Brentford Guns Down Gunners In Dream Start

LONDON: The Premier League season got off to a pulsating start on Friday as Brentford marked its first game in the top flight for 74 years and its first in front of fans at the Community Stadium with an emotional 2-0 victory over a ragged Arsenal.

Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard scored midway through each half to spark wild celebrations by the home fans, who have waited so long to take their place in their new 17,500-capacity home and even longer to watch top-flight football.

The win was well deserved as Brentford took the game to an Arsenal team that looked toothless in the absence of the “unwell” strike duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. In a satisfying symmetry, the teams’ last meeting was a 1-0 win for Arsenal at the old Griffin Park in May 1947, Brentford’s last game in the old first division.

Given the honor of starting the new season, the sense of excitement was palpable around the ground as fans remembered how to meet and greet. They were rewarded with a great performance as Canos carved his name into the west London club’s ‘Hall of Fame'.

He cut inside Calum Chambers and drilled a low shot inside the near post of Bernd Leno after 22 minutes to spark an explosion of joy. Brentford lifted the tempo in the second half as shots by Canos and Bryan Mbeumo were well saved by Leno.

However, the German goalkeeper found himself crowded out during a long throw-in in the 73rd minute. With the Arsenal defenders hesitating, Norgaard leaped high to nod in the bouncing ball. Arsenal then threw on Bukayo Saka, who was given a standing ovation by the Brentford fans. There was a bigger cheer though when home goalkeeper David Raya made an excellent low save to deny Nicolas Pepe in the closing minutes.

Bruno Fernandes scored his first hat-trick in English football in front of a raucous Old Trafford as Manchester United thrashed Leeds United 5-1 to get its Premier League season off to a flying start on Saturday.

French midfielder Paul Pogba also starred with four assists to help United run riot in front of its first full crowd in 17 months. Fernandes got the goalscoring underway on the half-hour mark before a Luke Ayling thunderbolt leveled things up three minutes into the second half.

It was only a short reprieve for Leeds, however, as Man United livewire Mason Greenwood fired the host back in front. Fernandes added a quickfire third to put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in command. Fernandes later completed his treble with another fine finish on the hour mark.

Results: Brentford 2 (Canos 22, Norgaard 73) beat Arsenal 0; Manchester United 5 (Fernandes 30, 54 & 60, Greenwood 52, Fred 68) beat Leeds United 1 (Ayling 48)