Thoughts and analysis from lively opening weekend of Premier League season

theScore examines the most important developments and biggest talking points from the opening weekend of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.

Green shoots for Chelsea and Liverpool

Chelsea have sunk over £750 million (including add-ons) on transfers since the Todd Boehly project began 15 months ago. Despite this huge outlay, the squad is unbalanced by holes and shallow spots throughout the lineup. Several lavishly paid players remain on the payroll despite being surplus to requirements.

The American businessman has effectively planted dynamite in the foundations and drilled holes into water pipes in west London. Even the most shameless cowboy builders wouldn't oversee such a haphazard, mindless renovation of one of England's most successful clubs of the modern era.

Chelsea won the Champions League in 2021. They're miles away from that standard now.

But there was a hint at progress in their 1-1 home draw with Liverpool on Sunday. Chelsea's tentative start was a concern - especially when they should've easily outnumbered the visitors in central midfield - but they grew into the match, showing more attacking intent than they did in all of last season. There were promising performances from a few debutants, led by the energetic forward Nicolas Jackson. The team was also increasingly comfortable in possession - perhaps early evidence of Mauricio Pochettino's plans taking shape.

Like Chelsea, Liverpool are a work in progress. The need for a defensive midfielder is painstakingly obvious following the departures of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabia, and the Reds are seemingly vying with the Blues for players in that position. But there were flashes of excellence from newcomers Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. Jurgen Klopp is steadily - or belatedly, many Liverpool fans would argue - assembling an exciting midfield on Merseyside.

Ibrahima Konate was also largely impressive at center-back, contributing three tackles, two interceptions, and seven clearances.

However, one lingering concern at Liverpool is how to address the left side of the defense when right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold saunters into midfield. Andy Robertson is a supremely talented attacking left-back and a hugely popular figure at the club, but Raheem Sterling and Reece James combined to expose his shortcomings as a third center-back. Other clubs will target the Scotsman if this approach continues.

Player ratings: The new Blues and Reds

There's been plenty of upheaval at Chelsea and Liverpool over the summer - and it's not over yet. Here, theScore offers ratings out of 10 for the eight players who made their club debuts in Sunday's much-anticipated fixture.

Chelsea

Robert Sanchez - The goalkeeper should've been punished when his poor kick rolled to Mac Allister in the 88th minute, but an unmarked Darwin Nunez couldn't tame the Argentine's hurried pass. Otherwise, it was a quiet outing for Sanchez. 6/10

Levi Colwill - He isn't technically a new player, but Colwill was handed his first competitive Chelsea appearance after rising through the ranks from the under-9s. He improved slightly during the game despite his tough assignment against Mohamed Salah. 6/10

Axel Disasi - He did well to stay onside for a goal on his debut. The defender was perhaps better from an attacking standpoint for his side's season opener: Salah's pass for Luis Diaz's opener was precise, but Disasi lost concentration or speed - or both - which made the Colombian's finish much easier. 7/10

Nicolas Jackson - Bags of pace and enthusiasm. He'll be disappointed to not have converted at least one of his chances, but he was a constant menace throughout the game. Lots of potential at 22 years of age. 8/10

Malo Gusto - He replaced the impressive James in the 76th minute. Gusto didn't have much time to make an impression but stuck to his defensive duties. 6/10

Lesley Ugochukwu - He was introduced in the 90th minute, too late to provide a rating. N/A

Liverpool

Alexis Mac Allister - He spread a beautiful pass to Salah in the buildup to Diaz's goal. Liverpool need a specialist for the No. 6 role, but Mac Allister acquitted himself well, getting stuck in and trying to nudge the ball into attacking areas. 7/10

Dominik Szoboszlai - Busy during the early stages, including a surging run at Chelsea's backline before Diogo Jota shot over the bar. He faded as the meeting wore on. 7/10

Time for Martinelli to step up

At just 21, Bukayo Saka is the main man for Arsenal. The winger underlined his brilliance with a marvelous swerving effort from outside the box, helping his side earn a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest in their season opener.

There are other Arsenal players who demand almost equal attention to Saka. Captain Martin Odegaard leads by example and creates chances with a level of composure that may be unmatched in the division. The gargantuan fee that the club paid for Declan Rice means the English midfielder's performances will be closely examined over the coming months. Center-back William Saliba earned rave reviews for his performances last term.

Yet it seems Gabriel Martinelli is on a rung below those aforementioned players. If his display against Forest is a sign of what's to come this season, he won't be for much longer.

The Brazilian's most highlight-worthy moment was the assist for Eddie Nketiah's goal. He collected a loose ball on the edge of the final third and scampered toward the byline despite the close presence of Danilo and Serge Aurier. His pace and positivity weren't enough to evade the duo, so the 22-year-old dipped into his considerable repertoire of tricks with a slick pirouette and backheel to tee up Nketiah. It was audacious and, most importantly, effective.

For Gunners manager Mikel Arteta, that might not be the most pleasing aspect of Martinelli's outing. He works exceptionally hard for his team, almost matching his attacking graft with his willingness to track back. He spared Jurrien Timber's blushes after a weak pass when he hared after Aurier - who isn't a sluggish full-back - to reclaim possession in added time at the end of the first half.

Obviously, Martinelli will largely be judged on his attacking output. He's scored 26 Premier League goals as he enters his fifth season in Arsenal's first team - but hopefully, his 15-goal haul in the previous top-flight campaign indicates he'll now be more consistent in front of the onion bag. Meanwhile, his assists tally of 13 over 94 Premier League appearances must improve.

This can be the season where Martinelli comes of age. The competition for minutes to the left of Arsenal's attack should spur him on.

Brighton are more than Caicedo

Brighton & Hove Albion will never be about one player. Remove Moises Caicedo from an equation that's already missing Mac Allister, and you still get the same progressive football that catapulted the club into the upper echelons of the Premier League.

"We lost Mac Allister, we lost (Levi) Colwill, maybe we lose Caicedo," head coach Roberto De Zerbi said Friday. "I think the big clubs can buy the players, but they can't buy our soul and our spirit. That's not on the market."

It showed during Saturday's 4-1 win over Luton Town. While Premier League newcomers Luton defended admirably before finally conceding the opening goal in the 36th minute, Brighton played with enough swagger and confidence to eventually overwhelm their opponents. That's because they still have players who can execute De Zerbi's style of play. Losing Mac Allister and Caicedo hurts a lot less when you have a workhorse in Pascal Gross willing to cover all areas of the pitch, and Mahmoud Dahoud, one of Brighton's summer signings, will only get better with time. Brighton's tactical nous and creativity aren't following Mac Allister and Caicedo out the door.

(Courtesy: Stats Zone)

Creating chances has never been the issue anyway. Converting those chances into goals remains the obstacle. Even when taking into account the level of opposition - on the basis of Saturday's evidence, Luton are in for a very long season - Brighton showed a clinical edge that neither Caicedo nor Mac Allister could offer. March remains De Zerbi's most influential player off the right wing, and Evan Ferguson seems to score every time he comes off the bench.

Brighton's success relies less on a player's individual ability and more so on the player's ability to adapt to a system. De Zerbi's entire squad is full of system players, and youngsters who aspire to play for a bigger club know that that very system can bring them personal success. It works for everyone, making one player's departure another's opportunity.

Tonali becomes instant fan favorite

There was plenty to celebrate during Newcastle United's swashbuckling 5-1 win over Aston Villa: Alexander Isak scored his third brace since joining the club in January, Anthony Gordon showed the playmaking ability that made him worth a reported £45 million, and Harvey Barnes polished off the victory with a debut goal.

But Sandro Tonali had arguably the most lasting impact on Newcastle's massive opening-day win. His goal six minutes into the match set the tone for what should be an extended love affair between him and the adoring fans at St. James' Park.

We saw everything Tonali has to offer in the flying volley that set off Newcastle's rout of Villa: the commitment to beat his man, the confidence to throw his body at the ball, and, most importantly, the spirit to win at all costs. The crowd chanted Tonali's name before he even scored that goal. The Italian showed not just the class to pick out a pass but the fire to nick the ball off an opponent and make Villa work hard to enter the final third. Though commentators immediately saw Andrea Pirlo in his game, he showed far more of Gennaro Gattuso on this day.

Head coach Eddie Howe must've seen Tonali's blend of characteristics during his three years at AC Milan, and he must've known the 23-year-old would eat up the pitch in the Premier League. The pace of the game was never going to be a problem for Tonali. He was always more likely to excel in a league with much more open play than he encountered within the tactical confines of Serie A.

If Saturday's match is anything to go by, Tonali will continue to have the license to press forward and run into open channels. He did that exceptionally well against Villa and put himself in a position to score a hat-trick. Howe now has two of the most explosive No. 8s in England in Tonali and Joelinton, and if he continues to encourage them to make runs into the area, Newcastle may have more five-goal performances in their future.

Quick free-kicks

Why you need to watch Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur's combative, high-tempo 2-2 draw at Brentford on Sunday was typical Ange Postecoglou fare. The tactician's desire to entertain supporters was demonstrated at Celtic last season, where his side was the top scorer across Europe's top 10 leagues. But his swashbuckling style also produces results: He's won league titles in three separate countries and boasts numerous cups in both club and international football. Replicating that success at Spurs will likely take time, especially following Harry Kane's exit, but they're already strong contenders to become the most watchable team of the new Premier League season. Tottenham completed 452 passes in the opposition half - more than they've managed since Jan. 1, 2022.

Keep an eye on Brighton's Adingra

Brighton have an incredible knack for finding replacements before they're even needed. When Leandro Trossard left for Arsenal in the January transfer window, Kaoru Mitoma had already established himself as his successor on the left wing. When Mac Allister seemed set to leave, 18-year-old Facundo Buonanotte emerged as a potential candidate to take his minutes in midfield. So, whenever Solly March decides to leave - because more and more clubs seem to be taking notice of his superior scoring record under De Zerbi - it'll be time for winger Simon Adingra to step up. Signed from Nordsjaelland last year for a reported €8 million, Adingra scored just 11 minutes into his Premier League debut Saturday. It won't be the last time we see him.

Bizarre behavior from Guaita

(Courtesy: @TheSportsman)

What is Vicente Guaita trying to achieve? The goalkeeper already seemed on his way out of Crystal Palace after Roy Hodgson said he was refusing to play preseason matches due to losing his starting place near the end of last season. So it was no surprise when the Spaniard was left off the teamsheet for Saturday's 1-0 triumph at Sheffield United. Well, no surprise to everyone except Guaita, who replied to the club's lineup post with a peculiar and (perhaps unintentionally) cryptic tweet. Clearly, the shot-stopper isn't the kind of player who simply knuckles down and tries to win back his spot in the XI.

Raiser Ruddock

After playing Sunday League football and subsequently earning £50 per week with sixth-tier Boreham Wood, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu's huge leap to West Ham United didn't work out. So, when he made his Luton Town debut in front of 621 fans in an FA Trophy match at Staines Town, it was like he was starting all over again. Less than 10 years later, Mpanzu is the first player to represent the same club in the top five divisions of English football after starting for Luton in their loss at Brighton & Hove Albion. It's an incredible achievement and proof that it can pay off to play the long game.

Stat of the weekend

It's been a turbulent eight years at Stamford Bridge.

Tweet of the weekend

Let's hope Chelsea's new boy Jackson isn't an Outkast after his goalless debut. Want to feel old? Four members of the Blues' starting XI were born after the release of hip-hop classic "Ms. Jackson." Liverpool's Szoboszlai arrived the following day.