Premier League champions Leicester were stunned as they kicked off the defence of their title with a 2-1 defeat against newly promoted Hull, who had only 13 fit senior players, at the KCOM Stadium. “We were constant and we deserved the victory”.
Advertisement
What the Chinese delegation thought of the pre-match demo Saturday is anybody’s guess, but they can not fail to have been impressed by the action on the pitch, watching Adama Diomande take the lead for Hull City just before the half time break.
Bournemouth 0-1 Man Utd: Mourinho has vowed to play a more exciting brand of football this season but I think fans may have to wait a little while for the team to gel before we see it come to fruition.
“The delivery of the ball from their defence forward wasn’t the quality it was last season but we determined what was happening because we were on the front foot and we anticipated certain instances”.
Both of Hull’s goals came as a result of jittery defending from the Foxes, with a combination of Adama Diomande and Abel Hernandez, who appeared to strike the ball at the same time with mirror-image overhead kicks, leading to the Tigers’ opening goal.
Pep Guardiola begins his tenure as Manchester City manager in earnest later on Saturday, when Sunderland and their new manager David Moyes visit the Etihad Stadium. This is the key of the match.
There’s no chance that Leicester will be underestimated as they were last season, while teams are now savvy to their approach and are also keen to up their game and take some points from the champions.
Southampton manager Claude Puel and his Watford counterpart Walter Mazzarri started life at their respective new clubs with a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s. Because we only had a small number of players available, they knew exactly what their roles were and how to go about it because we’ve worked with them all week.
Ranieri added: “Our effort was unbelievable but it was individual, not as a team and that is the key of the match”.
West Bromwich Albion won 1-0 at Crystal Palace thanks to a goal from Salomon Rondon.
They then lost 2-1 to Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley last Sunday.
Hull’s Robert Snodgrass got a 57th-minute victor as Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester lacked the intensity of their last campaign while City got away with their lethargic display as Sunderland debutant Paddy McNair scored an 87th-minute own goal.
Mahrez equalised from the penalty spot in the 47th minute after Tom Huddlestone clipped Demarai Gray from behind, although replays showed the foul occurred outside the box.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, a superb header by Argentine Erik Lamela earned Tottenham a 1-1 draw at Everton on Ronald Koeman’s Premier League debut as the Toffees coach after Ross Barkley gave the home side an early lead at Goodison Park yesterday.
