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An exhilarating weekend of Premier League football wrapped up with the highly anticipated matchup of English giants Arsenal and Manchester City, which did not disappoint. Both sides entered the game with key players missing, including both sides’ star midfielders: Kevin de Bruyne and Martin Ødegaard. The game finished in a 2–2 draw, with both sides showing excellent resilience and pride. However, it was not without a few notable complications. Man City took the lead when Erling Haaland found the back of the net in the ninth minute, his tenth goal of the season in only five matches. But early in the first half, Man City’s center defensive midfielder Rodri went down following a clash in the box with his counterpart Thomas Partey of Arsenal. Widely regarded as one of the best footballers in the world among fans and pundits alike, he exited the game around the 20th minute with a twisted knee and did not return. The remainder of the half saw Arsenal come back from behind, courtesy of goals from defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhães. Arsenal seemed to be in control as the half came to a close until midfielder Leandro Trossard shoved Man City’s Bernardo Silva in the back, acquiring his second yellow of the game, and reducing Arsenal to ten men. Man City peppered away at Arsenal’s resilient and compact defense to no avail for the entirety of the second half until late in stoppage time, when central defender John Stones pounced on a loose second ball to rescue a point for the defending champions. Although he conceded two goals, Arsenal’s keeper David Raya was voted the Man of the Match.

Other important results from the weekend included Chelsea’s statement win against West Ham, with the Blues putting on an emphatic 3–0 display away from home. Striker Nicolas Jackson had his breakout game of the season, bagging two goals and an assist, and showing exquisite composure in both instances. Jackson has been highly criticized for his composure and finishing since he signed for Chelsea in 2023. The Blues’ star Cole Palmer added the third goal midway through the second half with a clinical finish, capping off a dominant performance and marking another brilliant start as he aims to repeat his successes of last season. Jackson was awarded Man of the Match for his play.

Finally, we have one of the more exciting matches this weekend: Brentford at Tottenham. After conceding a goal inside the first minute to Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, Ange Postecoglou’s squad was able to recover in a stunning fashion to rout Brentford 3–1. Although this was the first game all season that the Spurs did not control possession for at least 60% of the game, they outshot their opponents 23–9. The Spurs’ offense usually runs through Son Heung-Min, who was able to bag two assists to James Maddison and Brennan Johnson. He was also voted the game’s Man of the Match. Overall, it was a good win for the Spurs, who were able to bounce back after last week’s North London Derby loss.

Looking Ahead

Next weekend, there are a few competitive matches to look forward to, starting with Manchester City at Newcastle. For Man City, on the back of an intense match against Arsenal, and with star defensive midfielder Rodri ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ACL tear, their response will be highly anticipated. Newcastle has enjoyed a strong start to the season, replicating that of last year’s. However, the team fell short to mid-table Fulham last time, and will be desperate to turn things back in the right direction. Last time these two met, coach Pep Guardiola’s squad took the win in a thrilling five-goal shootout. Both teams are some of the highest quality the Premier League has to offer, and this matchup is expected to reflect that. 

Chelsea will host undefeated Brighton in hopes of continuing their strong start to the season under new head coach Enzo Maresca. Some players to look out for include Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who has begun another strong campaign with two goals and four assists; new signing Jadon Sancho, who has impressed with two assists in his first two matches; and Brighton’s young Brazilian forward, João Pedro, who has bagged two goals so far this campaign. Both teams have been rather streaky over the past couple of years, but with new systems in place on both sides of the field, you can expect a well-organized and potentially low-scoring midfield battle. 

To cap off the weekend, Tottenham Hotspur will travel to Old Trafford to take on a rattled Manchester United, who have undergone an abysmal start to their 2024–25 campaign. Tottenham will be looking to replicate the electrifying team football they put on display this past weekend, while United are looking to make a statement win to counter early criticism of another woeful league start.

Future matches in upcoming weeks to look out for: On Sunday, Oct. 6, Aston Villa will host Manchester United, and on Sunday, Oct. 20, Chelsea will host Liverpool. 

Non-Match News

Manchester City’s 115-charge trial continues. They have been charged with failing to disclose accurate financial information, failing to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigations, and more. They face the possibility of serious punishment, including being banned from all competitions. 

Manchester City’s difficult campaign has probably gotten even more difficult with the news about Rodri’s injury. It was clear Rodri had sustained a serious enough injury to permanently leave the game, but it seems as if Head Gaffer Pep Guardiola is going to have to start scheming without the Ballon D’Or nominee. Arguably the other best midfielder in the Premier League, Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard is also poised to miss several games. After injuring himself during the international break while playing for his home country, Norway, Ødegaard went through testing where team doctors found damage around his ankle ligaments. Ødegaard has already missed two Premier League games, but Arsenal Head Gaffer Mikel Arteta stated in a press conference Monday that the midfielder’s injury is significant, and it could possibly be months before he sees the pitch again. The combination of Rodri and Ødegaard being out for significant time will undoubtedly change the way the Premier League looks this season. 

Harry Freeland can be reached at hfreeland@wesleyan.edu.

Leo Ferry can be reached at lferry@wesleyan.edu.