We’re just seven matches into the 2013-2014 Premier League season, and it’s already been a bit of a wild ride. 18 goals were tallied over the course of Saturday’s matches, yet West Brom, Stoke, Cardiff City and Sunderland all failed to get on the scoresheet. Just one match, Norwich vs. Everton, ended in a draw, and that one’s four goals still keep things exciting. NBC could hardly have asked for a better day to launch their coverage of the Premier League.
The matches featured on NBC and NBCSN were some of the better ones as well, each featuring their own behind the seasons storyline. The day started off with Liverpool beating Stoke 1-0, a scoreline that belies just how out of their depth the visiting Potters looked. It seems Mark Hughes may have been too ambitious in thinking he could change Stoke’s traditional long-ball style, and if it hadn’t been for a string of spectacular saves by Asmir Begovic, Liverpool could have easily had five or six goals. And that was without Luis Suárez, who may not even have made the bench, but caused a stir by showing up in a Reds’ shirt with a smile on his face.
The next match brought the most surprising result thus far this season, with Aston Villa beating Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates. The Villa, who flirted with relegation for much of last season, were down a goal by the tenth minute, and looked unlikely to stage a comeback. But then Gabriel Agbonlahor drew a penalty to put his side even before the half, and then drew another in the second half. The Arsenal fans were outraged when Anthony Taylor sent off Laurent Koscielny in the 67th minute, but turned their anger on Arsene Wenger, and his lack of signings, after new Villa signing Antonio Luna put in a third with five minutes left to play. Rebecca Lowe, host of pre- and post-match show Premier League Live, summed up the match perfectly: “It [The Premier League] certainly is back and what a start for [manager] Paul Lambert and Aston Villa’s season.”
The final match of the day saw Manchester United beat Swansea 4-1, with the scoreline flattering United’s play just a bit. Arlo White, NBC’s voice of the Premier League, did well to set the scene before the match:
Hello, welcome to the Liberty Stadium. We’re in the city of Swansea in South Wales, 187 miles to the west of London, and Manchester United, the champions, begin the defense of their Premier League title. This is where they begin a whole new era under David Moyes. Sir Alex Ferguson, of course, ended his 26 and a half year reign with retirement in May, and we are underway. The rain pouring from slate grey skies, Wayne Rooney on the bench for Manchester United.
In just those few sentences, it was clear this match would about more than whether Robin Van Persie could better his goal tally of last season. Robbie Earle drew attention to this on the Premier League Live segment prior to Swansea vs. Manchester United:
They lose today at Swansea, the media will start, Jose Mourinho will start, and the whole of the football world will be saying, it’s not quite the same. And that’s the pressure that’s on David Moyes and his team to get off to a good start. It’s a huge day because the eyes of the football world are on David Moyes and how he starts his reign as Manchester United manager.
Fortunately for Moyes, his side won, with a convincing scoreline at that. Yet the focus remains on Wayne Rooney, who came in for Ryan Giggs with around 30 minutes left to play. Rooney played a crucial role in van Persie’s second goal, timing his run to draw away Swansea players and allow the Dutchman space to run into, and provided the assist on Danny Welbeck’s second, the fourth and final goal of the match. Yet questions about his future are still ever present. In the final Premier League Live segment of the day, Robbie Mustoe had this to say about forward: “It’s all business for Wayne Rooney. When he’s out there, he’s going to play the game, but we all know he doesn’t want to be at this football club.”
With less than two weeks remaining in the transfer window, there’s not much time for Rooney to make a move. The saga will still be a talking point whenever Moyes speaks to the media, but at least the new United manager has three points and the spot at the top of the table to point to.