Talking points from game week one in the Premier League

Premier League 2024/2025 kicks off: Guardiola's influence, early season trends, promoted teams , and VAR controversies highlight opening weekend

 

Wolves defender Mosquera strangles Kai Havertz on the turf but, the VAR didn't feel a need to punish his indiscretion. (Photo credit: GOAL)

It's the start of a new season, top actions across ten Premier League grounds. Here are a few talking points from the opening weekend of the 2024/2025 Premier League season.

The Guardiola way or no way?

You can crown Pep Guardiola as the best manager to ever step his feet in England’s top flight league and, the evidence is all around us, everyone wants to play like him, that’s a massive influence.

From the new boys to the established teams, everyone now wants to play out from the back, invert fullbacks, and press from the front. Arsene Wenger revolutionised the Premier League, but Pep Guardiola is the truth; his signature is evident on almost every club, including Everton!

New season, same difference?

It’s early days; the league is more of a marathon than a sprint; however, we can confirm that the league table is likely to take the same shape we have always seen.

Despite an underwhelming second half, Arsenal managed to secure a good result; Manchester United, despite Fulham's dominance at home, managed to secure a win; City managed to overcome Chelsea without altering their tactics; and teams such as Newcastle, Brighton, and Villa all achieved impressive victories.

We won’t have the three idiots this season.

The previous season was unlike any other, as the three newly promoted teams, Luton Town, Burnley, and Sheffield United, all succumbed to defeat without much resistance.

With Liverpool and Manchester City in their opening two fixtures, Ipswich Town faced the most challenging start to their return; Southampton performed well but lost to ten-man Newcastle, while Leicester City fought valiantly in the second half to earn a point at home against Tottenham.

VAR controversy rocks game week 1

It's premature to speculate about any significant changes at the Video Assistance Refree room, and despite the introduction of new regulations promising a better performance, we can confidently state that not much has changed with the VAR.

After colliding with Fabian Schaar, Southampton's Bereton Diaz threw himself to the ground, leading to the Newcastle player's dismissal. VAR didn’t think Mosquera’s strangulation of Kai Havertz was worth a look, and there were a few dodgy disallowed goals here and there.