English Premier League news - week 1

EPL gets off to exciting start with opening day wins from Manchester United, Liverpool, Man City, Swans, West Brom

Hull City 2-1 Leicester City
Sunderland 1-2 Manchester City
Burnley 0-1 Swansea City
Crystal Palace 0-1 West Brom Albion
Everton 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton 1-1 Watford
Manchester City 2-1 Sunderland
Bournemouth 1-3 Manchester United
Arsenal 1-4 Liverpool
Middlesborough 1-1 Stoke City

On Saturday Premier League champions Leicester City host titan club FC Arsenal is a massive Match-Week 2 game for both clubs after both teams lost their opening games. Arsenal lost to Liverpool, and Leicester lost to Hull at KCOM Stadium. Claudio Ranieri's Leicester side lost only three out of 38 EPL games – to the Gunners twice and Liverpool - in the entire 2015-16 season due to their scoring ability and strong defense.

Hull City 2-1 Leicester City

Leicester City’s defence of their Premier League title began with a surprising defeat by newly promoted Hull City, who are currently without a manager and relegation favorites. Hull’s interim manager, Mike Phelan’s side took the lead when Adama Diomande and Abel Hernandez combined to assist Adama Diomande In scoring the opening goal - a spectacular overhead kick - their first of the new Premier League season. Leicester City’s veteran manager Claudio Ranieri said his side "failed to connect 100%" as the EPL champs were soundly defeated 2-1 away at newly-promoted Hull. The Foxes' Riyad Mahrez scored the equalizer from the penalty spot at the start of the second half after Demarai Gray was fouled when Tom Huddlestone stood on Gray’s heels. Mahrez stayed cool, placing the ball straight down the middle as Hull City goalie Eldin Jakupovic dived the wrong way.

Ten minutes later, Hull’s Robert Snodgrass scored the Tigers winning goal for a memorable opening day victory. It is the first time the reigning Premier League champions have begun their campaign with a defeat since 1989, when Arsenal lost to Manchester United at Old Trafford. The Foxes gave record signing Ahmed Musa his Premier League debut - new signing Nampalys Mendy was missing after his wife went into labor overnight. Ranieri chose to start another summer signing, Luis Hernandez, to partner Wes Morgan at the heart of the champions’ back four, with Robert Huth still serving the final game of his three-match suspension.

Leicester struggled up front, with Jamie Vardy missing chances. Vardy, who scored 24 goals for the Foxes last season had trouble scoring against Hull’s defence that featured midfielder Livermore and Curtis Davies.Claudio Ranieri and Jamie Vardy spoke about Leicester's lackluster performance after their loss."Mahrez was great on the left but Gray kept cutting in from the left and the two strikers Musa and Vardy were almost holding hands with him. N'Golo Kante has been sold so Andy King was playing in front of their defense, but he did not look like he has the energy to play there. King likes to get forward, dropping off and getting the ball like Kante did is not his strength."

Hull fans protested against owner Assam Allam before kick-off at the KCOM Stadium against current owner Assam Allam due to Hull having no manager to replace Steve Bruce, and no new signings since they were promoted to the Premier League. Interim manager Phelan's side was expected to lose to the EPL champions, but nevertheless they started the game with confidence and high energy, and soon were causing Leicester problems. Hull maintained control throughout the match and rarely looked in danger when the Foxes attacked. Hull's success was unexpected, but fully deserved for their persistence and skill.

Squads

Hull City
Jakupovic, Robertson, Davies, Huddlestone, Elmohamady, Meyler, Snodgrass, Clucas, Livermore, Hernandez, Diomande

Leicester City
Schmeichel, Hernandez, Morgan, Simpson, Fuchs, Drinkwater, Musa, King, Gray, Mahrez, Vardy
Subs: Amartey, Okazaki, Ulloa
Man of the match: Robert Snodgrass

Leicester City transfer news

Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel, Wes Morgan, Andy King and sisty-four-year-old Italian manager Claudio Ranieri all signed new contracts over the summer. Meanwhile twenty-six-year-old midfielder Danny Drinkwater is close to signing a new contract with Leicester, reports manager Claudio Ranieri. Drinkwater was a key player in Leicester winning the Premier League silverware last season. Drinkwater’s current deals expires in 2018. Drinkwater joined Leicester in 2012 from Manchester United. Drinky won three caps for England last season, but failed to make the final squad for Euro 2016.

"I think Drinky is very, very close," said Ranieri. "I thought everybody wanted to stay with Leicester and continue to fight. I made a mistake. One did want to go. Kante is finished," added Ranieri after Kante left for Chelsea. Ranieri reportedly has "higher expectations" for Algerian international Riyad Mahrez in the upcoming season, after the winger signed a new four-year contract on Wednesday. Twenty-five-year-old Mahrez scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists last season as City won the Premier League and was voted as the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year.

"We are now in the Champions League and we need something more to play against the big teams," said Ranieri. "Now he knows very well what I want and my expectations are higher. Not only for Riyad but for all my players."

Ranieri rejected a £12m bid for Ghana's Jeffrey Schlupp who will stay at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes next face giant club Arsenal on Saturday. Defender Robert Huth will be available after serving a three-game suspension.

England Premier League Tickets for MatchWeek 2

Buy all guaranteed 2016-2017 Premier League tickets now online at cheap prices from 1st4FootballTickets.com! The very best legal, authentic football tickets for Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City are for sale online.

Manchester United v Southampton Tickets Old Trafford - Manchester, UK
Leicester City v Arsenal Tickets King Power Stadium - Leicester, UK
Burnley v Liverpool Tickets Turf Moor Stadium - Burnley, UK
Stoke City v Manchester City Tickets Britannia Stadium - Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Watford v Chelsea Tickets Vicarage Road - Watford, UK
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace Tickets White Hart Lane - London, UK