B's Premier League Update #1 (August 18th)

Oh. My. Word. It is a famous British expression that I am sure all you fans of the Premier League have heard that would be fittingly used to describe this week's Premier League drama. I used the expression to describe the past week's Premier League events like there haven't been shocking results in most games starting with last week. From Liverpool still not having a win to Manchester United getting beaten by two bad teams in a row to Tottenham and Chelsea's very tense game, this year's season has started with a bang, to say the least.

B's Three Things to Know:

1. The biggest event of this past week was on Sunday, where the battle of the bridge, which is the rivalry game between Tottenham and Chelsea played at Chelsea's stadium Stamford Bridge Chelsea and Tottenham drew. The game saw each side's manager get red cards and a very late goal by Tottenham to give them a huge draw at a place they haven't had any success recently. It was an amazing game filled with passion and great play which is exactly what soccer at this stage has been missing for a while.

2. Liverpool. Considering they lost just four matches in all competitions last year, including the carabao cup, the Premier League, the FA cup, and the Champions League they have gotten off to a very rocky start. Two draws, both come back second-bestow, and their second-best player got a red card in the last one. Jurgen Klopp is an excellent manager but if they can't figure out how to deal with the loss of star player Sadio Mane it is going to be a long season for them. It is early but if they can't get a meaningful win soon it will be a good chance they will be sitting outside of the top four at the end of the season.

3. Manchester United. I am not surprised Manchester United has lost two in a row, but I am surprised at the manner in which they lost. Losing to a Brighton Holve & Albion team that sold its best three players to other teams during the summer transfer window is rough. Doing it in a two-one game that saw Brighton have the lead from the thirtieth minute on is an even tougher of pill to swallow. Couple that with the fact that their payroll for this year is over two hundred million Euros, and Brighton's is not even Thirty-Eight million Euros, you conclude that this team is going to suffer this season. I thought they were going to draw with Brentford so what happened this weekend caught me off guard. Their payroll is less than seventeen million Euros but you would have thought it was the same as United's if you just watched Saturday's game. Brentford won four to nothing and led from the tenth minute on in a game they dominated from start to finish. If that wasn't concerning enough, it was United's healthy roster that was playing against Brentford's healthy roster. Manchester United has a huge game this weekend against Liverpool and if they want to start to try to salvage their season they NEED some sort of result.

B's Top Eight:

1. Manchester City - Not much needs to be said about them, they have dominated both games thus far and their best player Erling Haaland didn't even score in the last game. They face somewhat of a test against a solid Newcastle team on Sunday so we will see how they do in that. For the moment though, they look like they will be unstoppable this year.

2. Tottenham - Tottenham looked amazing in a four-to-one win over Southampton and looked solid on the road against a team that has had the better of them for years. That club Chelsea, saw two late leads disappear thanks to the resilience of Tottenham and their club. They finally have a team that can use its offensive weapons and scores with ease. They are going to be a true contender for the league this year and they will be a true contender for the Champions League. Their next match is against Wolverhampton who has struggled already this season.

3. Arsenal - Arsenal hasn't played anybody amazing yet and that's why I have Tottenham ahead of them but they are very close behind them in my book. They just had a big win against a solid Leceister City team in which star player Gabriel Jesus scored two goals and currently is tied for second for most goals in the league. Another name on that list of players tied for second with two goals is fellow Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli which means their offense is going to be potent this year. They are among the three frontrunners this year, so long as somebody slows Manchester City down.

4. Brentford - I don't care how bad Manchester United is, they drew against Leceister and beat United by four goals with one of the greatest to ever play the game on the other side. They shut his team out too, and it is a United team in which all three of its forwards are playing in the World Cup, so for now they belong here. They are currently third in the league with an intriguing matchup against an okay Fulham team who drew against Liverpool.

5. Newcastle United - They have looked solid in the two games they have played thus far. They beat a Nottingham Forest team that looked okay against Newcastle but good against a solid West Ham, and face Manchester City coming up this weekend. There is talk that they are going to get some needed help up front from Chelsea in Christian Pulisic which would be huge but we will have to wait and see how that plays out. It is a huge test though against City and if Newcastle can get a result out of it they will make a huge statement to the football community.

6. Chelsea - They would be higher if weren't for their performance last Saturday coupled with the fact that they drew after leading twice. I don't care about what the calls should have been in that game, they lost their composure and that is why they are six. I love this team but they need to start performing. This composure aspect is the exact reason Liverpool is not on my list. If they can show some composure Monday, they'll be on my list next time. Last Saturday they scored their lone goal against a struggling Everton in the last of eight minutes of extra time on a Penalty. Another big matchup against a good Leeds United team in which they don't need a result but a win if they want to contend this year for the Premier League.

7. Brighton Hove & Albion - They had a huge win against Manchester United last week which put them on the map. They drew with Newcastle at home which is why I have them behind Newcastle but they have looked good in their two games. The only criticism I have is somebody outside of Pascal Groß who scored both goals last week against Man U. They have a big test against a similar West Ham team who is hungry for a point this weekend which is a game that I know I will have my eye on.

8. Leeds United - They have a draw and a win, with the draw being against a poor Southampton and the win coming against an okay Wolverhampton team. They have a game this weekend against Chelsea which means both teams will be desperate for a win. The game is at home for Leeds which could prove to be a difficult test against Chelsea and means Leeds has a good chance to make a statement win.

B's Top Three games to Watch This Weekend:

1. Manchester United vs. Liverpool - Two teams that have not performed near to expectations coming into the season, one more so than the other but both teams need to make a statement this week. Liverpool needs a win after two disappointing draws with one being at home, and Manchester United needs a point after two disappointing losses. Two desperate teams playing each other in primetime across the pond should be a really good game.

2. Brighton Hove & Albion vs. West Ham United - West Ham is in a position like Liverpool except they were never going to be contenders for the league title. They have had two gut-wrenching losses that a win this weekend would change the momentum of their season for them. Brighton like I said previously has had a big win against Manchester and a draw against a solid Newcastle team, but a win this weekend would solidify their spot in the top half of the Premier League.

3. Everton vs. Nottingham Forest - I try to be unbiased when doing these pieces as any good sports writer would, but I can't help but say that I love Everton's team. Contrary to Manchester United they are a team that most people thought coming into the season would be in a fight to stave off relegation, but they have looked good in both of their matches. They have lost both but their loss came to a way more talented Chelsea team and a good Aston Villa team. They don't have the players but they play hard and as a fan of sports I can't help but love that. On the other side is Nottingham Forest who are surprising most people in the fact that they beat a good West Ham team after just being promoted. They have looked decent in both games, even in their two-nil loss to Newcastle, which means they will have a true battle on their hands this weekend. Everton needs a result and Nottingham can make a statement, that they are here to stay with a win. This is the match I am looking forward to most personally.