3 Things We Learned From Gameweek 2 of the Premier League

Following a captivating opening weekend, Premier League returned this weekend with a bang. With blockbuster fixtures like Aston Villa vs. Arsenal and Brighton vs. Manchester United, fans had every reason to be buzzing with excitement.

And English top-flight delivered again. Fans got to witness an eight-goal thriller between Wolves and Chelsea at Molineux, Haaland’s eighth Prem hattrick, Arsenal’s assertion as a title favorite and plenty more up and down the countries. So, here’s the three things we learned after Gameweek 2 of the Premier League. 

1) Arsenal lay down a marker  

Winning the Premier League title isn’t easy, especially when a team has to compete against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. However, Arsenal came agonizingly close to achieving that remarkable feat last season. But it was Pep’s City who ultimately claimed the title by a meager 2 points. Despite claiming the first spot for the majority of the season, the Gunners failed to clinch fourth Prem title. So, what was the turning point? 

The turning point in last season’s title race was Arsenal’s match against Aston Villa at the Emirates in April. The Gunners came into this game on an 11-game unbeaten streak, and leading the Prem by one point. Everyone expected Arsenal to win, but the Villans had other ideas. They overcame Arsenal in their own backyard, as goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins handed Villa a 2-0 win. As a result, City gained a two-point advantage, which they never relinquished. Unai Emery had proven that he had figured out a way to get the better of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. 

Therefore, Saturday’s game between the two sides held importance, especially for Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal faithful. The match kicked off with both teams feeling each other out, trying to assess their opponent's strengths. Despite the cautious start, it was Villa who had the first clear chance to break the deadlock. Ollie Watkins, however, squandered a golden opportunity in the first half. In the second half, luck seemed to be on Villa’s side when a deflected shot from Amadou Onana hit the crossbar and rebounded perfectly to an unmarked Watkins. But David Raya stepped up in heroic fashion, making a brilliant save from just five yards out to deny Watkins. 

Buoyed by Raya’s heroics, Arsenal went on the offense and scored through substitute, Leandro Trossard. In the 77th minute, Thomas Partey doubled Arsenal’s lead, effectively sealing the game. That second goal extinguished any hope of a Villa comeback. This victory not only solidified Arsenal's dominance but also sent a clear message that the Gunners are more prepared than ever to claim their fourth Premier League title. 

2) Greatest goalscorer of his generation strikes again 

The gradual decline of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has left a void in European football. Now, players like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. And Erling Haaland are trying to fill that enormous void. It’s not an easy task, especially when Messi and Ronaldo set the bar so high, making 60-goal seasons seem almost routine. However, if there is a player who can compete with Messi and Ronaldo (in terms of goalscoring), it’s Erling Haaland. The 24-year-old Norwegian has already scored 229 goals in his relatively young career.  

Furthermore, he has taken to Premier League football like a duck to water, already amassing 67 goals in just 67 games. He also set the record for the most goals in a single Premier League season, scoring 36 during the 2022/23 campaign. Frankly, Haaland has made scoring goals in the world’s most competitive league look like child’s play. And on Saturday, Erling Haaland was at it again. This time his victims were newly promoted Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys took a shock lead through a goal from Sammie Szmodics in the 3rd minute.  

However, the reigning champions replied back in typical fashion, scoring 3 goals in 4 minutes. Haaland gave the first retort, as he coolly converted a 12th minute penalty. In the 14th minute, Kevin De Bruyne capitalized of Arijanet Muric’s error, and Haaland rounded off City’s four-minute salvo when he ran onto an exquisite through ball from De Bruyne to score his second of the day. However, the Norwegians had wait till the 89th minute to grab his third goal.  

Haaland’s hattrick against Ipswich Town was his seventh Prem hattrick in 68 matches. He’s now just five hattricks shy of matching Sergio Aguero’s record of 12 Prem hattricks. But while Aguero scored a hattrick every 23 games, Haaland is scoring a hattrick every 10 games. Some mind-boggling numbers there! If Haaland keeps up his goalscoring form than every Prem scoring record is at risk, even Alan Shearer’s mark of 260 Prem goals. 

3) The continued brilliance of Heung-Min Son 

Name a more underrated footballer than Son. I'll wait—because there isn't one. For the past nine seasons, the South Korean star has been one of the Premier League's most consistent performers, yet somehow, many still don't recognize him as world-class. He's a Tottenham Hotspur legend, ranking as the fifth-highest scorer in the club's history with 160 goals. But besides the Spurs fanbase, Son doesn't get the respect he truly deserves. Son has netted 122 Premier League goals and provided 62 assists—a feat only nine other players in Premier League history can match.  

In fact, since the 2020/21 season, he and Mohamed Salah are the only players with over 100 goal contributions in the league. Not even the likes of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, or Kevin De Bruyne have managed to achieve this. However, despite being 32, Son Heung-Min continues to silence his critics with remarkable performances. When many doubted his form, Son once again demonstrated his class in Tottenham's first victory of the 2024/25 season against Everton. Playing as a center forward, he opened his account in the 25th minute by pressing Jordan Pickford, forcing an error, and scoring into an open net. 

Son’s relentless pressing throughout the match was a key factor in Spurs' dominance. In the second half, he returned to his natural left-wing position, and his instincts came alive once more. An incredible solo run by Micky Van De Ven from deep in Tottenham’s half set up Son's second goal of the day in the 77th minute, sealing a comprehensive 4-0 victory for Spurs. This performance was a strong reminder of Son's enduring quality and why he remains a vital part of Tottenham’s success.