Gameweek 2 of the Premiership is on our way. After seeing the opening games, we’ve learned a few things, but overall, that’s far from anything notable. We still have to determine plenty of matters. However, that’s not the reason not to cover the second round of the world’s best domestic league.
Here are a few insights on the upcoming games, picks, odds, and other interesting info.
Brighton VS Manchester United
United looked sluggish against Fulham in the opener, and that’s a fact. This unit has to be much better to do anything notable, but on the other hand, that’s tough with Erik Ten Hag as its manager. As for the Seagulls, we need to add that this unit plays exquisite football. Just look at their preseason results, where they have nothing but wins, most of them with two or more goals scored.
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That’s why we believe in their strong home push against their famous rivals. Amex is a place where many big teams have lost, and Brighton simply doesn’t have too much respect for anyone in front of its crowd. Consider betting on the hosts here, or at least on them to score twice. It’s worth risking.
Aston Villa VS Arsenal
Unai Emery has a history with the Gunners. He started something at Emirates but was abruptly interrupted and fired. The Spaniard remembers that, and he had his revenge last year once Villa crushed Arsenal’s title dreams in their own house. Villains are one of the best squads in England, and they won’t back down against Arsenal, who comes to Birmingham to play football without any pressure.
This meeting should be interesting because both teams have tremendous offensive potential. On the other side, we can’t say that the respective defenses are that strong. So goals should be in the focus here, arguably on both ends of the field.
Liverpool VS Brentford
The Reds packed seven goals to Brentford last year, and they were pretty ruthless against the Bees. They now await the same rival at Anfield fired up under the new manager Slot, hoping to open the season with two wins. Liverpool didn’t change its roster too much, and they don’t have to create chemistry or anything like that. Brentford had some squad modifications, but overall, their game stayed the same, with pressure, high intensity, and plenty of goals.
When Bees play, goals on both ends are almost an unwritten rule because they simply don’t know how to defend. In this case, there’s Liverpool on the other end, and with them involved, expect a highly efficient event, with the hosts’ victory, of course.
Manchester City VS Ipswich
All those who have Haaland in fantasy football hope to see him destroy the newcomers and earn them some points. The Norwegian already netted in the first game against Chelsea, and his form is at a very high level. What can we say about Ipswich? They held one halftime against Liverpool and lost 0-2. We saw some good moves there, but nothing that would thrill us.
That’s why many expect a bloodbath at Etihad. We do, too. City is, after all, the best team in Europe, maybe, and Ipswich is a relegation contender.
Early Contenders
There’s nothing new here. City, Arsenal, and Liverpool are early contenders, but that’s expected. For the moment, Tottenham, Manchester United, and Chelsea do not look competitive. We can say that Aston Villa sits in the shady zone and that we need more time to judge Emery’s team’s potential. We will know more after the game against Arsenal. Newcastle might be in the mix, but they are closer to Man Utd and that group than those three mentioned at the start.
