Week 1 of the Premier League hasn’t even finished but there is a lot to talk about the title race.
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Leicester headed to the north coastal city of Hull for their opening match against a team that now has no manager, barely enough players to make up a team, and an army of angry and frustrated fans. Although it really should’ve been a free-kick, no Leicester fan was complaining over that questionable call from Mike Dean. Can Arsenal win the league one more time for Arsene Wenger? Manchester City brought Pep Guardiola as new manager and big signings were made.
Manchester City, seen as title favorites this season under new manager Pep Guardiola, is at home to Sunderland in the day’s late game.
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. Jamie Vardy and Ahmed Musa have pace to burn up top but Hull, without a permanent manager since Steve Bruce’s summer departure, defended deep and stopped the space in behind.
Amartey doesn’t have the engine of the Frenchman, but he offers a different kind of physical presence and, at six foot, can hold his own against some of the Premier League’s more powerful midfielders.
Donald Love and Adnan Januzaj also had their first taste of action in the Red and White stripes, but it was just not quite enough against a team giving debuts to Nolito and £47.5 million defender John Stones. Guardiola will try to establish his possession-controlling “tiki-taka” style in Manchester, and it looks like he has the squad to do it.
The Premier League’s new TV deal might be worth an eye-watering amount – £5.136billion over three years – but it represents value for money when it provides games like Arsenal v Liverpool. Either way it is certainly true that the first eleven for the Tigers is not going to roll over at this seasons challenges. I can thank the players because the effort was wonderful.
There were to be no further scores as the Premier League new boys rejoiced in achieving the scalp of the reigning champions.
Having upset the odds in such spectacular fashion last season, Leicester were themselves stunned again shortly before the hour mark when Hull regained the lead through Snodgrass, who buried his finish into the bottom corner after the visitors had failed to adequately clear their lines.
Sean Dyche put his trust in the players that won the Championship last term, with sole outfield signing Johann Berg Gudmundsson starting on the bench, but Andre Gray – the top scorer in the second tier in 2015-16 – was not his clinical self.
“They played better”, Leicester coach Claudio Ranieri told Sky Sports.
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As the game entered it’s final ten minutes, substitute Shinji Okazaki was as lively as usual and headed a cross into Jakupovic’s arms. On the attacking side of the ball he got the better of Wes Morgan in the air on a couple of occasions, the second time resulting in the opening goal.
