LONDON: Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane, two of the world’s best strikers, were back in action within the Premier League on Sunday after a while away.
Lukaku made the higher impression.
Making the primary appearance of his second spell at Chelsea, the Belgium international marked his return to England’s top division after a two-year absence by scoring one goal and playing a neighborhood within the other during a 2-0 win at Arsenal.
Kane, the Tottenham Hotspur striker heavily linked with a move to Manchester City, hadn’t been seen within the Premier League since the ultimate day of last season, having returned late for pre-season training amid growing intrigue over his future.
The England captain entered as a 71st-minute substitute against Wolverhampton Wanderers to applause from Spurs fans despite his apparent desire to hitch City and wasted a one-on-one opportunity before his team sealed a 1-0 win at Molineux.
Both Chelsea and Tottenham have opened the season with two straight victories. Manchester United couldn’t quite join them.
Mason Greenwood’s second-half goal earned United some extent from a 1-1 draw at Southampton. Paul Pogba found out the goal together with his fifth assist already this season, having found out four in United’s 5-1 convert Leeds on the opening weekend.
Lukaku has rejoined Chelsea from Italian champions Inter Milan for 98 million ($133 million) and therefore the Belgian striker made an instantaneous repayment thereon huge investment within the London derby at the Emirates Stadium.
The 28-year-old spent three years at Chelsea between 2011 and 2014, but rarely featured and never scored before being sold to Everton.
Lukaku, who endured a difficult spell at Manchester United before joining Inter, took just quarter-hour to showcase his power and predatory instincts.
Holding off Pablo Mari, Lukaku kept the Chelsea attack going before shrugging aside the Arsenal defender as he surged into the six-yard box to tap in Reece James’ cross.
James scored Chelsea’s second himself with an outstanding strike into the far corner after Mason Mount picked out the unmarked defender inside the Arsenal area.
European champions Chelsea have made a flawless start to their title challenge, winning successive games without conceding a goal.
Lacklustre Arsenal were booed off at half-time and Mikel Arteta’s team are pointless and goalless after following their limp loss at Brentford with a second defeat.
Tottenham were already leading through Dele Alli’s 10th minute penalty by the time Kane arrived on the scene.
Alli was fouled by Wolves keeper Jose Sa and therefore the midfielder picked himself up to notch his first league goal since March 2020.
Kane replaced Son Heung-min with 19 minutes left and received a largely positive reception from the travelling Tottenham fans, who sang “Harry Kane, he’s one among our own” as Wolves supporters mockingly chanted: “He’ll be a Manc within the morning”.
Kane had a golden opportunity to mark his return with a goal when Steven Bergwijn picked him out, but his shot was repelled by Jose Sa.
Despite Kane’s miss, it had been a winning return to Wolves for Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who was back for the primary time since leaving within the close-season.
“Harry remains within the process of accelerating and improving his level of fitness, but he’s one among the simplest players within the world,” said Nuno. “You can see how he helped the team in terms of possession and therefore the fine lines. we’d like everybody.”
At St Mary’s, United did not repose on last weekend’s demolition of Leeds as they trailed to Fred’s goal .
While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side left the south-coast frustrated, they did equal Arsenal’s English top-flight record of 27 successive away league games without defeat.
Southampton took their controversial lead within the 30th minute.
Bruno Fernandes felt he was fouled when a barge from Jack Stephens left the United midfielder during a heap but referee Craig Pawson waved play on.
Moussa Djenepo and Adam Armstrong worked the ball to Che Adams on the sting of the United area and his shot deflected off Fred’s out-stretched boot because it flashed past David De Gea.
Greenwood equalised within the 55th minute, firing under home keeper Alex McCarthy from 12 yards after Pogba poked the ball into the teenager’s path.
“We should do better defending their goal but, that being said, it’s a foul. He goes straight through Bruno, together with his arm and his hip across him,” Solskjaer said.
“We can’t go from one extreme of volleyball or basketball last season to rugby now. i prefer the more lenient way, it’s more men’s football but still, that’s a foul.”
In Saturday’s late game, Brighton and Hove Albion claimed back-to-back wins at the beginning of a top-flight season for the primary time in their history as they beat Watford 2-0 because of first-half goals from Shane Duffy and Neal Maupay.
Duffy marked his return to Brighton’s team by fixing the convert Watford with a thumping header.
It was a primary Premier League goal since November 2019 for the Ireland centre-back, who spent last season on loan at Celtic after making just 12 starts in two years under Graham Potter at Brighton.
Maupay latched onto Yves Bissouma’s interception for his second goal in as many games, with Brighton having started with a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Burnley.
