Premier League round-up: Seven firsts that defined the weekend
It was a hectic weekend – eight matches on Saturday, no less – for the English Premier League (EPL). And when the dust had settled (the goals toted up, the cards handed out, the controversies fanned, et al), what mattered was new chapters being started (on happy notes and sad ones) and trends (again, happy and tragic) being broken. So what better way to look back at the weekend than through seven firsts – events that happened for the first time in a while.
First match for Jurgen Klopp
It was not the dream start that everyone on the Red side of Merseyside had almost compulsively wished it to be, but all said and done, most were content with the football Liverpool dished out in their first match under their charismatic new manager, Jurgen Klopp. Playing against the higher-ranked Spurs at White Hart Lane, the Reds held their own for a while, saw players like Can implement Gegenpressing (pressuring the opponent to win back the ball even in the opponent’s half, instead of falling back) and seemed to actually have a defence that had some semblance of organisation. No goals and not a perfect start, but by no means a bad first match for the Kloppmania-infected Liverpool.
First win for Newcastle and McClaren
There was finally reason to cheer for those at Tyneside as Newcastle racked up their first win of what has so far been a depressing season. There had been talk of manager Steve McClaren facing the sack as Newcastle faced Norwich (he had yet to win a match since taking over at the beginning of the season), but 90 minutes and eight goals later, his place seemed more secure as Newcastle racked up a surprising 6-2 win. The star of the day was Dutchman Giorginio Wijnaldum who scored four goals. The win did not move Newcastle out of the relegation zone but was a welcome change from the hammering they had received by an Aguero-inspired Manchester City the last time they took to the pitch. However, it would be premature to consider them out of the woods – Norwich actually had more of the possession and no fewer than eighteen shots at goal. Other teams might not be so generous.
Rooney’s first away goal in 2015, and Schneiderlin’s first too!
He might not be back to the sort of scoring-at-will form that his fans expect, but Wayne Rooney seems to be steadily getting back into the swing of things. The Manchester United striker broke an 11-month away goal drought by scoring, ironically, against the very club with whom he had started his football career, Everton. United were impressive in a 3-0 win against a side that has often troubled them, and while Rooney’s goal was welcome, the real buzz was about French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, who not only played brilliantly in the middle (hitting 70 passes with 97.1 per cent accuracy) but also scored his own first goal for the Red Devils. United are not back at the top of the table (they are third) but the 0-3 drubbing at the hands of Arsenal seems a more distant memory now.
First hat-trick for Stirling
He left Liverpool under a bit of a cloud but Raheem Stirling seems to be settling well in Manchester City. And he was the star performer as Pellegrini’s men continued their onslaught, smashing five goals against an utterly outclassed Bournemouth, who managed just one shot on target in the whole match (they did score off it, though). Stirling notched his first career hat-trick in a performance that was marked by his trademark speed and less-than-trademark finishing (he has been known to miss more often than score). Manager Manuel Pellegrini will be hoping for more such scoring feats, given star striker Aguero’s penchant for getting injured.
First goal for Ramsey!
His goal drought might not have been as well-covered or publicised as that of Wayne Rooney, but Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey’s ability to NOT score must have been a source of some concern to manager Arsene Wenger. The midfielder had muffed a staggering twenty six chances this season and when he missed one in the first half against Watford, you would not have blamed Wenger for shaking his head in despair. Ramsey however finally got his scoring season off to a start by scoring the third goal in a 3-0 win, which took the Gunners to second place in the table. We are not holding our breath for Ramsey’s second, mind you.
First match for Allardyce, first home win for West Brom
He did not make the sort of headlines that Klopp did, but Sam Allardyce’s taking over the managerial reins at Sunderland was also seen as a significant development by many football pundits. It did not seem to change the club’s fortunes much, though. Although Sunderland began well, they were undone by a Saido Berahino goal which handed West Brom their first home win of the season. Incidentally, this was the first time that Sam Allardyce had lost his first match with a club in the Premiership – he got off to victorious starts with Bolton Wanderers, BlackBurn Rovers, West Ham and Newcastle. Sunderland, incidentally, are the only club in the Premiership without a win this season.
City remain first – no surprise! Vardy remains first – surprise!
A 5-1 win over Bournemouth kept Manchester City right on top of the Premiership, although within touching distance of Arsenal and Manchester United, who are both two points behind, and even surprisingly, West Ham and Leicester, both of whom are just four and five points off the leader, respectively. Defending champions Chelsea meanwhile remain in the lower half of the table – even a 2-0 win over struggling Aston Villa only got them upto eleventh place, and a full ten points behind City. But if Manchester City’s topping the table is not a surprise, the presence at Leicester City at fifth place (with just one defeat so far) is, and one of the main reasons for their being at that place is Jamie Forward, their striker who seemingly cannot stop scoring. Two more goals from him not only helped Leicester come from behind to draw 2-2 with Southampton, but also helped Vardy retain his place on top of the goal scorer’s list, with nine goals in as many matches, well ahead of high-profile players like Aguero and Sanchez (six each).
