Tag: English Premier League

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Romelu Lukaku breaks his duck as Chelsea give Arsenal the blues

Romelu Lukaku scored on his second Chelsea debut to set them on their way to a comfortable Premier League win over London rivals Arsenal.

Having failed to net in his 15 appearances during his first Chelsea spell, Lukaku needed just a quarter of an hour to make his mark as the Blues ran out 2-0 winners at the Emirates Stadium.

Reece James laid on Lukaku’s goal before scoring the second himself, with Arsenal unable to mount a serious challenge to get back into the contest.

Lukaku moved back to west London from Inter Milan last week and revealed he spoke to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba in the build-up to this game – and he clearly took something from the conversation.

Drogba himself hit 13 goals in 15 games against Arsenal and Lukaku followed suit, sweeping home a low James cross from close range – netting his first Chelsea goal 3,648 days after his first appearance.

Arsenal had started well enough but the goal took the wind out of their sails, Pablo Mari and Rob Holding struggling to contain Lukaku with £50million summer signing Ben White absent due to a positive Covid test

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta had already lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Willian and Alex Runarsson to Covid ahead of an opening day defeat at newly-promoted Brentford.

He had called on the returning Arsenal fans to help bridge the gap between the club and the current Premier League elite – but rousing support was in short supply when Mason Mount picked out James inside the box and he fired home Chelsea’s second 10 minutes before half-time.

In fact, large swathes of the home fans jeered as the players trudged off in the swirling rain at the interval

The hosts should have arguably been given a chance to pull one back from the spot before then as the returning Bukayo Saka – given a warm welcome before kick-off – went down under pressure from James with neither referee Paul Tierney nor the VAR seeing enough to award a penalty.

Arsenal made a lively start to the second half, Saka forcing Edouard Mendy into his first meaningful save with a driven shot.

Holding then had a fine chance to halve the deficit with a header but could only steer his effort wide of goal.

Arteta then brought on Aubameyang for the tiring Saka. The last thing Arsenal needed at this stage was further fitness setbacks but that is exactly what happened as Kieran Tierney limped off, to be replaced by Nuno Tavares.

Chelsea once again took control of proceedings and Lukaku was denied a second goal of the afternoon when his diving header was brilliantly saved by Bernd Leno.

Gabriel Martinelli was the next Arsenal player to be forced off with injury as Folarin Balogun took his place for the closing stages.

The visitors saw out the game with ease, Leno saving well from Kai Havertz with plenty of home fans heading for home before the full-time whistle

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Result: Harry Kane makes first appearance of season as Tottenham edge Wolves win

Harry Kane made his first appearance of the season for Tottenham as they claimed a 1-0 Premier League win on Nuno Espirito Santo’s return to Wolves.

The England captain was not involved in the opening two games of the season following his late return from holiday amid his desire to join Manchester City.

But with Spurs holding firm, he came on in the 72nd minute of a match that was decided by Dele Alli’s 10th-minute penalty.

Alli struck home from 12 yards after he was fouled by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa as Nuno’s side made it two 1-0 wins from two Premier League matches.

It is two 1-0 defeats for Wolves as Bruno Lage waits for his first points since becoming Nuno’s replacement, but there were positive signs as they dominated large parts of the game.

Adama Traore was their biggest threat, but he missed the biggest chance as he was denied by Hugo Lloris when through on goal.

Even though he is keen to leave, Kane would have loved to have been on the pitch as Spurs were awarded an early penalty.

Sergio Reguilon’s incisive throughball found Alli and as he tried rounding Sa, the Wolves goalkeeper wiped him out with Stuart Attwell pointing straight to the spot.

With Kane on the bench, Alli assumed responsibility from the spot and confidently sent Sa the wrong way to give his side the lead, with his first Premier League goal since March 2020.

That was Tottenham’s only shot on goal in the first half as Wolves completely dominated, with Traore causing mayhem down the left.

The winger has been linked with a move to Spurs and he showcased his strengths in style with a marauding display.

He had the pace and power to beat Japhet Tanganga and as he surged into the area, he picked out Joao Moutinho, whose first-time flick teed up Jimenez but the Mexico striker curled the ball just over from the edge of the area.

Lage’s side continued to pin Spurs back and they had plenty of dangerous moments but lacked any clear-cut chances that tested Lloris.

The France goalkeeper was forced into a low save from a Ruben Neves drive from distance as Tottenham survived until half-time.

The second half followed a similar pattern as Wolves pinned the visitors back and the chances began to rack up.

Lloris had to make a smart low save to keep out Francisco Trincao’s effort from Nelson Semedo’s cut-back before the keeper proved why he has managed 300 Premier League appearances for Spurs.

Eric Dier got caught in possession on the halfway line, Neves sent Traore clean through but Lloris stayed big and saved the one-on-one chance.

The away side were on the rack but had the chance to kill the game with a rare foray forward.

Lloris’ goal-kick sent Steven Bergwijn through on goal and the Dutchman forced Sa into a fine low save with a low curling shot and then got up quickly to block Son’s rebound before another Son shot was blocked.

With Spurs up against it, Kane was introduced in the 72nd minute for his first appearance of the campaign.

Visiting supporters greeted his arrival with a chant of ‘Harry Kane, he’s one of our own’ and he immediately improved his side

He could have had a fairytale return to the side eight minutes after his arrival as he was played in after a brilliant piece of skill by Bergwijn, but his shot was saved by Sa from a narrow angle.

As Wolves pressed for an equaliser, chances opened at the other end for Tottenham as Dier had a header from a corner well saved and then Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had a shot blocked.

Kane went over to the Spurs fans at full-time to celebrate the win and was well received as his future remains up in the air

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Result: Mason Greenwood earns Manchester United a draw at Southampton

Mason Greenwood sealed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side a hard-fought point at Southampton as Manchester United equalled the top-flight’s longest unbeaten away record.

The first match in front of a full St Mary’s crowd in almost 18 months also saw these sides do battle for the first time since Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men conceded nine without reply at Old Trafford in February.

There was no further humiliation on Sunday as Saints put in a promising performance, taking the lead when Che Adams’ strike deflected in off Fred before Greenwood secured a 1-1 draw and United’s place in the history books

Solskjaer’s side went the whole of last season without losing a league game on the road and this result on the south coast took their unbeaten league away run to 27 matches, putting them level with Arsenal in 2003/04.

Saints threatened to stop that run on Sunday and went into half-time ahead, having stood firm during a strong start by the visitors before Adams ended a fine team move with a strike from the edge of the box that went in off Fred.

Bruno Fernandes was furious that Jack Stephens was not punished for a foul in the build-up, but his mood improved 10 minutes into the second half when Greenwood struck through a crowd.

United tapered off after a strong start to the second period, with summer signing Adam Armstrong having a couple of chances to fire Saints to a first home win against United since 2003.

James Ward-Prowse had the first effort of the game when forcing David De Gea into action with a long-range free-kick, but United settled and somehow failed to score seven minutes in.

Harry Maguire and Paul Pogba strained to reach a Fernandes set piece, with the ball looping onto the bar before Mohammed Salisu blocked Anthony Martial’s headed follow-up and impressive teenager Tino Livramento cleared.

Greenwood dragged wide from distance and Salisu blocked a Pogba strike as the visitors continued strongly, with the France midfielder then heading over a Luke Shaw free-kick.

Southampton were angered by a break in play after Moussa Djenepo accidentally caught Greenwood in the face, but it worked in their favour as it allowed them to regather their thoughts.

Armstrong bent over from the edge of the box following some Djenepo stepovers, with St Mary’s erupting in the 30th minute.

Fernandes was furious having felt he was fouled on the right by Stephens, who left the Portuguese in a heap and continued to fizz across to Djenepo. The winger’s first-time ball was smartly flicked on by Armstrong to Adams, who took a couple of touches and struck home from 20 yards via a deflection off Fred

Fernandes was booked for his remonstrations with the officials after the goal and Saints threatened a second, with Livramento superbly bursting down the right only to just overhit a cross.

Alex McCarthy denied a close-range Nemanja Matic header shortly before half-time, which started with Southampton apologising to supporters and promising refunds after thousands of fans’ entry was delayed.

Jan Bednarek came on for Theo Walcott at the break as Saints went to a three-man backline, which was holding its breath when United appealed for handball after a Pogba effort struck Salisu.

Armstrong sent over a smart cross and Livramento lashed over at the other end, before United levelled in the 55th minute

Pogba poked a Fernandes ball on to Greenwood, whose shot beat McCarthy and found the back of the net in front of the raucous travelling support.

Jadon Sancho replaced Anthony Martial and Pogba was soon leading the Southampton defence a merry dance before hitting a left-footed shot just across the face of goal.

Greenwood headed onto the roof of the net and McCarthy produced an unorthodox save to deny a Fernandes header.

Until that point De Gea had precious little to do but came to the rescue in the 73rd minute. Pressing Ward-Prowse took the ball off Maguire and Adams threaded through Armstrong to get a shot on goal.

The Saints new boy wasted a great chance shortly after when Adams glanced on a corner to him at the far post, but he failed to get a telling touch on it.

De Gea punched a Ward-Prowse free-kick clear as Saints ended the match on top to earn a deserved point.

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Manchester United offer Paul Pogba £400k-a-week contract

Paul Pogba reportedly has a £400k-a-week contract offer on the table as Manchester United seek to tie him down to fresh terms.

The former Juventus man is yet to commit his future to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side beyond 2022, with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain ready and waiting to pounce should he become available on a free transfer.

United are thought to be desperate to extend Pogba’s stay at the club, although the World Cup-winning Frenchman is supposedly in no rush to make a decision on his next career move.

according to The Athletic, Pogba has been offered a new deal worth £400k per week until the summer of 2025, which would take him past David de Gea as the club’s highest earner.

However, the report adds that the midfielder is unlikely to sign a new deal before the end of the current transfer window, but he is of the view that United now have a squad capable of competing for the biggest honours.

Pogba assisted four of United’s five goals in last week’s Premier League win against Leeds United and has also found the back of the net 38 times in 207 games for the Red Devils.

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Tottenham Hotspur join Kurt Zouma race

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly joined the race to sign Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma.

The Frenchman was initially tipped to head to Sevilla as part of a player-plus-cash deal for Jules Kounde, but a move for the 22-year-old appears to have hit a roadblock for the Blues.

Zouma has since been heavily linked with a transfer across the capital to West Ham United, although the centre-back’s wage demands are supposedly threatening to scupper a switch to the London Stadium.

Now, Sky Sports News reports that Spurs are keen to bring in a new centre-back after striking a deal for Cristian Romero, and Zouma features on the Lilywhites’ list of potential targets.

The report adds that West Ham are still in the race, but with Chelsea’s £25m valuation hindering negotiations, Zouma is happy to see out his Stamford Bridge deal, which expires in 2023.

The 26-year-old watched on from the bench during his side’s 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at the weekend, and he has registered 10 goals from 151 games in a Chelsea shirt

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KICK IT OUT CONDEMNS ALLEGED HOMOPHOBIC CHANTING AT BILLY GILMOUR

Alleged homophobic chanting by Liverpool supporters aimed at Norwich’s on-loan midfielder Billy Gilmour has been condemned by Kick It Out.

The abuse is alleged to have taken place during Liverpool’s 3-0 win at Carrow Road on Saturday.

A statement on Twitter from anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out said: “We are disappointed that only two weeks into the English football season, we have already seen numerous incidents of discrimination at stadiums up and down the country.

“The use of the term ‘rent boy’ in chants by a portion of Liverpool fans at Carrow Road was unquestionably homophobic and has no place in our game. We have also had reports of incidents at other games and are awaiting further clarification.

“As always, we thank those who reported these incidents to us, and urge fans to do the same if they witness discrimination of any kind in football in the future. We will continue to liaise with all relevant clubs and the football authorities to identify and hold accountable those responsible.”

On Saturday, Liverpool LGBT+ fans group Kop Outs tweeted: “Great result today marred by homophobic chanting by some of our fans targeting Chelsea loanee Billy Gilmour. If you can’t support without resorting to bigoted nonsense, you don’t understand.”

That was retweeted by the official account of Liverpool, who said: “The chant is offensive and inappropriate – a message we have repeatedly communicated alongside Kop Outs. We urge supporters to remember the inclusive values of the club and to refrain from using it in the future.”

Scotland international Gilmour, 20, made his competitive debut for Norwich in Saturday’s game after joining the club on a season-long loan from Chelsea in July.

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WESTHAM COME BACK TWICE TO BEAT NEWCASTLE 4-2 AT ST JAMES’S PARK

West Ham twice came from a goal down to start their Premier League campaign with a 4-2 victory against Newcastle in front of a bumper 50,673 attendance at St James’ Park.

Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy struck either side of Aaron Cresswell’s 18th-minute leveller to put the hosts 2-1 ahead at the interval, after which three Hammers goals in 14 second-half minutes settled the contest.

Said Benrahma dragged the away side level again before Tomas Soucek put West Ham ahead for the first time, reacting quickly after Michail Antonio had seen his penalty saved by Freddie Woodman on his Premier League debut.

Antonio struck beyond the young goalkeeper soon afterwards as West Ham avenged a pair of defeats by Newcastle last season, with boos from the home support at the final whistle underlining the task facing Steve Bruce.

It has been a frustrating summer for the Magpies head coach and while he added to his squad with the acquisition of Joe Willock, unveiled to a deafening reception before kick-off, he was unable to call upon the midfielder, who was not registered in time for this fixture.

David Moyes, who guided West Ham to a surprise sixth-place finish last term and Europa League football, has also endured what he termed a “difficult” window although they were well worth their three points on Sunday.

Miguel Almiron was alert at the near post to block Soucek’s header in a frenzied start, where Newcastle took the lead in the fifth minute through their new number nine’s header, continuing his fine run against the Hammers.

Allan Saint-Maximin was the architect, twisting and turning with abandon on the right to confound Declan Rice before an inch-perfect cross allowed Wilson to bag his ninth goal in 11 career top-flight games versus West Ham.

Moyes’ side rallied and deservedly equalised, albeit in fortuitous circumstances as Cresswell’s teasing low ball drifted beyond the outstretched leg of Soucek before Jarrod Bowen tapped in after the ball had crossed the line. An offside flag was raised against Bowen but the goal stood after consulting the video assistant referee

Bowen had an excellent opportunity after ghosting past several Newcastle defenders only to be denied by Woodman, whose godfather and England boss Gareth Southgate was watching on.

Wilson’s audacious backheel was kept out by Lukasz Fabianski while Almiron’s shot deflected on to the top of the crossbar.

But Newcastle retook the lead five minutes before the end of an entertaining first half as Murphy stooped to head home after Matt Ritchie’s cross from the by-line had just evaded the leaping Wilson.

West Ham hit back again eight minutes after half-time, with Benrahma getting in-between two defenders to head in at the back post following a cross from Antonio, who did well on the left after initially miscontrolling.

Antonio then saw a bullet header cannon off the bar and ricochet into Murphy, who scythed down Pablo Fornals in the area in an attempt to claim the loose ball. Referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot and while Woodman guessed right to save Antonio’s effort low to his left, Soucek was first to the rebound and bundled in after 63 minutes.

It took only another three minutes for West Ham to seize complete control as Antonio finally got on the scoresheet on the counter, getting the ball on to his right foot and drilling low into the corner beyond a helpless Woodman.

Newcastle huffed and puffed thereafter, with substitute Ryan Fraser seeing a shot just miss the target, but the Tynesiders found stubborn resistance from West Ham and a substantial amount of jeers greeted the final whistle.

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PEP GUARDIOLA SCARED OF ANOTHER MANCITY SLOW START TO THE SEASON

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits he fears another slow start this season but insists there will be no complaining or crying.

City dropped points in five of their opening eight Premier League games last year after a late finish to the previous pandemic-hit campaign denied them any significant break or pre-season preparation.

Things have been slightly better this summer but still well short of ideal with a number of international players having only resumed training a matter of days before Sunday’s league opener at Tottenham.

City turned the situation around spectacularly last year as they embarked on a 28-game unbeaten run from late November to take command of the title race and ultimately win it at a canter.

Guardiola expects the same mental fortitude may be needed again.

The Spaniard said: “Before, it was four or five weeks for preparation in pre-season, now (Thursday) is the first day we were all together. It is completely different.

“It is similar to last season when we played against Wolves without any friendly games having been played. People asked me how the team was and I didn’t know! I hadn’t seen them.

“That is why the mentality, and being strong in the head will be important. We know we are still a way from our best condition.

“We couldn’t have a pre-season for 75 or 80 per cent of the players but the most important thing we did last season was adjust, adapt and not complain.

“Day by day, week by week, game by game, we rejoined the players to the team dynamic and put them in the best condition. That’s why we had success last season because we did not cry in the beginning.

“We looked at what we could do to improve the team and when we arrived in some moment we started to win and win and win, and during four months we were unbeatable. That is why we won the Premier League and we arrived in the last stage of all the competitions.

“I think now we are not ready but we will see.”

Guardiola has already defended the club’s spending after their British record £100million signing of Jack Grealish last week prompted questions from some quarters over how they could still comply with Financial Fair Play regulations

With the club continuing to be linked another potential big-money signing in Harry Kane, the City boss felt the need to do so again, particularly after some remarks from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Friday. The German said he could not understand the seemingly limitless spending power of some clubs.

Guardiola said: “We spend because we can do it. We don’t spend when we cannot do it. We invest what we can invest.

“We could spend £100million on Jack Grealish because we sold (players) for £60million. In the end we spent £40million. That is the reality the club said to me.

“We have limits for Financial Fair Play. If they are not agreeing they can go to the court, make a statement and we will defend (ourselves).”

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BRUNO FERNANDES SCORES OPEN DAY HAT-TRICK AS MAN UTD TRASH LEEDS

Manchester United enjoyed a dream start to the season as Bruno Fernandes’ hat-trick rocked rivals Leeds after Raphael Varane was paraded in front of Old Trafford’s first full house in 17 months.

The atmosphere was crackling as the ground welcomed a sell-out crowd for Saturday’s Premier League clash and the din increased several notches when their new signing was introduced before kick-off.

Varane’s arrival from Real Madrid was followed by a breathless Premier League triumph, with Fernandes’ treble complemented by Mason Greenwood and Fred goals as Man United thrashed old foes Leeds 5-1.

The Portuguese put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men ahead at the break, only for Luke Ayling’s stunner to level things for Marcelo Bielsa’s men early in the second half.

But the Leeds right-back’s first Premier League goal proved a mere footnote as the visitors unravelled spectacularly.

Greenwood scored smartly from an exquisite Pogba pass, before a hopeful Fernandes effort was adjudged to have crossed the line and he then completed his hat-trick with an unerring finish.

Fred added a fifth as Pogba provided his fourth assist of an afternoon when Solskjaer’s name echoed around a buzzing Old Trafford.

The result continued Leeds’ long wait for a league win at Old Trafford, where the hosts translated the intense atmosphere onto the pitch.

Greenwood looked lively from the outset and followed a 25-yard effort with a more fortunate attempt on goal as Pascal Struijk’s clearance hit him and threatened to loop over Illan Meslier.

The 19-year-old was involved again as the hosts had their best chance of the first half, with Pogba following a superb stepover when up against Leeds’ goalkeeper by directing narrowly wide.

That appeared to jolt the visitors, roared on by 3,000 travelling fans, into life, with David De Gea producing an important save to deny Mateusz Klich before Rodrigo powered a header wide from a fine free-kick.

But Man United would break the deadlock on the half-hour mark as Pogba expertly clipped a first-time ball through to Fernandes, who took a touch and squeezed past Meslier.

Luke Shaw struck just wide of the near post and Daniel James went close before the first half came to a close.

Bielsa turned to debutant Junior Firpo at the break and Leeds made a superb start to the second half.

The hosts were caught napping from a throw-in and right-back Ayling capitalised in style, taking aim from 25 yards to thump expertly into the top left-hand corner.

But Man United regularly showed their mental toughness last season and hit back with two goals in quick succession.

First Pogba put Greenwood behind the Leeds backline with an outstanding pass and the teenager hit a low strike off the far post in the 52nd minute.

Solskjaer’s side had the bit between their teeth and pulled further ahead in the 53rd minute as goal-line technology ruled Fernandes hopeful strike had crossed the line before Ayling could clear.

Things swiftly went awry for Leeds, who were picking the ball out of the back of their net again in the 60th minute.

Victor Lindelof sent a fine, direct ball from the back and Fernandes watched it over his shoulder before expertly rifling it beyond Meslier in front of the Stretford End.

A video assistant referee check for offside was cleared and punch drunk Leeds struggled to regain their composure, with fans turning their anger on substitute Jadon Sancho as they chanted ‘you let your country down’.

They were soon silenced by unlikely goalscorer Fred, who turned home a Pogba cross to apply salt to the wounds in the 68th minute.

The majority of 72,732 in attendance were in dreamland and would welcome Sancho for his debut as the match wound down.

Greenwood went close to making it six before Raphinha drilled wide on an afternoon to forget for the visitors as Man United ran amok at Old Trafford.

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ISMAILA SARR STARS ON PREMIER LEAGUE RETURN AS WATFORD EDGE ASTON VILLA IN FIVE GOAL THRILLER

Watford record signing Ismaila Sarr starred on his Premier League return as the Hornets held off a late challenge from Aston Villa to secure a 3-2 win.

Sarr had already set up Emmanuel Dennis for his first club goal for Watford’s opener before he found the net himself after an individual run down the right for his side’s second.

Debutant Cucho Hernandez added the home side’s third just moments after coming on but Aston Villa were able to reply through John McGinn’s long-range effort.

In added time, referee Mike Dean pointed to the penalty spot after a foul in the box, with debutant Danny Ings stepping up and making no mistake for his new club, firing the ball into the back of the net.

Sarr had joined Watford for their last Premier League campaign for a club-record fee in the summer of 2019 but struggled in a tumultuous season for the club, finishing with just six goals.

The following Championship season however, the 23-year-old finished with 13 goals to his name and impressed on his top-flight return, forcing Villa manager Dean Smith into an early half-time substitution after he had got the better of defender Matt Targett on a number of occasions.

It was a return to full stadiums for the fans, but the visiting contingent will not have been too pleased with their first look at a post-Jack Grealish Aston Villa, who looked lacklustre in midfield and had to wait until the 70th minute for their first shot on target.

Watford did not have to wait long for their first Premier League goal of the season, when debutant Dennis slotted the ball home in the 11th minute.

Captain Tom Cleverley had played in Sarr down the wing, but it was the Senegal international who did the work, driving down the right and getting ahead of Targett before picking out Dennis in the centre.

The 23-year-old’s first effort was blocked with cries of handball, but he made no mistake with the rebound, firing the ball under goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

However, just moments later, Sarr – who had been causing problems for the Villa defence all throughout the first half – wove his way down the right before shooting high and past Martinez to double the lead.

It was a frustrating opening 45 minutes for the visitors as they struggled to get forward and create space for their debutants at the top end of the pitch with Ings and Emiliano Buendia only seeing the ball sporadically.

Villa started the second half brightly, with one effort going across the face of goal and half-time substitute Jacob Ramsey firing a long-range effort over the crossbar, however their early energy did not turn into many clear-cut chances.

Smith’s side were still without a shot on target when Hernandez looked to have put the game past Villa just moments after coming on for his Premier League debut.

The 22-year-old Colombia international received the ball down the left and drove forward, opening up space before curling the ball expertly past Martinez to open his account for the season on his senior debut.

However, just three minutes later, Xisco Munoz’s hopes of ending his first game of the season with a clean sheet were over when another debutant, Leon Bailey, set up McGinn on the edge of the area, and the midfielder fired the ball into the top of the net.

Ings’ late penalty was not enough for the visitors, with just seconds remaining on the clock before the whistle blew at Vicarage Road as Watford secured a win on their return to the top flight.