The second half is underway at Old Trafford as Manchester United trailed after just 13 minutes, with Riccardo Calafiori putting Arsenal 1-0 up in the big game of the Premier League’s opening weekend.
United finished 15th last season, while Arsenal lost out on the Premier League title to Liverpool, but it’s a new season and anything can happen.
The Gunners hand a debut to new striker Viktor Gyökeres, who made his name under Man United manager Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP, and United’s new striker Benjamin Sesko came off the bench for his Premier League debut as Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha started. There was also no place for Rasmus Højlund in the United squad, while goalkeeper André Onana is not fit enough to play and is replaced by Altay Bayindir.
Earlier, world champions Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw against FA Cup champions Crystal Palace. Palace gave starts to forward Eberechi Eze and defender Marc Guéhi, despite them being heavily linked with transfers, and both played a huge role in the main talking point of the game as Eze’s first-half free kick was slammed home, but VAR ruled it out due to Guéhi disrupting the wall.
In the day’s other game, Nottingham Forest thrashed Brentford 3-1 as striker Chris Wood kept up his fine recent form with two goals. The New Zealand striker bagged his 90th and 91st Premier League goals in the first half, either side of a header from new signing Dan Ndoye, to give Forest an easy win, before Brentford’s Igor Thiago got one back from the penalty spot.
Join us for another packed day of highlights and commentary from ESPN’s writers.
