The rivalry between Manchester City and Arsenal reached a fever pitch this early in the Premier League season, with their clash billed as a potential title decider. And it didn’t disappoint, delivering an intense and exciting match for neutral fans.
Arsenal, seeking to overcome their losses to City in the previous two title races, had been preparing for this match since pre-season under manager Mikel Arteta. Their efforts nearly paid off, but City’s relentless fighting spirit proved too much to overcome.
Erling Haaland, City’s prolific striker, scored his 100th goal for the club, giving his team an early 1-0 lead in the ninth minute. However, Arsenal responded with a stunning 20-yard screamer from Riccardo Calafiori, their latest acquisition, to level the score.
Playing with fearless aggression in front of the hostile Etihad crowd, Arsenal took the lead in the dying minutes of the first half. Gabriel Magalhaes headed in a corner delivered by Bukayo Saka, putting the Gunners ahead. However, the half ended on a frustrating note for Arsenal when Leandro Trossard was sent off. Already on a yellow card for a challenge on Savinho, he received a second yellow for a foul on Bernardo Silva and dissent towards the referee.
Playing the entire second half with 10 men at the Etihad was a challenging task for Arsenal. They valiantly held on, but ultimately succumbed to a late equalizer in the eighth minute of stoppage time. John Stones, the City defender, secured a crucial point for his team.
Meanwhile, Manchester United, under Erik ten Hag, continued to display inconsistency. They were held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace, a disappointing result following their recent victories. Liverpool bounced back from their loss to Nottingham Forest with a resounding 3-0 win against Bournemouth, showcasing Luis Diaz’s brilliance with a quick brace and a goal from Darwin Nunez.
Chelsea, under new manager Enzo Maresca, continued their impressive start with a convincing 3-0 victory against West Ham United. Nicolas Jackson scored a brace, with Cole Palmer adding a third goal.
In La Liga, Barcelona, led by the young star Lamine Yamal, continued their stellar form. The 17-year-old was the focal point of their success, scoring a brace in their 4-1 win against Girona and providing an assist in their 5-1 demolition of Villarreal.
Real Madrid, the defending champions, made light work of newly promoted Espanyol, winning 4-1. Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo, and Vinicius Junior scored from open play, with Kylian Mbappe adding a fourth from the penalty spot.
In Ligue 1, defending champions PSG, after a promising start to their Champions League campaign, were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Reims. Marseille continued their strong form with a 3-2 win against Lyon, despite being reduced to 10 men early in the match. Monaco cruised to a 3-1 victory against Le Havre, while Nice enjoyed an impressive 8-0 thrashing of St. Etienne.
The Milan derby in Serie A saw a surprising outcome as AC Milan, despite a poor start to the season, triumphed over Inter Milan 2-1. The match ended with a dramatic winning goal from Matteo Gabbia in the 89th minute. Juventus, on the other hand, was held to a goalless draw against Napoli, marking their fifth instance of recording three consecutive goalless draws.
Bayern Munich, under new manager Vincent Kompany, continued their perfect start to the Bundesliga with a dominant 5-0 win against Werder Bremen. Michael Olise scored a brace, with Jamal Musiala, Harry Kane, and Serge Gnabry adding to the tally.
In the MLS, Lionel Messi returned from injury in style, scoring a brace in Inter Miami’s 3-1 victory against Philadelphia. Miami then drew 2-2 with Atlanta United and 1-1 with New York City. They currently top the Eastern Conference with 30 points.
In the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr, despite a shaky start, beat Al Ettifaq 3-0 with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his 902nd career goal.
