Premier League awards as Isak, Saka & Haaland impress in GW1

With the Premier League finally returning it is time to dish out some well earned rewards.

While the football news cycle was dominated by transfer sagas involving Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham and West Ham, the real thing kicked off at the weekend.

City got their title defence off to a winning start, Arsenal hung in against Nottingham Forest, Newcastle destroyed Aston Villa, while Chelsea and Liverpool showed exactly why both clubs have been desperate to sign Moises Caicedo.

There’s still one more game left to play in the first round of games, but damn it this can’t wait!

Premier League awards for gameweek 1:

Player of the Week

The standout performer from a big win for Newcastle United at the weekend was Alexander Isak. The Swedish international got the nod to start ahead of Callum Wilson and he quickly repaid Eddie Howe’s faith with a first-half brace. But it wasn’t just the goals that were so impressive, his all-round play was superb.

After the game Howe called Isak a “special player” and it’s hard to disagree with that assessment. The forward could be in for a huge season, whether he plays through the middle or out wide.

Honourable mentions: Erling Haaland, Man City; Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea.

The Premier League team of the week from the opening weekend

Goal of the Week

Saturday offered a reminder of just how good Bukayo Saka is. The youngster look jaded by the end of last season, but he burst into life in Arsenal’s opening game of the season.

The 21-year-old scored a vital goal for the Gunners on Saturday as last season’s runners-up opened with a win against Nottingham Forest. A burst of acceleration gave the England star just enough space to send the ball flying into the net from just outside the area. Sublime.

Another scintillating Saka strike 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dwFG5p5KDg

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 13, 2023

Pass of the Week

Eddie Nketiah got the ball rolling for Arsenal with the opening goal of the game, but it was Gabriel Martinelli who made it happen with a delightful rollercoaster assist just as two Forest defenders closed in on him.

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CALL EDDIE 📞 pic.twitter.com/rvA0AOOYMs

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 13, 2023

Howler of the Week

Luton Town are going to have it hard enough this season without their own defenders laying it on a plate for the opposition. That’s exactly what Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu did on Saturday when he, well, we’re not sure what he was trying to do, but it allowed Simon Adringa to smack in his first Brighton goal on his Premier League debut.

First #PL appearance, first #PL goal for Simon Adingra! 🇨🇮✨ pic.twitter.com/FCdt9IJVBc

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) August 12, 2023

Stat of the Week

We all know by now that Erling Haaland isn’t exactly the most involved in the build-up play for Manchester City. But a remarkable statistic flashed up on screen during Friday night’s televised 3-0 win over Burnley, illustrating just how efficient he is with the ball in front of goal.

It showed that the Norwegian takes just 22 touches per goal, the fewest in Premier League history. In second place? Reading legend Adam Le Fondre, of course.

Premier League weekend: Five things we learned

Tweet of the Week

For the first time in a decade the Premier League got underway without Harry Kane as a Tottenham player. As Spurs drew their first game of the season 2-2 with Brentford, the striker endured a difficult debut, coming off the bench as Bayern Munich lost 3-0 to RB Leipzig.

The most difficult part of his transfer may not have anything to do with adapting to football in Germany, though. After footage showed Kane stopping himself before complaining to the referee, the language is definitely going to be the biggest impediment to him succeeding, isn’t it? Viel Glück, Harry!