Manchester City took an early lead in the expected fight for the Premier League title with Liverpool after the first weekend of the season as Erling Haaland’s debut double gave the champions a 2-0 win at West Ham.

Liverpool were held 2-2 by newly-promoted Fulham a day earlier, but could also take comfort in the impact of their new striker Darwin Nunez, who came off the bench to rescue his side a point.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham were all victorious in the early running for the top four, but Manchester United started as they ended last season in a dispiriting 2-1 home defeat to Brighton in Erik ten Hag’s first match in charge.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the opening games of the Premier League season.

Haaland worth the hype

Manchester City took their time after missing out on Harry Kane as the successor to Sergio Aguero last summer and were rewarded by beating off the competition around Europe to sign Haaland from Borussia Dortmund for a bargain £51 million ($63 million).

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