5 takeaways from the first weekend of Premier League football

It was a very eventful first weekend of Premier League action. The sub-plots, transfer speculation, managerial changes and other activities eventually gave way to the much-awaited action on the pitch.

The teams involved did not disappoint as a total of 25 goals were scored in the 10 matches. Most of the members of the Big Six mini-league got opening day victories; Manchester United scraped a 2-1 win over Leicester City, Chelsea ran away comfortable 3-0 winners away at Huddersfield, Tottenham Hotspur beat Rafa Benitez's Newcastle by 2-1 and Liverpool absolutely hammered West Ham by 4-0.

It was also the first Premier League weekend in 22 years that Arsene Wenger was absent from and his presence loomed large at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal were comfortably dispatched 2-0 by defending champions Manchester City.

Here is a look at 5 takeaways from the weekend's action:

#5 Watford will need to wrap Pereyra in wool

Pereyra looks to have shaken off his injury worries

Watford most prominent move in the just concluded transfer window was the £40m sale of Brazilian sensation Richarlison to Everton.

While some pundits felt the Hornets would miss the 21-year-old's skills, they completely forgot that the team still had its most creative spark, Roberto Pereyra.

The Argentine midfielder had joined 2 seasons ago from Juventus from £13m. However, due to a succession of very bad injuries and the managerial upheaval at Vicarage Road meant he had shown his quality in fits and starts.

With Watford keeping manager Javi Gracia and a long rest followed by a good pre-season, Pereyra looks back to his best. Playing behind the hard-working but limited strike force of Andre Gray and Troy Deeney, his silky skills were on full display against Brighton.

Weaving about, looking for an opening, creating and pressing, Pereyra was too hot to handle for the Seagulls' defence. His first was a brilliant volley off a training ground move while the second was all about his skills and dexterity.

Whatever Watford's ambitions this season; Peyerya will be key to achieving them as he is undoubtedly the jewel in the team's crown.

#4 Promoted teams will need to get it together quickly

Fulham's struggles were a common theme for the new boys

One of the more silly things in recent years has been the emphasis on the transfer window (alongside other silly things like net spend) to the detriment of the actual football. That is why it's common to hear these days about some teams "winning the transfer window".

Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cardiff City, and Fulham were promoted from the Championship last season. All three teams spent a considerable amount of money to bring in a lot of new players.

Fulham's manager Slavisa Jokanovic started 6 new players in the home game against Crystal Palace and it showed. The team could only play it's characteristic quick, short-passing game intermittently and struggled to show any sort of coherence. They were deservedly beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace and will need to gel as a team quickly before it all goes awry.

Cardiff City is a side widely tipped for relegation back to the Championship. The performance against Bournemouth went some way to confirm this thinking as the Bluebirds were abject and should have lost by more than the two-goal margin.

Wolves were the only promoted side to earn a point; a creditable 2-2 draw at home to 10-man Everton. Nuno Espirito Santo's men gave a good account of themselves with debutant Raul Jimenez getting the equalizer.

All three teams will need to get better and fast as the Premier League is an unforgiving best and getting cut adrift early in the season is a real and ever-present danger.

#3 Still no personality change for Manchester United

Manchester United are still playing with shackles on

The Red Devils may have won their first game of the season but the performance is not one that would fill anyone with enthusiasm. Jose Mourinho's men went ahead as early as the 3rd minute through a Paul Pogba penalty and made the points sure courtesy of Luke Shaw's first goal in a United shirt.

Between both goals, the match was characterized by sloppy passing, broken down moves, unambitious defending; basically a rehash of the dire football from last season. With no new attacking players, it is difficult to see how the Red Devils will play the kind of dynamic attacking football that their fans hanker for.

The lack of penetration, continuously good movement and flair was an issue throughout last season. It is difficult to see that changing anytime soon even when the supposed First XI comes in i.e. the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic, Antonio Valencia, amongst others.

With Brighton up next before the first big clash of the season against Tottenham Hotspur, the Red Devils will have to get better and fast if they are to have any hope of getting silverware this season.

#2 Uneventful but satisfying debuts for world's most expensive goalies

Alisson was a spectator on his official debut

Given the large number of top goalkeeping moves that went down in the transfer window, it was expected that the record will be broken. The record being broken twice, however, wasn't expected but it happened.

Liverpool decided to finally end the uncertainty over their goalie position by paying AS Roma £66m for Brazilian goalie Alison Becker. He couldn't have asked for a more obliging opposition as the Reds easily thrashed West Ham 4-0. Alison had little or nothing to do in goal as the Hammers were unable to cope with the home team's attacking verve.

It was the same for the record holder; Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga as the 22-year-old Spaniard didn't have to make a save of note as the Blues ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at Huddersfield.

Apart from a Stephen Mounie header which came off the bar in the first half, the Spanish international spent the game spraying passes and generally taking it easy. Both teams will face less obliging opposition in their next matches, maybe then, a better idea of what these two men can offer will be formed.

#1 Emery will need time and patience (lots of it)

Emery will need time to turn Arsenal into title challengers again

As the final whistle was blown after the defending champions Manchester City had coasted to a routine win, Arsenal's Spanish coach would have been ruminating on what he had seen. The Gunners had sparkled in phases against a Cityzens side that was nowhere near their fluent, effervescent best. Yet Arsenal couldn't lay a glove on Pep Guardiola's men.

Starting with a five-man midfield, Arsenal's deficiencies were laid bare for all to see. Mesut Ozil had another disappointing game in midfield, same as Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey. The lack of natural width in the team was something that Emery and the management team (Rahul Sanllehi and Sven Mislintat) surprisingly failed to address in the market and it showed.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan continued to show the folly of Arsenal's swap with Manchester United for Alexis Sanchez as he was anonymous and offered little in an attacking or even pressing sense.

There were positives; Matteo Guendouzi was a lively presence, Stephan Lichsteiner brought solidity when he came in and Shkodran Mustafi did well. However, its still very much Arsene Wenger's team and Emery will need time and patience to rid the team of the stagnation of the last 7 years.