Arsenal, Chelsea shine as Man United falter early in Premier League campaign

Arsenal and Chelsea demonstrated their title aspirations with impressive wins, while Manchester United’s shaky start under Erik ten Hag continues to raise concerns.

Arsenal, aiming to dethrone Manchester City, secured a crucial 2-0 victory at Aston Villa, a team that derailed their title hopes last season. With upcoming challenges against Tottenham and City, Arsenal’s strong start shows their determination to end a 20-year title drought.

Chelsea, led by hat-trick hero Noni Madueke, bounced back with a 6-2 thrashing of Wolves, earning new boss Enzo Maresca his first league win.

Despite a social media misstep that sparked controversy before the match, Madueke’s on-field performance silenced critics and highlighted his potential as a key player this season.

Noni Madueke got himself in hot water before Chelsea’s match at Wolves had even kicked off, but the Blues winger finished the day on a high after a superb hat-trick in his side’s 6-2 victory.

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The 22-year-old was jeered throughout the game by angry Wolves fans due to a hastily-deleted Instagram post in the early hours that contained an expletive to describe the industrial city his team were playing in.

Madueke’s impressive display gave new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca his first league win after last weekend’s loss to Manchester City.

He praised Madueke’s contribution on the pitch and said he was unaware of the social media faux pas.

“To be honest I didn’t know, it’s just been mentioned to me now but I didn’t know during the game about Noni’s social post,” Maresca said.

“I judge Noni’s performance which has been fantastic, not only in the second half, but even in the first half.”

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In contrast, Manchester United’s early struggles continue to mount. After narrowly defeating Fulham on opening day, United suffered an embarrassing last-minute loss to Brighton.

This marks their sixth defeat to stoppage-time goals in the past three seasons, more than any other Premier League team. Erik ten Hag, who survived scrutiny after finishing eighth last season, is now under renewed pressure as United prepare to face unbeaten Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag’s comments on the team’s poor game management reflect the challenges ahead, as United seeks to avoid another disappointing season. With Liverpool looming, the Red Devils must quickly regroup or risk falling further behind in the title race.