It turned out to be a memorable second Saturday for some of the Irish in the 2025-26 Premier League season. Josh Cullen led Burnley out at Turf Moor on his home debut as captain, while at the same time Irish teammate Nathan Collins experienced the same milestone at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium. Both turned out to be winners after the defeats of the opening weekend. There was an added bonus for Cullen in that he coolly scored the game’s first goal shortly after halftime in the 2-0 win against Sunderland. For Collins the bonus was a first confidence-boosting victory over Aston Villa for his head coach, Dubliner Keith Andrews. Meantime there was a clean sheet for Irish colleague Caoimhin Kelleher in the 1-0 win.
Thrilled with his win in his home debut as boss, Andrews said: ‘‘The overriding emotion is pride. I spoke before about identity of our team. I felt we saw it in abundance, the spirit and connection between players, staff and fans. Ultimately we produced a performance that was us.’’
Premier League captains Josh Cullen, left, and Nathan Collins, right, during an Ireland training session in Poland in 2022. [Inpho/Ryan Byrne]
The two North London clubs Arsenal and Spurs made the best start in the new EPL season going by the weekend’s results, but champions Liverpool had a dramatic win in the game of the season so far at Newcastle on Monday night, and so they are also on 2 wins for 2 games.
Spurs won 2-0 away to Manchester City and Arsenal hammered Leeds United 5-0 at the Emirates. Arsenal’s new signing, Swedish international Viktor Gykores, scored twice against the EPL newcomers, but the Gunners lost captain Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Sake during the games with injuries. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who is already without knee injury victim Kai Haverts said: ‘‘The injuries were the negative of the day. Martin just felt something in his shoulder when he landed on it, he will have to have scan. Bukayo was running with the ball and wrestling with a defender when he felt something with his hamstring.’’
Man City manager Pep Gurdiola was annoyed at City’s failing to do the ‘‘simple things’’ against his bogey team Spurs. Guardiola did not blame goalkeeper James Trafford, who has rejoined the squad this season after being out on loan to various clubs. Trafford could not be blamed for Spurs first goal scored by Brennan Johnston after 25 minutes, but he was caught just before half-time when trying to play the ball in own penalty area and Joao Palinha struck for Tottenham’s second. So Danish-born coach Tomas Frank became only the third manager to beat Pep Guardiola away from home with two different team, joining former Spurs coaches Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte in this exclusive club. Frank said: ‘‘We showed we have a strong squad of players who I believe a lot in. I would like to add a few but more, but only if they can strengthen the squad.’’ That comment was probably in response to the Spurs fans, who taunted chairman Daniel Levy during the game for his lack of signings.
The Reds’ win over the Magpies couldn’t have been scripted better by a Hollywood writer. The home side dominated before a Gravenberch strike in the 35th minute silenced the passionate local supporters. Then Anthony Gordon was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Liverpool skipper Van Dijk just before halftime and when Ekitiké got a second goal shortly after the break it seemed like the champions would stroll to the three points. But 10-man Newcastle had other ideas, with skipper Bruno Guimarães putting them back in the frame with a header and then as the clock wound down to 90 minutes, Osula scored an equalizer. In the 6th minute of added time, manager Arne Slot sent on newbie Rio Ngumoha, who, following a brilliant move involving Mo Salah and Szoboszlai, smashed the winner past Nick Pope in the 10th minute of added time. The 5-foot-7 Ngumoba was just four minutes into his Premier League career and at three days short of his 17th birthday became the youngest Liverpool scorer in the club’s history.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes missed a first-half penalty away to Fulham and the Red Devils were probably lucky to go ahead in the 58th minute when Leny Yoro cleared pushed a Fulham defender Calvin Bassey before heading the ball goalwards and then the ball hit of the back of Muniz’s and was given as an own goal. The Cottagers drew level on 73 minutes when sub Smith-Rowe scored with his first touch.
The honor of scoring the first EPL goal at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson stadium on Sunday went to Senegal international Iliman Ndiaye, who got the Toffees first goal in their 2-0 win over Brighton. He also scored the last goal at Goodison Park. Cork-born Irish international Jake O’Brien was in the Everton lineup.
The “Graham Potter derby” between West Ham and Chelsea ended in disaster for the man himself as the club he briefly managed humiliated his current employers, who might as well just sack him now and get it over and done with. That was the gist of one opening paragraphs in a report into West Ham’s 5-1 loss to Chelsea in the EPL last Friday.
And even though Nottingham Forest have had a good start in the Premier League with a win and a draw. Nuno Esperito Santo could be on the way out. In Friday’s press conference the manager commented that his relationship with the Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is not the same as it was last season and that has led to speculation about his future.
STOKE ON TOP
In the Championship Irish international Mikey Johnston on target for West Brom in their 1-1 home draw against Portsmouth and another Irish international Finn Azaz scored Middlesbrough’s first goal in their 2-1 away win over Norwich. And Stoke City are early leaders with three wins for three games; Dubliner Bosun Lawal, who has been named to Heimir Hallgrimsson’s 23-man squad for next month's opening set of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, started in all three games.
FERGUSON IMPRESSES
Irish international Evan Ferguson made his Serie A debut for Roma on Saturday night as they beat Bologna 1-0 in the Olympic Stadium. The Meath native had impressed in pre-season and put in a commanding performance leading the line in the Italian capital before being substituted in the 74th minute. Wesley Franca settled the tie with the only goal of the game on 53 minutes. Elsewhere in Italy former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay and former Man City star Kevin De Bruyne both got on the scoresheet as Napoli earned a 2-0 win over Sassuolo to kick off their title defense.
PRICE JOINS ANDREWS
Stephen Price has left the Irish under 21 backroom team to be work with Keith Andrews as set-piece coach at Brentford. Andrews previously worked with the former Shamrock Rovers player when he was coaching the Irish under 21s. When Andrews was confirmed as manager of the London club in July the speculation was that Damien Duff would join him, but now it has been revealed that Price is the man.
MCATEER FOR IPSWICH
AS MORAN GOES WEST
Irish international Kasey McAteer last week left Leicester City and signed for Ipswich Town, another Championship club on four-year deal for a reported fee of £12m.The 23-year-old had been with Leicester since he was eight years old before going onto make 55 appearances for the Foxes’ first team. Kasey won the first of his six Irish caps against England last September.
Meanwhile Brighton’s Irish international Andy Moran is going for the first half of the season on loan to MLS club Los Angeles. The 21 year-old who joined Brighton from Bray Wanderers, spent the last two seasons out on loan, with Blackburn Rovers in 2023-24 and last season with Stoke City.
ROVERS, SHELS
