Premier League news: Six things we learnt in matchweek two as Liverpool grab late win at Newcastle

Following Liverpool’s late win at Newcastle United on Monday night, the second round of Premier League games has drawn to a close and it’s safe to say that fans got a little bit of everything and more.

From feisty challenges and red cards to dominant displays and new stars, matchweek two really did see it all.

Here, Sports News Blitz writer Sarim Ahmed takes a look at six key takeaways from the action.

Newcastle, Liverpool advertise English football

Amid the drama surrounding Newcastle talisman Alexander Isak, it was a given that St James’ Park would offer a hostile atmosphere when the Swede’s top admirers Liverpool came to visit.

However, the crowd was silenced when Ryan Gravenberch put the away side in front with a stunner that wrongfooted Nick Pope.

Things went from bad to worse as Anthony Gordon picked up the third red card of his Newcastle career thanks to a VAR review after a rash challenge on Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk.

The second half was just as electric, with Hugo Ekitike slotting past Pope within a minute of the restart for a goal so quick that most in the stadium – even his manager – would’ve missed while still coming back from their half-time festivities.

As the minutes ticked by, so did the amount of blows on the referee’s whistle as the feisty encounter definitely lived up to expectations, seeing a grand total of 32 fouls.

Newcastle eventually found something to celebrate – captain Bruno Guimarães nodded a header past his countryman Allison in goal and, just as his celebration showed, a sense of life was once again injected into the crowd.

That support was then rewarded as William Osula tapped in an equaliser after a long ball sent in by the Newcastle ‘keeper.

The stadium erupted and the resilience displayed by the Magpies was only matched by the pride of those in the stands.

After playing for 90 minutes plus an additional 11 minutes of stoppage time, it looked as though the two sides would have to settle for a thrilling draw.

Liverpool, however, had one more trick up their sleeve.

Beautiful build-up play between the team saw the ball played into the box by an uncharacteristically quiet Mohamed Salah, where Dominik Szoboszlai looked as though he was about to hit the ball, but he instead wonderfully let it run through his legs into the path of Rio Ngumoha.

The youngster whacked a beautiful first-time curler into the back of the net to seal the three points on his Premier League debut.

St James’ Park was stunned, with Nugumoha only the fourth 16-year-old to score in the division and just the second to score a winner alongside legend Wayne Rooney.

At the end of that day, 10-man Newcastle had their moment stolen by a kid – welcome to the Premier League!

READ MORE: Estevao steps up in Chelsea’s dominating 5-1 win over West Ham

Everton impressive at Hill Dickinson

Everton’s new era at the Hill Dickinson Stadium opened in style with a 2-0 victory over Brighton.

Jack Grealish, making his first Premier League start for the Toffees, orchestrated the win with two assists, showcasing the flair and creativity fans were craving.

Iliman Ndiaye struck the stadium’s inaugural goal and James Garner added a late finish.

In the end, the match perfectly blended sentimentality and performance, with Grealish’s artistry and acting captain Jordan Pickford’s penalty save framing a night destined to be remembered with nostalgia.

Everton fans shall hope that this happy house-warming party is an indication of things to come this season.

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Chelsea run riot in London

Chelsea ripped through West Ham with a sensational 5-1 away win, leaving no doubt about their attacking prowess.

The goals were also shared across the team, reflecting the depth in the squad that Chelsea have been mocked for in the last few transfer windows.

The Blues’ relentless movement, energetic pressing, and ruthless finishing overwhelmed a fragile West Ham defence with new wonderkid Estêvão doing the work in the absence of the injured Cole Palmer.

Ultimately, the emphatic nature of the result sent a loud message: Chelsea are not just contenders – they’re serious challengers for the title.

On the flip side, the Hammers received a brutal reminder that this may be a season to forget if things do not change soon.

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Arsenal count cost of victory

Arsenal dismantled Leeds United 5-0 in emphatic style, with Viktor Gyökeres scoring his first two strikes for the club and Jurrien Timber pitching in with a rare double from defence.

The display was that of potential champions – sharp, fluid, and forceful.

Unfortunately, the celebrations were dampened by injuries to Bukayo Saka, who also scored in the thumping, and captain Martin Ødegaard.

Both were victims of knocks that could sideline them for a number of upcoming fixtures, including the heavyweight showdown against title rivals Liverpool.

The loss of their leadership and creativity could prove costly and turned what should have been a confidence-boosting display into a headache for Mikel Arteta.

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Promoted sides show early promise

Leeds, Burnley, and Sunderland have now all claimed a win within their first two weeks of being back in the top flight.

Leeds and Sunderland both started off the season in good stead as they grabbed victories in matchweek one, while Burnley claimed their first three points this weekend after beating the Black Cats.

This is in stark contrast to last term, when newly promoted clubs floundered for months before earning their first points.

Indeed, Leicester City had to wait until October to earn that record, with Southampton and Ipswich only achieving the feat in November.

Early success for the newly promoted clubs may therefore be a sign of fortune in this league – perhaps one of them can actually stay up this season.

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Crystal Palace need more signings

Crystal Palace recently sold star player Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, and the loss was apparent in their display against Nottingham Forest as they only got on the scoresheet once and mustered just two big chances.

Those FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs certainly seem far away now, with the Eagles needing to bring in reinforcements to fill the void in the number 10 spot and acquire the necessary depth to compete in the Conference League.

For reference, current Conference League champions Chelsea had 39 different players feature for them in all competitions last season, illustrating just how important rotation is for successful teams.

Palace will need to solve this problem quickly if they are to continue on their upwards trajectory as a club.

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