New Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola also makes his home bow at Anfield against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United badly need to bounce back from an opening weekend shocker at Hull when Ipswich visit Old Trafford. AFP Sports looks at the pick of the Premier League action. Arsenal are out to inflict more damage on a wounded Aston Villa, while Tottenham are desperate to see some return for their 300 million pounds ($408 million) investment in new signings when Newcastle visit north London.
The England international is just one of a series of departures from Villa in recent months which has torn apart the side that won the Europa League and finished fourth in the Premier League last season. Worse could be to come against an Arsenal side brimming with the confidence of champions. The growing pains of a change in style to Iraola’s high-energy pressing game were obvious as twice Liverpool were cut open by Newcastle counter-attacks to score.
Spurs have fans have been waiting years for their club to be the Premier League’s big spenders, but were brought back down to earth with a 3-0 pummelling by Brentford last weekend. Savio’s £75 million price tag has attracted astonishment from some after failing to make the grade in two years at City, but Roberto De Zerbi is confident the Brazilian can help transform Spurs’ fortunes after two 17th-placed finishes in the Premier League. Liverpool needed a 99th-minute penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai to salvage a point in Iraola’s first game in charge from a 2-2 draw at Newcastle.
“I think his biggest step and biggest improvement is to increase the number of goals because as qualities, I think he is one of the best wingers, but the best wingers score many goals,” said De Zerbi after Savio scored on his debut against Charlton in the League Cup on Wednesday.
