then finally home supporters’ nerves were settled by a second goal and this time Saka did it all on his own.

The ball arrived to his feet on right of the penalty area and, after manoeuvring himself to a more favourable angle, he hit a rocket shot that sped past Sa at his near post to make it 2-0.

Everton 0 Brighton 3 (Mitoma 25, Welbeck 56, Adingra 86)

Everton’s final-season farewell to Goodison Park began with a demoralising display against Brighton whose new head coach Fabian Hurzeler marked his Premier League debut with a 3-0 victory.

There was little doubt about the validity of the goals from Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra – although Toffees boss Sean Dyche will have a major issue with how they were conceded – but the major talking point came with the score at 1-0 just two minutes into the second half.

Referee Simon Hooper adjudged Lewis Dunk to have fouled Dominic Calvert-Lewin, only for VAR Darren England to ask the official to view the pitchside monitor.

Sean Dyche, manager of Everton, gestures towards Ashley Young of Everton after he receives a red card. Photograph: Carl Recine/Getty

However, the in-ground technology initially failed as no replay was seemingly shown on the large television screen but the Premier League subsequently confirmed a backup monitor was used allowing Hooper to reverse his decision.

Everton’s misery was complete in the 66th minute when Ashley Young, Dyche’s only fit right-back, was sent off for pulling back Mitoma as he bore down on goal.

The club are also likely to face an investigation after an object was thrown at Brighton players celebrating the first goal in front of the Bullens Road stand.

Young had set a new record as Everton’s oldest outfield player at the age of 39 years 39 days – eight years older than Brighton’s youthful new head coach.

Nine players who started the game were all older than the German: James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Idrissa Gueye, Jason Steele, Dunk, Welbeck, Joel Veltman and James Milner – who made his Premier League debut when his boss was just nine.

But he proved relative inexperience was no barrier to success as his side soaked up some early pressure before ruthlessly exposing Everton’s naive defending.

The hosts started brightly as fans began counting down the matches left at their home for 132 years before the move to Bramley-Moore Dock next season.

Jack Harrison, returning on loan from Leeds, forced an early save out of Steele and converted from the resulting corner only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

The same flag spared the blushes of Dwight McNeil moments later when Doucoure, also offside, burst through to pass to the winger in front of an open goal only for him to somehow hit a post.

Brighton saw the opportunity to up the tempo and after Joao Pedro hit a post from distance and Tarkowski snuffed out new signing Yankubu Minteh’s shot in a four-on-four counter-attack from halfway they took a 26th-minute lead.

Mitoma was allowed to carry the ball from deep inside his own half and with Brighton again committing plenty to attack he laid it off to Minteh, who had been linked with Everton, and continued his run to steer home the return pass from close range.

Minteh’s participation was ended just before half-time when he injured himself making a last-ditch clearance to deny Vitalii Mykolenko, although the player disagreed with his substitution under concussion protocols and stomped down the tunnel.

Then came the withdrawal of the penalty award and from there Everton’s afternoon went downhill fast.

Another new signing, Mats Wieffer, intercepted Gueye’s pass and with Tarkowski and Keane backing off, Welbeck curled a shot around them and past Jordan Pickford.

Substitute Adingra added the third from another counter-attack, cutting in from the right to fire home with his left foot.

Newcastle 1 Southampton 0 (Joelinton 45)

Joelinton fired 10-man Newcastle to an opening day Premier League victory over promoted Southampton on an eventful afternoon at St James’ Park.

The Brazilian’s 45th-minute strike secured a 1-0 win for the Magpies, who played with a numerical disadvantage for more than an hour after Fabian Schar was sent off after thrusting his head at Saints debutant Ben Brereton Diaz.

Russell Martin’s visitors, who were the better team even before the Switzerland defender’s dismissal, left Tyneside having learned a harsh lesson about life in the top flight as they failed to make the most of a gilt-edged chance to launch their campaign in style.

The home side, who looked rusty as an attacking force, defended manfully, but know they will have to be significantly better if they are to prosper in the months ahead, and their need for defensive reinforcements – Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi remains frustratingly beyond their grasp – has become more pressing with Schar’s impending suspension.

Southampton eased their way into the game with Joe Aribo and Brereton Diaz figuring prominently, and they had a 10th-minute Jack Stephens strike ruled out for offside.

The Magpies’ high press was forcing the Saints to be brave in possession and they dealt with it impressively in the early stages, and Lewis Hall needed to make a timely interception to prevent Brereton Diaz’s 18th-minute cross from doing any damage after he and Aribo had broken at pace.

Former Newcastle striker Adam Armstrong whipped a shot from distance over Nick Pope’s crossbar with the visitors enjoying the better of the game as the Magpies misfired.

But the match exploded into controversy with 28 minutes gone when Brereton Diaz barged into Schar before the pair went head-to-head and the striker fell to the ground, prompting referee Craig Pawson to show the defender a red card and his adversary a yellow.

Newcastle, who had replaced wide-man Jacob Murphy with defender Emil Krafth in the aftermath of Schar’s untimely departure, found themselves under intense pressure as the half wore on, and Brereton Diaz, who was being booed at every touch, sparked cheers from the home faithful when he headed Yukinari Sugawara’s 41st-minute cross wastefully off target.

But it was the Magpies who took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy’s pass was picked off by Alexander Isak, who crossed for Joelinton to control and fire home left-footed.

Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton of Newcastle United celebrate the team's victory. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty

The visitors might have been level twice within the first seven minutes of the second half, Hall clearing Armstrong’s effort off the line before Brereton Diaz was unable to convert the rebound and Pope clawing away a second Armstrong effort.

Newcastle dropped deep as they tried to protect their lead and hit Southampton on the counter, although they were more successful with the former ploy in the face of insistent pressure.

Armstrong saw a 78th-minute shot deflected wide and Carlos Alcaraz headed tamely at Pope with three minutes remaining, and when fellow substitute Cameron Archer blasted high over in the final minute of normal time, the cause and the game were lost.

Nottingham Forest 1 Bournemouth 1 (Wood 23; Semenyo 86)

Nottingham Forest endured a tough start to their Premier League campaign as they let a lead slip late on to draw against Bournemouth and also saw midfielder Danilo suffer a serious injury.

Chris Wood’s first-half goal had looked like earning Forest a first win in their opening top-tier match of the season since 1996.

But Antoine Semenyo’s close-range strike in the 85th minute snatched the Cherries a point at the City Ground in a 1-1 draw.

But more concerning is the condition of Danilo, who is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a leg injury in just the seventh minute.

Forest’s inability to see the game out will be another headache for boss Nuno Espirito Santo as that was a problem which plagued them for much of last term.

For Bournemouth, life after Dominic Solanke began in positive fashion and they will be hoping record signing Evanilson can add more firepower when he comes into the side.

Danilo’s involvement lasted just seven minutes as he appeared to suffer a severe ankle injury when he landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge with Semenyo.

He received nine minutes of treatment, with club staff using blankets to shield him from the crowd, and left the field on a stretcher with his left leg in a splint.

Forest rallied and took a 23rd-minute lead.

Danilo’s replacement Ryan Yates’ low shot was fumbled by Neto, who will be disappointed with his save, and Wood slotted home the rebound.

Bournemouth thought they had levelled just after the half-hour when Dango Ouattara slammed home a loose ball from close range after an inventive short corner routine.

However, Lewis Cook’s shoulder was ruled offside by VAR and the goal was chalked off.

The visitors continued to threaten and Semenyo whistled an effort just past the far post and Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels produced a big save from Ouattara after a lightning quick counter-attack.

Forest came close to adding a second after the break when Willy Boly’s header from a corner was clawed away by Neto.

The hosts continued to look the most likely to put the game to bed and Yates stung Neto’s palms with a low effort.

Bournemouth had to up the ante and did so as they levelled in the 86th minute.

Forest defender Harry Toffolo’s clearance from Ryan Christie’s cross hit team-mate Murillo in the face and the ball landed perfectly for Semenyo to convert from close range.

The hosts had chances to recover their lead but Morgan Gibbs-White saw a shot blocked and Taiwo Awoniyi headed straight at Neto.