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Manchester United emerged as victors over Leicester City in the Premier League curtain-raiser last night. Goals from Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw ensured the win, despite Jamie Vardy pulling one back for the Foxes late on.Shaw, in particular, will have been delighted to get on the scoresheet as his strike marked his first ever goal in senior English football.[brid autoplay=”true” video=”278420″ player=”12034″ title=”Pochettino Has Been Betrayed By Daniel Levy”]After a tricky campaign with the Red Devils last time out, in which he only managed 11 Premier League appearances and drew direct criticism from his own manager, Jose Mourinho, the 23-year-old will be glad to have got the new campaign off to such a good start.With only one year remaining on his current contract at Old Trafford, Shaw must maintain his form this season to secure himself new terms with the club.Last night was a good start to Shaw getting his career back on track, and many United fans were quick to get on Twitter to congratulate and support the young left-back…

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Supporters at St. Mary’s will be hoping to see Danny Ings in Southampton’s starting XI as soon as possible after his promising cameo against Burnley last Sunday.

Southampton were unable to walk away with all three points after their first home game of the season ended 0-0, but Ings’ performance left manager Mark Hughes impressed (via BT Sport) and the 26-year-old could be the man to get the Saints firing again.

The Breakdown

Speaking after the game, Ings said: It does [feel special playing for his boyhood club] and now I’ve just got to prove my worth” (via Daily Echo).

And St. Mary’s may just be the perfect place for the England international to do so.

It has been a hard last couple of years for £7.2m-rated (via Transfermarkt) Ings, who suffered two serious knee injuries at Liverpool. And once returning to full fitness, the former Burnley man faced an impossible task of getting into Jurgen Klopp’s side with Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah all performing exceptionally well in attack.

At Southampton, however, Ings should be able to nail down a starting spot or at least provide serious competition for the club’s current first-choice striker Charlie Austin.

Last season, Southampton’s crop of centre-forwards which included Manolo Gabbiadini and Shane Long were extremely poor in front of goal, while Austin himself struggled with injuries.

With that in mind, if Ings can stay fit and rediscover the form he showed during his debut season in English football’s top flight with Burnley, then he could keep Southampton away from the relegation zone while relaunching his career in the process.

Raheem Sterling has strongly divided opinion and written headlines for various reasons – some more trivial than others – throughout the entirety of his career, but he put himself on the back pages for all the right reasons last weekend by scoring Man City’s opener in their 2-0 victory over Arsenal. 

In vintage fashion Sterling collected the ball on the left side of the area and shimmied inside past two Arsenal players before slamming the ball into the back of the net past a statuesque Peter Cech. The celebration which followed saw Sterling point to his ear to ask the stunned Arsenal crowd where his multitude of critics had temporarily gone hiding.

His instant impact within the opening minutes of City’s title defence served to prove quite how important he is to one of the greatest outfit’s English football has ever bore witness to.

But his rising importance and marked improvement since joining the club in 2015 has not yet resulted in the awarding of a new contract, and that must change in the coming months if City want to continue to set the standard in the Premier League.

In the aftermath of City’s 2-0 victory Guardiola admitted that the club “would like Raheem to stay” and implied that a new deal could be on the horizon, as per the Daily Telegraph.

And considering the British media have a recurring habit of stirring up controversy in relation to Sterling’s life away from the field of play, the club would be wise to agree fresh terms over a new contract as soon as possible.

If Sterling (valued at £81 million by Transfermarkt) does not sign a new contract in the immediate future it’s likely that unwanted rumours will begin to emerge regarding his desire to stay at the club which could potentially disrupt City’s title defence.

Sterling’s electric performances during Guardiola’s stint at the club so far have been a consistently positive feature of City’s attacking play and there’s no doubt he warrants a new bumper deal, so the hierarchy should convince him to put pen to paper as soon as possible to ensure the club have the best possible chance of retaining their Premier League crown.

Man City fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Leeds United remain unbeaten this season as they continue to assert their dominance on the Championship under Marcelo Bielsa.

It’s still early in the season but Leeds look in a strong position to gain promotion back to the Premier League having taken 10 points so far in the Championship although they couldn’t have done without the likes of Samu Saiz and Kemar Roofe.

Both players have been superb for the club and seem to be thriving under Marcelo Bielsa’s management.

Against Swansea, however, Leeds suffered their toughest challenge so far this season as Graham Potter’s men frustrated the Whites and at times overwhelmed the Yorkshire club in midfield.

A rock so far this season, Kalvin Phillips struggled to get to grip with Swansea’s attacks and was subbed early in the half in favour of Chelsea loanee, Lewis Baker.

While Phillips has played well this season, Bielsa will be eagerly anticipating the return of former Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Forshaw who told Leeds United TV that he is ahead of schedule in his return to fitness.

The Breakdown

The 26-year-old joined the Whites for £4.59 million in January and made 12 appearances in the league for the club in the second-half of the season.

A smart player, who’s great with the ball, Forshaw could be an ideal player to play as the shielding midfielder in Bielsa’s formation.

Such is his talent that he should probably replace Phillips and could be a huge plus for the squad as they try to continue their unbeaten run.

Leeds fans – thoughts?

West Ham are considering loan offers for Reece Oxford from European duo AZ Alkmaar and Eibar, The Daily Mail reports.

What’s the word?

With the European transfer window not closing until Friday, West Ham face the possibility of losing some players within their squad and the Hammers are said to be mulling over approaches for in-demand starlet Reece Oxford.

The club’s academy graduate has attracted interest from Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar and LaLiga minnows Eibar, according to The Daily Mail, with Manuel Pellegrini’s side prepared to send the 19-year-old away for the 2018-19 campaign.

Oxford impressed on loan last term with Borussia Monchengladbach and has plummeted down the pecking order at the London Stadium during the past couple of years – and a permanent exit could be on the cards as the report adds the offers include an option of a £2m deal next summer.

The signings of Fabian Balbuena, Issa Diop, Carlos Sanchez and Jack Wilshere have added further competition for Oxford this season and an exit before Friday’s European transfer deadline looks likely.

Will West Ham regret a move?

After three consecutive defeats to start the new Premier League season, Pellegrini has numerous problems to solve for his side after a heavy-spending summer – and one criticism is the lack of depth in the centre of midfield.

In particular, the Hammers lack options in a holding midfield position and will need veteran Sanchez to hit the ground running after his arrival from Fiorentina – but the 33-year-old is hardly the long-term solution to an issue that has been present for a number of years.

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Oxford, still just 19, could still be that man and his versatility means he could be a vital asset for Pellegrini if utilised correctly and seeling the teenager for a fee of just £2m is a decision that could come back to haunt West Ham further down the line.

While first-team football will be a struggle for Oxford to secure, the Hammers should keep him around at least until January in order to give the teenager a chance to make an impression.

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Irish midfielder Wes Hoolahan has been training with West Brom, with Baggies boss Darren Moore looking to sign the 36-year-old on a free transfer to bolster his options in midfield, and fans of the club on Twitter have been getting excited by the news.

The West Midlands club have started the season reasonably well and currently sit ninth in the Championship with three wins, one draw and two losses after their relegation from the Premier League.

Moore, who was confirmed as manager on a permanent basis during the summer, has already overhauled his squad with eight new signings coming in and seven players leaving the Hawthorns, but now looks set to add one more option to his squad.

Hoolahan is currently a free-agent having left Norwich this summer after 10 years at the club. During that time the attacking midfielder made 351 appearances for the Canaries, scoring 51 goals and providing 78 assists. Despite his age, many Baggies fans on Twitter felt that he still had a lot to offer their club and praised Moore’s business. Check out the best tweets below.

Baggies fans, who do you think was your signing of the summer? Have your say by voting in our poll below.

Everton fans will be forced to switch their attention from the Premier League to the international fixtures.

The football season gears up for the first international break of the new campaign with 13 Everton players called up to their country. England’s World Cup hero, Jordan Pickford, should start for the Three Lions against Spain in the UEFA Nations League while Seamus Coleman was in action as the Republic of Ireland were soundly beaten by Wales. Everton fans will also be keeping a close eye on Richarlison who was called up to Tite’s Brazil squad for fixtures against the USA and El Salvador.

Much was made of Marco Silva’s decision to spend £40m to sign the Brazilian winger from former side Watford in the summer. However, three goals in his opening three games for the Toffees has quickly eased fears that Richarlison would be a flop. The 21-year-old will be hoping to continue his excellent start when his suspension ends.

With Everton having success raiding Watford, the Toffees should return in January to try to poach Hornets midfielder – Roberto Pereyra. Valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, the Argentina international made the shock move to Vicarage Road from Juventus back in 2016 and has finally found his feet in the Premier League. He made 26 appearances last season, scoring five and assisting two.

The 27-year-old has been key to Watford’s terrific start to the season under Javi Gracia, scoring three goals in just four appearances, helping the Hornets win all four of their opening fixtures to sit alongside Liverpool and Chelsea at the top of the table. If Pereyra continues his impressive form, Everton should definitely launch a bid in January.

Landing the playmaker would ease the creative burden on the shoulders of Glyfi Sigurdsson and add another dimension to the Toffees attack. He wouldn’t be cheap, but signing Pereyra could prove to be another Silva masterstroke.

Everton fans, thoughts?

The Daily Mirror recently reported that Aston Villa were keen on signing free-agent Robert Huth after missing out on former centre-back John Terry, who looks set to sign for Spartak Moscow.

Huth left Leicester this summer after spending three years at the club where he won his third Premier League title, adding to the two that he won over 10 years previously while at Chelsea, and Villa fans were clearly keen to see the former Germany international come to Villa Park.

Boss Steve Bruce made seven signings during the summer transfer window but failed to bring in a centre-back and even sanctioned the loan of Tommy Elphick to Hull, leaving just James Chester and Manchester United loanee Axel Tuanzebe as the only recognised central defenders in the squad.

Bruce has recently been playing Tuanzebe at right-back and has stuck with defensive midfielder Mile Jedinak partnering Chester at the back, but the Villians have conceded 11 goals in just six league games and must make defensive additions.

A whopping 83 per cent of Villa fans that voted in our poll would back a move for Huth on a free transfer. Check out the full results below.

Aston Villa have started the 2018/19 Championship campaign somewhat averagely, picking up nine points from their opening six league fixtures of the season, sitting in 12th place in the league table and in desperate need of an injection of excitement back in to Villa Park.

What’s gone wrong for Steve Bruce?

Having lost their previous two matches against Burton Albion and Sheffield United, it is no surprise that there is a large section of the Claret and Blue Army that are concerned with how Steve Bruce is managing the club.

Aston Villa made a number of high profile signings over this summer’s transfer market, with the likes of Anwar ElGhazi, Yannick Bolasie and Tammy Abraham joining the ranks at Villa Park in the past few months.

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Steve Bruce’s side entered the 2018/19 Championship season as potential title contenders, and despite the injection of talent into the Villans’ squad, they have largely failed to live up to the expectations thus far.

Perhaps the acquisition of Bristol City wide man Callum O’Dowda could add further attacking options to their already talented arsenal, and turn Aston Villa’s season around.

What’s the appeal of Callum O’Dowda?

Whilst Bristol City have had a strong start to the 2018/19 Championship campaign, picking up 11 points from their opening six fixtures with three wins and two draws, Lee Johnson has only started Callum O’Dowda in two matches so far this season.

The 23-year-old left winger suffered a severe ankle injury last year, keeping him out of the Bristol City squad for over ten weeks, but the inclusion of O’Dowda in the current team has given hope to the Robins faithful that their side can improve on last season’s tenth place finish.

Prior to the knock, O’Dowda had played 22 out of the 23 league matches for City that season, scoring two goals and registering three assists in the seven games before the injury, and could potentially make a strong addition to Steve Bruce’s side in January.

With his contract set to run out at the end of this year’s Championship campaign, there is sure to be vast interest in the Republic of Ireland international, who featured in both of his country’s matches this international break, and Aston Villa should be top of that list.

West Brom supporters have been making a lot of noise in recent times after seeing their team make it back-to-back Championship victories over the weekend.

Darren Moore’s men went into their encounter with lowly Millwall off the back of beating Bristol City 4-2 at the Hawthorns in midweek, and thus seeking to secure back-to-back wins for the second time this term. And they did just that in the Midlands on Saturday as goals from Dwight Gayle and Kieran Gibbs sealed a routine 2-0 success for the Baggies, a result which has moved them up to third place in the Championship table, just a point behind leaders Leeds United.

Thus, there have been many delighted West Brom fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom have unsurprisingly been heaping praise on messrs Gayle and Gibbs for coming up with the vital contributions at the Hawthorns at the weekend.

Striker Gayle, on loan from Premier League outfit Newcastle United, has made an excellent start to life at West Brom in bagging five goals and laying on five assists in just eight league appearances so far, and while Gibbs was part of the team relegated from the top-flight last term, the 28-year-old was a rare bright spark last season, and has proven his worth so far this time round as well.

And while the duo certainly deserve credit for their exploits on Saturday, defender Craig Dawson, who of course wanted out of the club during the summer, was arguably their unsung hero at the Hawthorns at the weekend.

Like Gibbs, the 28-year-old was reasonably consistent for the Baggies in their disastrous Premier League campaign last season, to the point that he reportedly handed in a transfer request in a bid to remain in the top-flight, with Burnley one side keen on the versatile defender.

But no move materialised for the Englishman to thus leave him at West Brom until at least January, yet he produced a committed display on Saturday to suggest that the past is behind him, and that he is ready to give his all for the Midlands club.

The defender touched the ball more times than any other player that took to the field on Saturday (84) and finished the game with an 85% pass success rate, completing 61 of the 72 passes he attempted – both figures topping the respective charts.

Thus, it’s clear that Dawson was effective with the ball at his feet in trying to get West Brom forward and into attacking situations, yet he also produced the goods defensively as well in winning five aerial duels, as well as winning all three of the tackles he attempted.

Add in three clearances, one of which off the line, as well as making two interceptions, and the 28-year-old was a huge asset to the Baggies backline in helping them keep their first clean sheet of the Championship season – it was an excellent display by the Englishman.

And with Moore’s side now up to third and only a point behind leaders Leeds, the likes of Gayle and Gibbs will undoubtedly play a key part in helping the Baggies mount a promotion push this term, but so will 28-year-old Dawson, who was their unsung hero against Millwall on Saturday.

West Brom fans… what do you think? Let us know!