Premier League Recap: Spurs Stun Man City, Arsenal Hit Five, Bournemouth, Brentford, Burnley Celebrate Wins

The Premier League delivered another dramatic Saturday of football, featuring shocks at the Etihad, a dominant Arsenal display, and crucial victories for Bournemouth, Brentford, and Burnley. Here is a full recap of the key action and analysis from yesterday’s fixtures.

Manchester City 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs Extend Perfect Start Under Thomas Frank

Tottenham Hotspur continued their flawless beginning under new manager Thomas Frank by inflicting a 2-0 defeat on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. The victory marked their second win of the Premier League season and added to their reputation as Pep Guardiola’s bogey side.

Spurs have now triumphed in three of their last five visits to the blue half of Manchester, including last November’s 4-0 rout during City’s dramatic slump. Frank’s tactical blueprint, reminiscent of Ange Postecoglou’s approach, once again exposed City’s weaknesses. Remarkably, this was only the sixth time Guardiola’s City trailed by two or more goals at home in the league at half-time – Tottenham accounting for half of those occasions.

Brennan Johnson opened the scoring on the counter-attack, with VAR overturning an incorrect offside call. Home debutant James Trafford, deputising for Ederson who remained on the bench amid transfer speculation, endured a torrid afternoon. His costly mistake gifted Joao Palhinha his first goal in Spurs colours just before half-time.

Although Guardiola introduced Phil Foden and Rodri after the break, City lacked their usual creativity. Their struggles contrasted starkly with last weekend’s four-goal demolition of Wolves. Tottenham’s away fans revelled in chants of “we are top of the league”, celebrating a deserved win despite missing out on Eberechi Eze, who joined Arsenal earlier in the week.

Analysis

City’s faithful left with more doubts than answers. Their fluid attacking play was replaced by sloppiness and uninspired passing. While Trafford’s error proved pivotal, other players were equally culpable. Spurs looked sharper across the pitch, with Christian Romero frustrating Erling Haaland, and midfield duo Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur outmuscling Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez. Mohammed Kudus provided directness in attack, while Frank hailed his side’s “top mentality” in defence.

For City, questions linger. Are they genuine title contenders, or was the opening-weekend win merely misleading? Guardiola assured fans that his side would “make the click” eventually, but uncertainty hangs over their early-season form.

Bournemouth 1-0 Wolves: Tavernier Secures First Win of the Season

Bournemouth bounced back from their 4-2 defeat at Liverpool with a determined 1-0 victory over Wolves at the Vitality Stadium. Marcus Tavernier gave the Cherries an early fourth-minute lead with a deflected strike, setting the tone for Andoni Iraola’s men.

Antoine Semenyo nearly doubled the advantage, striking the crossbar, while Wolves struggled to mount meaningful attacks. Their challenge worsened when Toti Gomes received a straight red card for a professional foul on Evanilson as he raced through on goal.

Despite dominating, Bournemouth could not add a second, forcing a nervy finish. Semenyo, fresh from scoring twice at Anfield despite racial abuse, impressed with direct running, while Tyler Adams tested Jose Sa from range. £25m signing Amine Adli debuted from the bench in the second half.

Wolves’ best chance came via Jorgen Strand Larsen’s header, saved by Djordje Petrovic, but they rarely threatened in attack. Vitor Pereira’s side have now lost five of their last six Premier League outings.

Analysis

Bournemouth’s philosophy under Iraola remains clear: intensity, pressing, and aggression off the ball. Their opening goal epitomised this, with Adams dispossessing Jean-Ricner Bellegarde in a textbook pressing trap before Tavernier struck. This high-energy style, coupled with the arrivals of talents like Adli, promises another season of excitement. Wolves, meanwhile, looked second best and lacked conviction.

Brentford 1-0 Aston Villa: Ouattara Shines on Debut for Keith Andrews

Brentford secured their first win of the season under new boss Keith Andrews with a 1-0 triumph over Aston Villa at the Gtech Community Stadium. The match was lit up by debutant Dango Ouattara, who replaced the departed Bryan Mbeumo and absent Yoane Wissa in style.

Ouattara, signed for £42m from Bournemouth, tormented Pau Torres and the Villa defence. His link-up with Igor Thiago produced the decisive goal, with Thiago’s flick setting the 23-year-old through to finish confidently. The Burkinabe forward also worked tirelessly defensively, tracking Lucas Digne and winning more duels than any teammate.

Mikkel Damsgaard impressed in midfield with his creativity, while Villa, who had drawn 0-0 with Newcastle on opening day, improved after the break but still could not find their first goal of the season.

Analysis

After a summer overshadowed by key departures, Brentford fans feared the worst. Yet Ouattara’s dazzling display lifted spirits and provided evidence of Andrews’ ability to steer the club forward. The record signing’s mix of attacking quality and defensive selflessness earned a standing ovation and underlined his value. For Villa, early-season struggles in front of goal continue to frustrate.

Burnley 2-0 Sunderland: Cullen and Anthony Combine

Burnley celebrated their first Premier League victory of the season with a 2-0 win over fellow newcomers Sunderland. Josh Cullen and Jaidon Anthony combined brilliantly for both goals, delivering a much-needed boost at Turf Moor.

Just after half-time, Cullen latched onto Anthony’s flick to slot into the far corner. Late on, Cullen repaid the favour, sending Anthony clear to round goalkeeper Robin Roefs and seal the win.

Lyle Foster thought he had put Burnley ahead earlier, only for his strike to be ruled out due to a foul on Jenson Seelt. VAR confirmed the referee’s on-field call.

Sunderland’s afternoon worsened with an early injury to Daniel Ballard, who had earlier set up Eliezer Mayenda’s effort, denied by Martin Dubravka.

Analysis

Last season, it took until October for all three promoted sides to record a win. This time, Burnley, Sunderland, and Leeds have each collected points by the second week. The determination and bravery on display suggest a tougher fight for survival, with Burnley’s combination play offering optimism for the campaign ahead.

Arsenal 5-0 Leeds: Gyokeres Double and Teen Sensation Dowman Shine

Arsenal stormed to the Premier League summit with a 5-0 demolition of Leeds at the Emirates Stadium. Viktor Gyokeres scored twice, Jurrien Timber added a brace, and Bukayo Saka struck before injury halted his afternoon.

The Gunners’ dominance began with Timber heading in from a Declan Rice corner, before Saka rifled home the second. Captain Martin Odegaard and Saka both departed with shoulder and hamstring injuries respectively, leaving doubts over their availability for next weekend’s clash with champions Liverpool.

Gyokeres netted his first Arsenal goal from Riccardo Calafiori’s long ball before bundling in Timber’s second from another Rice corner. His second, a penalty, came after 15-year-old debutant Max Dowman won a foul with a fearless run.

Dowman, aged just 15 years, seven months, and 23 days, became Arsenal’s second-youngest player and wowed the Emirates with his direct dribbling and confidence. The youngster’s cameo provided a glimpse of Arsenal’s bright future.

Leeds, meanwhile, remain on three points after their opening win over Everton.

Analysis

Arsenal’s rampant performance thrilled supporters, with Gyokeres finally settling into life at the Emirates. However, the injuries to key men Odegaard and Saka present major concerns for Mikel Arteta, especially with Kai Havertz already sidelined. The emergence of Dowman was a silver lining, showing Arsenal’s academy continues to produce prodigious talent. For Leeds, their limitations were laid bare against elite opposition.