Manchester United sit bottom of the Premier League for the first time in 30 years after the second weekend of the season saw tempers flare and temperatures soar.
United could not stand the heat as they conceded four times inside 35 minutes in a 4-0 humiliation at Brentford.
The other side of Manchester is again sitting pretty at the top of the table as City cruised to a 4-0 win over Bournemouth.
The points were shared in the game of the weekend as Chelsea and Tottenham drew 2-2 in a feisty clash that will be remembered for two altercations between managers Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte.
AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the Premier League weekend.
Tuchel won the tactical battle on Conte’s return to Stamford Bridge, but his team failed to land the knockout blow as Chelsea let two points escape in the first clash of the season between the traditional top six.
Spurs headed into the campaign with greater optimism on the back of a strong end to last season and six new signings to back Conte in his first full season.
After a gruelling pre-season tour of the USA and a slow start in the transfer market, Chelsea were by Tuchel’s own admission were “not ready” for the new campaign.
But with new chairman Todd Boehly in the stands for the start of a new era at Stamford Bridge, it was the Blues who made an early case to be the most likely challengers to City and Liverpool for the title. Tuchel’s surprise selection of Ruben Loftus-Cheek ahead of captain Cesar Azpilicueta gave Chelsea the ability to switch easily between a back five and four as they swarmed over their London rivals.
“It was a good plan, but the execution was brilliant,” said Tuchel. “I loved the commitment, intensity and concentration level.”
Tuchel ultimately blamed two controversial calls to allow both Spurs goals to stand for not winning the game.
Tottenham, though, showed as much fight as their manager on the touchline to bounce back twice and snatch a point through Harry Kane’s 96th minute header.
A new dawn for Manchester United has only brought new lows.One week on from Brighton’s first ever victory at Old Trafford, the Red Devils were blown away at Brentford as Erik ten Hag became the first United manager since John Chapman in 1921 to lose his opening two games in charge.—AFP
