admin
LONDON. — A goal by Romelu Lukaku on his second Chelsea debut and a strike by defender Reece James earned the Blues a 2-0 win at London rivals Arsenal Yesterday, their second victory in as many games at the start of the Premier League season.
Lukaku needed only 15 minutes to get off the mark for the Blues after his reported £97,5 million transfer from Inter Milan, tapping in a cross played into his path by James.
The wing-back scored Chelsea’s second goal himself 20 minutes later, taking his time to fire past goalkeeper Bernd Leno after being found in acres of space by Mason Mount.
Lukaku, who never scored a league goal for the Blues in his first spell, showed why Chelsea were prepared to break their spending record to bring him back to the club seven years after he left London.
The Belgian provided the Blues with the kind of muscular presence in attack they have lacked since the departure of Diego Costa in 2017, both when running at Arsenal’s defence and holding the ball up with his back to goal.
Only a reflex save by Leno denied him a second goal when the German palmed Lukaku’s point-blank header onto the bar with 15 minutes to play.
Arsenal, lacking several key players through injury and illness, rarely threatened to disrupt Thomas Tuchel’s well-drilled side, who kept another of their trademark clean sheets and could afford to start with star names such as N’Golo Kante, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech on the bench.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane made his first appearance for Tottenham this season as Nuno Espirito Santo earned a 1-0 win against his former club Wolves, while Mason Greenwood salvaged a 1-1 draw for Manchester United at Southampton.
Striker Kane came off the bench in the second half at Molineux after the Manchester City transfer target missed the first two games following his late return from his close-season holiday.
The England captain, frustrated by Spurs’ 13-year trophy drought, hopes to force a move to Premier League champions City before the August 31 transfer deadline.
Kane said he has “never refused to train” with the squad, but the 28-year-old believes he has a gentleman’s agreement with club chairman Daniel Levy allowing him to leave this summer.
At St Mary’s, Manchester United failed to build on last weekend’s 5-1 demolition of Leeds.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side needed a Mason Greenwood equaliser to rescue a point after Fred’s own goal.
While United left the south-coast frustrated, they did equal Arsenal’s English top-flight record of 27 successive away league games without defeat.
Southampton took a controversial lead in the 30th minute.
Bruno Fernandes felt he was fouled when a barge from Jack Stephens left the United midfielder in a heap but referee Craig Pawson waved play on.
Moussa Djenepo and Adam Armstrong worked the ball to Che Adams on the edge of the United area and his shot deflected off Fred’s out-stretched boot as it flashed past David De Gea. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda