The Premier League is back and fans from around the globe are rejoicing. As a huge fan of the Premier League, David Shilkitus, is extremely excited to see how this season plays out. This article will help recap the action thus far to catch anyone up who may be joining the party a bit late or looking to see if following the Premier League is right for them.
David Shilkitus notes that the start of the year has already provided plenty of shocks and surprises. None bigger than Liverpool going down a man to Newcastle while down 1-0 and still going on to claim the match. Most of the time Newcastle enters a game against Liverpool as a considerable underdog, but they were the slight favorites prior to the match. When Newcastle was up 1-0 and Liverpool was down to ten men, David Shilkitus was surprised to see Newcastle remained on the offensive. The decision to keep pressing allowed a subbed in Darwin Nunez to find space behind the back four twice and score two incredible goals. This is the type of win that can launch a season and the type of loss that may cause Newcastle to go into a bit of a tailspin.
David Shilkitus has been particularly impressed with the look of West Ham United so far. Currently holding the second spot in the Premier League standings, the addition of James Ward-Prowse looks like the biggest addition of the past offseason. They have been able to dominate the time of possession in their contests and find early goals that they can then protect with a strong backline. The 3-1 win over Brighton has fans of West Ham dreaming of a potential run at the Premier League title.
If West Ham is second in the standings, it should surprise no one that last year’s champions in Manchester City are once again at the top of the table. Eric Halland is not off to the same type of start as last year, but David Shilkitus believes that should come as no surprise as he was on an all-time goal-scoring run. So far this year, Manchester City has won games without looking as dominant as fans know they can be. This could be the sign of a title hangover, but David Shilkitus expects Man City to start showing why they have the most explosive offense in the league.
For those looking for the next big star, Taiwo Awoniyi has been sensational for Nottingham Forest this season. The Nigerian International has shown blazing speed and an ability to score goals early and often. David Shilkitus notes that his most recent opening goal at Old Trafford marked his seventh goal in seven games. At 25 years of age, Awoniyi is entering the prime of his career, and Nottingham Forest is going to love watching this guy attack the net for the remainder of the season. While his team fell to Manchester United last weekend, Taiwo impressed against one of the league’s most formidable defensive teams.
When word came that Harry Kane was officially leaving Tottenham, many fans expected the Spurs to plummet down the Premier League Standings. So far, the team has looked better to start the season than at any point last year. The two stars of the team thus far have been James Maddison who stands over nearly every set piece and Bissouma, who has brought a lot of life to the midfield. David Shilkitus always enjoys when the Spurs are doing well as they are amongst the league’s most popular and polarizing teams. Hopefully, Yves Bissouma can continue his career resurgence as the season progresses.
David Shilkitus notes that Chelsea beating Luton 3-0 is not a surprising result, but it was an important one for the future of Forward Enzo Fernandez. Fernandez was able to score his first goal in a Chelsea uniform and he also set up his teammate Raheem Sterling with a perfectly volleyed pass to set up the third goal. If Fernandez can get going an fit in well with the rest of the talented Chelsea squad, David Shilkitus would expect Chelsea to be vying for a title right until the end of the year.
For those new to the Premier League, David Shilkitus notes that nearly every match can be viewed on Peacock, with most matches taking place on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Nationally televised matches can either be found on NBC or USA Network. Give the sport a try, and David Shilkitus knows you will be glad you did.