It’s looking good for an absorbing season
NORMALLY I’m up to my heavy eyelids, sifting through a mountain of local sports results and emails late on Sunday evening but I made it my business to take time out to while away an hour watching Match of the Day 2.
It was worth tuning in for Jean Michael Seri’s stunning strike which gave Fulham the lead against Burnley and was also great to see a promoted side play with such carefree abandon and attacking flair as the Londoners did.
Normally you expect new boys to try to keep things tight and nick a 1-0 win, but there was no such cautious approach from Fulham as they rained in shots from all angles.
Ex-Chelsea man Andre Schurrle deployed an admirable shoot on sight policy and he eventually got his reward by grabbing their fourth.
In between those two strikes Aleksandar Mitrovic helped himself to a double and the Serbian was undoubtedly the star of the show as he caused numerous headaches for the Burnley defence. If Fulham continue to give him the same service as they did on Sunday, he’s in for a profitable season.
Having over-achieved last term, Burnley fans are being brought back to earth with a bang. Adapting to the rigours of European football is obviously a factor, but losing 4-2 to Fulham after going down 3-1 to Watford the previous weekend will be worrying for the Clarets fans.
Speaking of the Hornets, they’re certainly riding on the crest of a wave after winning their opening three games of the season for the first time in their top-flight history, although they did have to ride their luck at times against Crystal Palace.
While their manager Javi Garcia says they have achieved ‘something massive’ it’s a bit early to be getting too carried away and it will count for nothing if they are embroiled in a relegation dogfight come the end of the season.
However, a good start is half the battle and they’ve certainly made that and in Roberto Pereyra, who scored his third goal in as many games, they have a man in form.
To be level with Liverpool and Chelsea at the top of the table, even at this embryonic stage of the season must be a real thrill for the Vicarage Road faithful and the players are certainly putting in the hard graft for their manager.
Like Watford, Chelsea also had to grind out a 2-1 win on Sunday, with the Pensioners picking up three points against Newcastle at St. James’ Park.
The ball boys had more possession than the Magpies, but Chelsea still had to rely on a late Yedlin own goal to snatch a deserved, yet hard-earned victory.
Manager Maurizio Sarri would have to be happy with Chelsea’s perfect start to the Premier League campaign, but Eden Hazard aside, they look like they lack the little bit of extra flair and guile needed to challenge for the title this term.
Despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Wolves at Molineux, champions Manchester City are still very much the team to beat.
Wolves may have lived off scraps in terms of possession, but what they did with the ball when they had it was impressive, creating numerous chances on the counter-attack, although their goal which came off the hand of Willy Boly clearly shouldn’t have stood.
City might have been disappointed to have dropped their first points of the season, but when you look at who they were able to spring from the bench on Saturday - Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez - it illustrates the enormity of the task for the chasing pack.
Liverpool continue to look the most likely to give them a run for their money even though they weren’t at their free-flowing best in their 1-0 win over Brighton on Saturday.
Mo Salah showed that he hasn’t lost any of his predatory instincts while, equally as important, the Anfield brigade look much more steely in defence.
If they can continue to grind out victories when not at their best, they could finally live up to their billing and treat us to a real title race.