Weekend awards: Best double act, boldest move and more!

Adrian Kajumba looks at the standout players and moments from the opening weekend so far.

BEST DOUBLE ACT: Mbeumo and Wissa

Life after Ivan Toney appears an increasingly likely prospect for Brentford, but fear not Bees fans. Where there is the duo of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa there is plenty of hope.

With talisman Toney left out amid increasing transfer speculation, Mbeumo and Wissa combined once again to secure Brentford’s first Premier League win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Mbeumo scored a fine opener, receiving Wissa’s pass, cutting inside from the right of the area and curling a finish into the far corner.

Mbeumo's goal v Palace

“Even blind, I know where Bryan is,” Wissa said about his link-up with Mbeumo, before being in the right place at the right time to bundle in Brentford’s late winner.

It was the third consecutive Premier League match in which Wissa had both scored and assisted, a feat no player had achieved since Riyad Mahrez in December 2021.

The victory against their London rivals was, impressively, the 12th different Premier League match in which the two have both scored, dating back to Brentford's debut season, where they first played together in 2021/22. 

It was also the latest display of their thriving partnership. In 2022/23, Brentford lost only one of 15 league encounters they started together. Meanwhile they were defeated in eight league matches without both of the pair starting.

Their unbeaten sequence extended into last season and reached 17 matches before it ended at Newcastle United in September, over a year since their previous defeat together at Fulham in August 2022.

Combined in 2023/24, they produced a combined 30 goal contributions - which was a campaign that saw Mbeumo sidelined with injury for three months.

One match in, they have three already together. It would be no surprise if they hit new heights this season.

BOLDEST MOVE: Arne Slot

Arne Slot made an eye-catching call to start Jarell Quansah over Ibrahima Konate against Ipswich Town. Then he made an equally bold one to reverse his decision at half-time.

On their long-awaited return to the top flight, Ipswich’s first-half display had them on course for a surprise opening-weekend result at an increasingly optimistic Portman Road and Liverpool on the back foot.

Slot felt Liverpool losing too many of their individual battles was a big reason why they were second-best, so summoned the more dominant Konate from the bench to try and address the issue and set the tone from the back.

"I have to give credit to Ipswich as well because I think they were aggressive, they were not afraid, they were playing one-v-one all over the pitch to defend us," he said.

"Then it is about winning your duels and winning your second balls. I think they won more than us and that's why it was absolutely an equal game in the first half."

It might have been a tough moment for Quansah, whom Slot admitted was not solely responsible. But the end justified the means and Liverpool were transformed after the break. 

Konate won four of his five duels (80 per cent) to Quansah’s four of eight (50 per cent). Even more impressively, with Slot’s words ringing in their ears, Liverpool’s overall duel success rate jumped from 40.7 per cent in the first half to 54.5 per cent in the second, while Ipswich’s fell from 57.4 per cent to 44.4 per cent. Liverpool also won 50 per cent of their tackles compared with 40 per cent in the first half.

And with Liverpool recovering the ball closer to Ipswich’s goal than their own significantly more in the second period, they were able to pin the Tractor Boys back and seize control of the match.

In turn, that led to a big second-half improvement in goals, shots on target, shots, touches in the box and Expected Goals (xG) from Liverpool.

The stark contrast between the two halves was testament to Slot’s ability to change a match through words and deeds.

MR CONSISTENCY: Mohamed Salah and James Milner

A joint-award to two Premier League legends. Nobody hits the ground running quite like Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who became the most prolific scorer on the Premier League’s opening weekend.

His goal against Ipswich was Salah’s ninth in season-opening fixtures taking him clear of Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard who are on eight. 

What is all the more impressive is Salah has set the new benchmark over just eight seasons at Liverpool and only once has he failed to score for them in a Premier League curtain-raiser - last season against his former club Chelsea.

Salah also set up Diogo Jota’s opener at Ipswich and the Egyptian’s five assists mean he also now has the outright lead when it comes to opening-day overall goal contributions, with 14, again one more than Rooney.

Another player who epitomises consistency is the remarkable James Milner. His appearance for Brighton & Hove Albion at Everton meant he became the first player to feature in 23 different Premier League seasons. 

He made his debut against West Ham United in November 2002 as a 16-year-old, and is still going 22 years later. 

The Premier League’s all-time appearance record could also become Milner’s this season. He is now only 18 matches short of Gareth Barry’s landmark of 653. 

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler said: “I am amazed. Not by the player but by the character from this player. I now know why he has this success in his career. He is an unbelievable character, a leader, a role model.”

FASTEST ADAPTATION: Fabian Hurzeler

"If you are good enough, you are old enough" is a saying often used when talking about young players. But it is also relevant for Brighton’s record-breaking head coach Fabian Hurzeler. 

Aged only 31, Hurzeler became the Premier League’s youngest permanent manager when he was appointed as successor to Roberto De Zerbi in June.

Hurzeler is younger than five members of his Brighton squad, including 38-year-old Milner, and accepted on his arrival from German club St Pauli that his age is "a big topic".

He might be a young man but Hurzeler does not consider himself a young coach, having started his transition from playing in 2016. And he certainly has not looked inexperienced so far at Brighton.

After overseeing a pre-season campaign of four wins from four, Hurzeler got off to a dream start in the Premier League, masterminding a 3-0 win at 10-man Everton.

As well as their pre-season winning form continuing, so too did the key role in his approach played by his wingers, a feature which looks set to make his Brighton side exciting to watch. 

Kaoru Mitoma scored after being set up by Yankuba Minteh before the latter's replacement Simon Adingra added a late third.

Brighton's first PL goal of Hurzeler's reign

The modest Hurzeler was reluctant to take the praise in the post-match celebrations at Goodison Park, instead attempting to divert it towards his players and staff.

But this was a big occasion for him on a personal note while he may also have to get used to plaudits coming his way if his start is a sign of things to come.

BEST SAVE: David Raya

There were eyebrows raised when Mikel Arteta brought in David Raya from Brentford to compete with Aaron Ramsdale at the start of last season. Not any more. 

Raya’s debut season and winning the Golden Glove for keeping 16 clean sheets during 2023/24 was the perfect response to any doubters. 

And he picked up where he left off in Arsenal’s season opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Bukayo Saka starred with a sumptuous cross for Arsenal’s opening goalscorer Kai Havertz before scoring a thumping second goal. 

But the importance of Raya’s 36th-minute wonder save from Jorgen Strand Larsen cannot be overlooked.

With Arsenal leading 1-0 at the time, Strand Larsen may have thought he had levelled when he got a firm headed connection on Hwang Hee-chan’s right-wing cross.

His shot was heading for Raya’s bottom right-hand corner while the 'keeper’s body weight was taking him in the opposite direction.

But Raya readjusted magnificently and thrust out a strong right hand, all in one movement, to deny Strand Larsen and then got up quickly to pounce on the loose ball and snuff out the danger.

Raya's highlights v Wolves

“Unbelievable!,” Arteta said. “I think it was the first time they had any attempt. We didn’t defend the box well and then David makes an unbelievable save.”

Wolves had more encouraging moments in the second half too, but Raya was responsible for denying them a goal in a crucial period between Arsenal’s two goals that would have given them a real shot in the arm at Emirates Stadium.

BEST STAND-IN: Mateo Kovacic

His Manchester City side have not given Pep Guardiola too much to worry about in recent seasons, winning four successive Premier League titles.

Their difficulty coping without the inspirational defensive midfielder Rodri had become one niggling issue though.

Before their trip to Chelsea, Man City had lost their previous four away matches without him so would have been forgiven if concern about his absence was in the back of their minds at Stamford Bridge.

But largely thanks to the contribution of Mateo Kovacic in that role they ended their wait for a Rodri-less away league win which stretched back to Norwich City in February 2022.

Kovacic was one of the match’s standout midfielders, doing a more than respectable impression of the Spaniard by excelling in an all-round performance.

He had more touches, with 87, and tackles, six, than any other player. He was also the midfielder who made the most passes, 66, with his completion rate of 96.9 per cent only bettered by one other midfielder on show, Romeo Lavia, with 97.4 per cent.

He capped his performance with a Rodri-esque big-game goal to clinch victory too.

Kovacic burst between Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez to score it in a moment that underlined how, on the day, he got the better of two of the midfielders who arrived at Chelsea in 2023, the same year he was allowed to leave and join Man City.

Kovacic's superb goal v Chelsea

Kovacic said: “I play today some kind of his role but we are always missing Rodri because he is, if not the best player in the world, one of the best.

"We miss him, of course, but when players are not there, there are others to come in and play their part.”