3-1 Now. Zouma with a deflected finish.

The commentators are so biased it's ridiculous. Talking about how close Chelsea will fight Liverpool for the title this season.

In our match when we were leading 3 goals comfortably they were discussing if we can break into the top 6 this season

Top of the league after GW1 lads. Title in our hands.

Thought Werner looked very average other than his pace and runs. Looks limited. Nowhere near the Aubameyang’s and Aguero’s of this league.

Klaus wrote:

Captain wrote:

That's standard Kepa - it's like prime Arsenal cech./b]

He still hasn't hit the ground from trying to get down on that shot from Son two years ago. It was painful to watch him at that stage of his career.

This season is going to be lit. We’ve moved past the Big 4 era. Every weekend has juicy fixtures. We have Chelsea-Liverpool and Wolves-City this weekend. And then week 3 is Arsenal-Liverpool and Leicester-City.

It really means we have to maximize the games against the bottom half because the top 8 is going to be a real Royal Rumble.

How do we all feel about the state of the league these days?

I still miss the early 2000s but I accept that it's through red and white tinted glasses. Objectively the league now has several competitive teams, excellent players and a collection of the best coaches in the world (and Solskjaer). Tactically there's still a gap but the upside is that teams are more attacking and entertaining than previously since everyone has weaknesses to exploit. Lastly, I'm grateful that knuckle draggers like Pulis and Allardyce no longer have a top flight career - even when clubs go local they take a chance on the likes of Graham Potter, Lampard or Eddie Howe.

It’s in the best state it’s ever been in. The fact that smaller teams like Everton and Spurs can attract big name managers is good. Given how competitive the top half of the table is, it was a bit surprising to see Liverpool just run off with the title.

Overall, quality is great. League is attracting top players. Look at the Wolves squad with players like Moutinho, Jiminez and Jota. Or Everton where James was superb this weekend. I think we are getting to the point where Premier League finally has the best quality. And once we purge Moyes, Bruce and the other coaching deadwood, the overall tactical level will rise

It's great on paper, in theory it should prevent some of the runaway seasons we've had from Liverpool and City recently, no one should be amassing 90 points.

One of these days we'll have a 4 way battle for the title with the winner amassing less than 80 points and it will be glorious.

I think those runaway points are driven by the wealth gap. The biggest teams are really in a different league in terms of the types of players they can attract vs the bottom 10. Not a single Pool or City starter would start at a bottom 10 club. So those clubs are able to just crush the bottom of the league and get these ridiculous seasons.

My dream is to see that gap continue to narrow. Every Everton and Wolves is a big step in the right direction. It eats away at our 'right' to be in the Top 4, but it's good for balance.

I really don't think quality comes close to explaining the points gap. Liverpool haven't really attracted anyone gobsmackingly high profile, in fact 80% of their starting XI you'd have barely batted an eyelid. I don't really know how to explain it which is why I can only give kudos to Klopp.

But I think they'll finish this year a lot closer to City's points total from last year this season, it's just not sustainable for that squad.

I agree the league is in a great place but I'll offer two concerns.

it's missing a couple true rivalries. Can't think of many teams that hate each other, and that's unfortunate as I love a spicy game.

Derbies seem less important too.

You need the right ingredients for a rivalry. Liverpool and City fans don't really give two shits about each other, there's no history etc, managers are generally respectful. One season of competitiveness isn't going to change that.

You have the ones with history like United/Liverpool, Arsenal/Spurs and to a lesser extent, Arsenal/United, but there's generally not been enough riding on those games recently, so the games themselves will lack that natural spark.

We have a decent rivalry with Spurs (partly because they're relatively competitive). By comparison the City/United, Liverpool/Everton and Chelsea/Fulham games are nothing special.

Or rivalry has only really intensified following our descent down the table to their level.

The rest of those rivalries have teams that are all in different leagues positionally.

Would the influx of international players have anything to do with the rivalry dilution?

Don't think so; all our French players felt the hatred for United and Tottenham just as much as their English teammates. I think it has more to do with the reasons for signing and playing for big clubs nowadays. It's more businesslike and less about adapting to a specific club culture. Jumped up two-bit clubs like City and Chelsea have never had any culture, those bloody philistines. The sum total of their identity is that they have more money than they can spend.