Premier League recap, highlights: Tottenham, Arsenal get back on track, Chelsea wins
Both Tottenham and Arsenal recovered from troubled starts to the season with victories on Saturday as the Premier League’s big boys all showed their might upon returning from the international break.
Chelsea, like Spurs, also picked up three points away from home, with N’Golo Kante scoring against his old club, Leicester. A first Premier League win for Brighton and Hove Albion and another away victory for Watford made for a busy 3 p.m. window in England. So here’s a roundup …
Everton 0-3 Tottenham
Tottenham spanked an underwhelming Everton side for its first win since the season’s opening weekend. And Spurs fully deserved the three points. But they perhaps needed a touch of good fortune to take the lead through Harry Kane:
Not even Kane would sincerely argue that was a shot. It was surely a cross. But Spurs won’t care.
They then went two up through Christian Eriksen:
Kane made it three in the second half, and after failing to put away Burnley at home two weeks ago, Tottenham was on its way.
Everton’s frustration showed late, as Wayne Rooney flew into an ugly challenge with Dele Alli. He escaped with only a yellow. It was not a fun footballing Saturday on Merseyside.
Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth
Arsenal followed up its calamity at Anfield with a comfortable victory at home. Of course. Danny Welbeck got two of the Gunners’ three goals:
If the first was scrappy, his second, and Arsenal’s third, was a very well-taken goal:
In between Welbeck’s two tallies, Alexandre Lacazette got his second goal in an Arsenal shirt.
The home side was never really bothered by Bournemouth.
Leicester 1-2 Chelsea
Leicester put up a real fight at home, and had chances to take the lead in the first half. But Alvaro Morata scored his third headed goal in a Blues shirt to give Chelsea an advantage shortly before halftime:
Kante then snuck a shot past Kasper Schmeichel that the Leicester keeper would surely like a second chance at:
Jamie Vardy won and converted a penalty to get Leicester back in the game with a half-hour remaining, but Leicester couldn’t find an equalizer.
Brighton 3-1 West Brom
Brighton not only has its first Premier League goal …
… it had its first Premier League win. Pascal Gross got the first and the second goals:
Tomer Hemed put Brighton 3-0 up on 63 minutes. James Morrison grabbed a 77th-minute consolation for West Brom, but consolation was all it was.
Southampton 0-2 Watford
It’s not time to panic, but time to worry a bit about Mauricio Pellegrino’s Southampton. On the other hand, it’s time to get excited about Marco Silva’s Watford.
Abdoulaye Doucoure struck a 38th-minute volley sweetly, and into the far corner of Fraser Forster’s goal:
Daryl Janmaat doubled Watford’s lead 20 minutes into the second half. Southampton never managed a single shot on target.
Earlier in the day, Manchester City shredded Liverpool to pieces, but its 5-0 win was aided by a controversial Sadio Mane red card.
And in the late Saturday game, Manchester United and Stoke played to an entertaining 2-2 draw. United’s point took it level with City atop the table. Huddersfield Town can join the two Manchester clubs on 10 points with a win Monday at West Ham.
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Henry Bushnell covers soccer – the U.S. national teams, the Premier League, and much, much more – for FC Yahoo and Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Question? Comment? Email him at henrydbushnell@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @HenryBushnell.
