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Hello and welcome back to The Score, my weekly column on the biggest talking points of the Premier League weekend. For the new season, we’ve given it a little revamp – with a new structure and some shiny bells and whistles at the end. Please let me know your (positive) thoughts on social media: @danielstorey85

As I walked into the Emirates Stadium on Friday evening, I repeated an opening weekend mantra that I’m always way too guilty of forgetting every season: it’s one game – don’t make snap judgments.

The new resolution lasted two days. What fun is football if you can’t make up your mind on something only to then look stupid?

It was impossible not to be impressed by Arsenal on Friday evening. They had a new-look front four (even though three of them were familiar faces) and a bench that included five of last summer’s biggest outfield signings. And they seemed entirely controlled from start to finish.

The Emirates felt different, too. From January onwards, the whole place became consumed by a suffocating smog of pressure that supporters inadvertently exacerbated. Every misplaced pass and wasted break was met with gnashing of teeth and supporters repeatedly stood to urge their team to play quicker. It made the home straight harder to navigate.

Ending a trophy drought creates a supreme moment of righteous celebration that need not last to be magical, but it also creates a psychological legacy when managed correctly. Arsenal supporters know that this team is constructed from champion material now – that creates a far more pleasant air for the team when playing at home. The angst has vanished.

It takes two events for a club to defend a title: either they must improve themselves or their competition must find no answer in response. For all Arsenal’s control, it is the apparent inability of their peers to avoid transition seasons that has me strolling into knee-jerk opinions like I own the place.

Manchester United were wretched even before the European workload has begun (you could reasonably make a case for that being their worst ever Premier League display). Manchester City squeezed through, but the midfield looked imbalanced and exposed to counter attacks. Aston Villa were the worst team in the division this weekend. Tottenham? Let’s not include them in this conversation, eh?

I’m at Fulham vs Chelsea on Monday evening to see another new manager in charge of a potential title challenger. Then it’s on to Hillsborough for some EFL Cup on Tuesday night before two more games next weekend.

The football is back, life is good and my knees won’t stop jerking yet.

Hull set the tone after pre-season patronising

I haven’t even seen a set of Premier League predictions that has Hull City to finish above 20th, let alone stay up (and I include my own in that). That doesn’t have to be a problem if they are building a team for future promotion bids. They won the lottery last season – make it last.

They were also a class above Manchester United because all professional footballers are good and the talent gap can be closed by good organisation, logical tactics and players doing their individual jobs properly. Hull harried opponents, pressed when they could and made the most out of set-piece situations.

It was quite funny hearing Luke Shaw say after the match that his team knew Hull would be a threat at set pieces, presumably to the surprise of home supporters at the MKM Stadium who watched their team be rubbish at them for the last two years and not employ a set-piece coach. Maybe they don’t need one after all.

Liverpool 2026-27: a lot like Liverpool 2025-26

Lewis Hall’s late brainfade gave Liverpool supporters a reason to tone down some of their deeper concerns. On this evidence, it won’t be for long.

All of the characteristics that saw Arne Slot lose his job were still present and incorrect for Andoni Iraola’s first league game. This is going to take time and new players.

The two full-backs, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, are wretched one-on-one defenders right now, to the extent that they hamper whoever plays in front of them. Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz are becoming a problem because of how little they offer out of possession. Basically: if Ryan Gravenberch loses it then any smart opponent should create a three-on-two and take advantage of Virgil van Dijk’s declining sprinting pace.

If that wasn’t enough, Liverpool also don’t have a senior natural right winger and there are rumours the left winger – Cody Gakpo, whose brilliant 25-yard drive was a rare positive moment at St James’ Park – will be sold. Oh, and Alisson was out of position for both goals. Full house.

Are Crystal Palace falling apart?

I don’t really understand Crystal Palace’s summer. They won a European trophy in May, are in the Europa League this season and have no limitations due to overspending. Yet there is an apparent desire for every key player to leave, and they are being replaced with inexperience.

Maxence Lacroix going to Chelsea is a problem. Him being replaced by Takehiro Tomiyasu – committed but injury-prone – is another problem. Having Ismaila Sarr try to force his way out and Jean-Philippe Mateta try to cancel his contract makes for a bleak picture.

If those last two leave, Palace’s top-league goalscorer from last season left will be Daniel Muñoz, with four – and he is reportedly after a move, too, with Nottingham Forest and Everton interested.

How has this team been allowed to fragment into disparate pieces so quickly?

Goal of the weekend – Josko

It looked simple on first viewing, but Rayan Cherki’s pass was perfectly placed, Josko Gvardiol’s run away from a defender (but staying onside) was centre forward-esque and his turn and finish like vintage Haaland.

City’s overall performance against Bournemouth was a little shonky, but producing that move in the final minute without a single thing being imperfect is worthy of praise.

Mistake of the weekend – Pau Torres (Aston Villa)

You could see, three or four seconds out, that Pau Torres wasn’t going to be able to pass to his goalkeeper and yet he still passed to his goalkeeper – or attempted to, at least.

Victor Lindelof was very unlucky, but ultimately a subjectively silly goal which catalysed Villa’s dismantling by Brighton.

Player of the weekend – Mamadou Sangare (Brentford)

You know the rules by now: if you want to know which player your upwardly mobile Premier League club should sign, the answer is whoever Brentford signed 15 months ago.

Mamadou Sangare was sensational on his debut in midfield after arriving for a club-record fee from Lens. The Bees have the cheat codes.

Stat of the weekend

Friday evening was only the second Premier League game that Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz have started together since December 2024.

Naturally, they all scored in the first 48 minutes of the new season.

Villain of the weekend – Joao

Oh hey there, nominative nickname determinism.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player get booked for waving a card (thick), jump into another challenge to risk a second yellow (thicker), lose the ball from a kick-off to concede a goal (even thicker) and then boot someone in the chest deliberately for a straight red card (thickest).

An astonishingly bad 40 minutes, and on his debut no less.