Recapping Debutants from the Premier League’s First Matchday
Sandro Tonali. Image: Football365
LONDON, U.K. - This past weekend, we got the opportunity to get a first look at the latest Premier League summer signings in action as the league kicked off. Who stood out, and who floundered?
Top 5 Who Impressed:
Honorable Mentions: Declan Rice (Arsenal), João Pedro (Brighton), Axel Disasi (Chelsea)
5. André Onana (Manchester United)
Onana had a solid showing as Manchester United held out for a 1-0 victory. Without him, it is likely that United would have conceded at least one goal if not more. The only downside from his debut: he should consider himself lucky that his challenge on Sasa Kalajdzic was not ruled a penalty.
4. Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa may not have had the best game against Newcastle, but if there is a positive to take away from this game, it has to be the performance of new signing Moussa Diaby. He was lively throughout the contest, even scoring a goal in the first half.
3. Harvey Barnes (Newcastle)
He may have only come on in the 68th minute, but Barnes made quite the impact after his arrival. Less than ten minutes after entering the game, Barnes provided the assist for Newcastle’s fourth goal before scoring the fifth. Barnes could prove to be a shrewd acquisition for Newcastle.
2. Sandro Tonali (Newcastle)
In another great acquisition for Newcastle, Sandro Tonali opened the scoring in their game against Aston Villa. The timing of his run was perfect and he did well to set himself up for the goal. Tonali slotted perfectly into Newcastle’s midfield and played an integral part in helping his squad to a dominant victory.
1. James Maddison (Tottenham)
Some thought Tottenham would struggle to score after selling standout striker Harry Kane, but they did just the opposite in their first game against Brentford. A key reason has to be the performance of James Maddison. He provided two assists and was in the right place at the right time to cause Brentford’s defense problems.
Kai Havertz. Image: Getty Images
Top 5 Who the Jury is Out on:
Honorable Mentions: Mason Mount (Manchester United), Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
5. Jurriёn Timber (Arsenal)
The main reason Timber makes this list is because of his abrupt departure. He showed some promise early, but his debut was cut short after just 23 minutes. Arsenal fans will be hoping he won’t be out for long.
4. Kai Havertz (Arsenal)
In his Premier League debut for Arsenal, Havertz did not have much of an impact as Arsenal would go on to defeat Nottingham Forest 2-1. Hopefully, he will grow into this Arsenal side and fulfill his potential.
3. Micky Van de Ven (Tottenham)
While he did not have a terrible debut, Van de Ven seemed unable to cope with relentless Brentford attacks. He didn’t help his case when he provided a deflection for Brentford’s second goal. It would be to his benefit if he had a more experienced center-back partner beside him.
2. Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)
Replacing longtime Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris between the sticks, Vicario could’ve had a better debut. He had some shaky moments, although he was not necessarily helped by the defense in front of him. He was perhaps lucky that he was not called for a penalty for a mistimed challenge on Brentford’s Kevin Schade.
1. Pau Torres (Aston Villa)
Coming on for an injured Tyrone Mings, Torres did not cover himself in glory for his debut. He completely lost Callum Wilson for Newcastle’s fourth and was bypassed by Jacob Murphy for Newcastle’s fifth. Hopefully, Torres is able to acclimate to the demands of the Premier League.
