Premier League
Opening Weekend Round-up: Bayindir Error Decides Arsenal at Old Trafford; Eze, Forest and Ramsey Stories
Bayindir error hands Arsenal 1-0 at Old Trafford; Eze, Forest, Ramsey and Brentford updates today now
Arsenal took the honours in the first big clash of the Premier League season, edging Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford after an early set-piece miscue. Altay Bayindir’s blunder handed Arsenal victory and undid a positive Manchester United performance in Sunday’s pulsating Premier League encounter.
Old Trafford rocked as Mikel Arteta’s runners-up headed to the rebuilding Red Devils in the most eye-catching fixture of the opening weekend. United looked far better than the side that finished 15th last season, yet Amorim’s men fell to another loss as Riccardo Calafiori capitalised on Bayindir’s early flap.
United’s summer signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo looked sharp on their debuts, while Patrick Dorgu hit a post in the first half. Arsenal keeper David Raya also produced a string of important stops to keep the hosts at bay. Bayindir was given the nod to start the game with Andre Onana still working his way back from injury.
Amorim defended his keeper after the goal and stressed the difficulty of the situation. “You’re allowed to do a lot of things in the corner, we need to do the same,” he said. “When you touch that way the goalkeeper, he needs to use his hands to catch the ball, not push players, or he chooses to push players and let the ball past.”
On Bayindir’s previous error and wider context Amorim added: “He suffered a goal like this where? Against Tottenham? It was without VAR. With VAR it was a foul.
“Then in the next game against Arsenal , who saved the penalty? Who saved the game? You don’t remember the game but I remember the game and Altay was unbelievable in that game. I am happy with the three goalkeepers.”
Crystal Palace began their campaign with a goalless draw at Chelsea, Eberechi Eze having a first-half free-kick controversially ruled out by VAR. Palace manager Oliver Glasner said Eze will play while at the club. “As much as I know, Eze has a contract with Crystal Palace, he’s a Crystal Palace player and he showed it today,” he said. “As long as he is a Palace player and performs like this, he will play for us. Nobody has told me something else.”
Nottingham Forest beat Brentford 3-1 as Chris Wood scored twice and Dan Ndoye netted on his debut; Igor Thiago converted a second-half penalty for Brentford. New signings Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee were unveiled before kick-off.
Newcastle completed the signing of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey. The 24-year-old has signed a long-term contract after an initial £39million fee, with £4m in add-ons; he made 167 appearances for Villa, 10 of them in last season’s Champions League. Ramsey said: “I’m delighted to be here. It’s been a mad two or three days, but I’m really happy to be here and I can‘t wait to get started.” Eddie Howe added: “His qualities will bring us something different on the pitch and he fits the profile of being young and hungry to develop, but also with a wealth of Premier League football under his belt.”
Leeds mark their return to the Premier League on Monday when they host Everton, with Daniel Farke’s side hoping to use the Elland Road crowd to trouble the visitors. Jack Grealish could be in the Everton squad. Facing the Toffees, meanwhile, could be forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who spent nine years on Merseyside before departing at the end of his contract earlier this summer.
Arsenal
Eze’s Set-Piece Strike Secures Arsenal a Crucial Victory Over Palace
Eberechi Eze’s set-piece goal settled a tense Emirates tie and stretched Arsenal’s advantage to four
Eberechi Eze produced the decisive moment that extended Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to four points. His 39th-minute finish, his first for Arsenal in the competition, arrived from a set-piece that opponents will use to tease the club as “Set-Piece FC.” Arsenal supporters, unconcerned by the label, celebrated a single goal and three points that matter more than style.
The goal arrived as Declan Rice curled a free-kick toward Gabriel at the far post. Yeremy Pino had conceded the set-piece after a naïve moment on the right. Adam Wharton was nominally charged with tracking Eze, who began ten yards out and then slipped into the space in front of the penalty spot. Under the watchful eye of the Three Lions head coach Thomas Tuchel, Eze leapt, twisted his body and executed a scissors-like connection that sent the ball beyond Dean Henderson. The finish required athleticism and technique, qualities Arsenal’s recruitment paid for when they signed him for £65 million ($86.6 million) and handed him the No. 10 shirt.
Eze, 27, had previously opened the scoring for Palace in the corresponding fixture last season, and Arsenal’s move to buy him followed evidence of the damage he could do. He had represented Palace 169 times, scored 40 goals, helped them win the FA Cup, and aided their qualification for Europe. Palace earned a reported £40 million profit on him over five years.
The afternoon contained nervy moments. Viktor Gyökeres almost sought a late goal in injury time rather than run down the clock by the corner flag, prompting anxious reactions inside the Emirates. Around 3,000 Palace supporters applauded Eze when his name appeared in the lineups, a reminder of the “love” he will have for the people at Palace “forever.” Arsenal fans, however, were primarily counting points — three more toward a title they have not won in 21 years.
Arsenal
Eze volley and a resolute defence secure 1-0 win for Arsenal over Crystal Palace
Eze’s volley from Declan Rice’s free kick decided defensive encounter as Arsenal kept a clean sheet.
Eberechi Eze’s first-half volley proved decisive as Arsenal closed out a 1–0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Emirates. The goal, from a Declan Rice free kick in the 39th minute, was the only breakthrough of a tight contest and preserved Arsenal’s defensive run.
The opener arrived when Rice’s lofted free kick dropped 15 yards out. Eze reacted first, meeting the loose ball on the volley and converting the chance, described in the report as the first Premier League goal of his Arsenal tenure against his former club. “There is something in your tummy,” Arteta said of the feeling a player has up against his former club. Eze’s strike gave the hosts room to breathe and allowed their attack to flow more freely in the second half.
Defensively Arsenal were compact. David Raya was not unduly tested and, for the sixth half of Premier League football in succession, was not forced into a single save. Gabriel nearly extended the lead five minutes after the interval, crashing a header from a set piece against the crossbar amid penalty-box scramble.
Arsenal’s backline held firm in the closing stages as Dean Henderson and Crystal Palace probed without creating a clear chance. The clean sheet was Arsenal’s 10th of the season.
Player ratings (out of 10):
GK: David Raya — 8.2
RB: Jurriën Timber — 7.4
CB: William Saliba — 6.7
CB: Gabriel — 7.7
LB: Riccardo Calafiori — 7.1
CM: Eberechi Eze — 7.9
CM: Martín Zubimendi — 7.4
CM: Declan Rice — 7.7
RW: Bukayo Saka — 7.1
ST: Viktor Gyökeres — 6.2
LW: Leandro Trossard — 7.1
Substitutes: Cristhian Mosquera (46’ for Saliba) 6.7; Gabriel Martinelli (66’ for Saka) 5.8; Piero Hincapié (82’ for Calafiori) N/A; Mikel Merino (82’ for Rice) N/A; Myles Lewis-Skelly (87’ for Eze) N/A. Subs not used: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ben White, Christian Nørgaard, Ethan Nwaneri.
Crystal Palace starting XI: Dean Henderson; Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guéhi; Daniel Muñoz, Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell; Ismaïla Sarr, Yeremy Pino; Jean-Philippe Mateta. Subs used: Eddie Nketiah, Will Hughes, Borna Sosa, Jefferson Lerma, Christantus Uche.
Match statistics: Possession 66%–34%; xG 0.11–0.08; Total shots 3–3; Shots on target 2–0; Passing accuracy 88%–73%; Fouls 3–6; Corners 0–2.
Brentford
Henderson urges patience as he assesses Liverpool after Brentford victory
Henderson urged patience, calling Liverpool a world-class side despite recent poor results. Be calm.
Jordan Henderson used his post-match briefing after Brentford’s result against Liverpool to offer a measured assessment of his former club and to appeal for patience from their supporters.
Having faced Liverpool for the first time since leaving the club in 2023, Henderson encouraged backing for Arne Slot’s side while acknowledging their recent run of poor results. He stressed his view that quality remains across the Liverpool squad.
“You look all over the pitch, there’s not much to go at, they’re all quality players,” he said. “I don’t really see a weakness in the team.
“I know there’s been results of late that haven’t been great for them but, for me, they’re still top players and a top, top team and it’s a matter of time before they get in a rhythm and get going.
“I think there’s been reasons why they haven’t hit the heights from last season but they’re still a world-class team and wherever you look on the pitch there’s world-class players, so it’s always going to be difficult but I thought the [Brentford] lads dug deep, stuck together and caused some problems on the counter.”
Henderson’s own history with Liverpool framed his comments. His first meeting with Liverpool took place in March 2011 when he was at Sunderland; he moved to Anfield that summer and remained there for 12 years, a period that produced Premier League and Champions League success.
Reflecting on that time, he said: “I had been at Liverpool for so long,” the midfielder reflected. “It’s always deep inside me forever now as it was my life for 12 years.
“It was a little bit strange but as soon as the whistle went, it was business as usual and I was ready to go and I’d be in the right frame of mind, which I was.
“I was fully in and felt as good as I ever have. I was there 12 years, dedicated a lot of my life to it. My kids were born there. It holds a special place in my heart.
“I still want Liverpool to do well—of course not when we’re playing them—but overall. That will never change. The fans have always been amazing. It was nice to see a few of them, I know a few of them left a bit early because of the result. But it was nice to see them again.”
