Premier League Team of the Week: Chelsea stars impress as Saka delivers for Arsenal

[p]Opening the season, the champions Arsenal kicked off the defence of their title with a comfortable [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/coventry-GOvB22xg/?mid=2q2NhX43"]3-0 win over newly-promoted Coventry[/a].[/p][p]But fellow newcomers [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hull-S66R0t75/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/?mid=zc0VjBZF"]Hull made a winning start by beating Manchester United 2-0[/a], while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ipswich-thqhB2MB/sunderland-WSzc94ws/?mid=Cxf9qTRk"]Ipswich recorded a late 2-1 victory over Sunderland[/a].[/p][p]Elsewhere, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/chelsea-4fGZN2oK/fulham-69ZiU2Om/?mid=C2Nfvg77"]Chelsea entertained in a 3-2 win against London rivals Fulham[/a], as did [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brentford-xYe7DwID/tottenham-UDg08Ohm/?mid=EPW0kJF8"]Brentford as they hammered Tottenham 3-0[/a].[/p][p]Based on [b][i]Flashscore[/i][/b]'s player ratings system, it's time to select the first Premier League Team of the Week of the season.[/p][image alt="Premier League Team of the Week" id="06466df6-3198-4ff0-8fda-6956e515d88a" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="93cb5cb0-1029-4339-8ae3-745cf9f1ec32" original-width="1080" original-height="1350" /][h2]Goalkeeper[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tzolakis-konstantinos/G0ZL7CGI/"]Konstantinos Tzolakis[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hull-city/S66R0t75/"]Hull[/a]) - 8.2[/b][/p][p]New goalkeeper signing Tzolakis made an immediate impact as Hull stunned United on their Premier League return.[/p][p]Keeping a clean sheet, the Greek stopper made five saves and four high claims in a calm outing.[/p][h2]Defenders[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/white-ben/pvGdJANj/"]Ben White[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a]) - 8.5[/b][/p][p]White was a threat with his overlapping runs down Arsenal's right flank against newcomers Coventry.[/p][p]He saw plenty of the ball with 94 touches and assisted Martin Odegaard's goal with a cutback.[/p][image alt="White v Coventry" id="b12f0601-b7d8-4591-b1b1-77e725a950f5" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="ee0fb112-c370-4577-89e4-8aae4441fbe7" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lacroix-maxence/j5bGWFU7/"]Maxence Lacroix[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a]) - 8.6[/b][/p][p]Summer acquisition Lacroix looked assured in a back three for Chelsea against Fulham and was handy at both ends of the pitch.[/p][p]Lacroix won eight duels and made two last-man tackles, but looked silky when he took on his man and cut the ball back for Morgan Rogers' strike.[/p][embed guid="5a44ef23-906e-446b-ad63-9eada28feb87" url="https://x.com/ChelseaFC/status/2092146694917943621?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/boscagli-olivier/6R5eKjG8/"]Olivier Boscagli[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a]) - 8.7[/b][/p][p]Boscagli had an almost faultless display in the Brighton defence as they [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/brighton-2XrRecc3/?mid=Mkz9mcpL"]hammered Aston Villa 4-0[/a] after a devastating first half.[/p][p]The Frenchman completed all but one of his 65 passes during the contest and made a game-high eight progressive passes.[/p][h2]Midfielders[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saka-bukayo/08NLEo06/"]Bukayo Saka[/a] (Arsenal) - 8.3[/b][/p][p]Appearing free of injury, Saka looked like his old self with a sharp performance for the champions.[/p][p]Saka doubled Arsenal's lead by staying alert to tuck away the rebound following a parry from Carl Rushworth.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/palmer-cole/h8agbDt7/"]Cole Palmer[/a] (Chelsea) - 9.2[/b][/p][p]Ice-cold Palmer took full control for Chelsea with a really silky performance that only a few can replicate.[/p][p]Completing a game-high five dribbles, Palmer ran the show as he came away from Craven Cottage with a goal and an assist.[/p][image alt="Palmer v Fulham" id="02ac3de9-61d0-4252-8ec0-7f139ebcbdb1" credit-line="Action Images via Reuters / Matthew Childs / Opta by Stats Perform" guid="9d8cfde1-3fbf-42f2-9bc0-a6f6baac69ec" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guehi-marc/KEeklutO/"]Marc Guehi[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a]) - 8.5[/b][/p][p]Guehi was deployed in an unconventional midfield role for City as Enzo Maresca still tinkers to find his best set-up.[/p][p]He won eight duels, created one big chance and headed in City's equaliser to get them back in the game late on.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hinshelwood-jack/0IBtygvF/"]Jack Hinshelwood[/a] (Brighton) - 9.0[/b][/p][p]Hinshelwood popped up in all the right places for Brighton in their emphatic dismantling of Villa.[/p][p]The 21-year-old's first saw him head in unmarked before picking up a loose ball and notching his second just 79 seconds later.[/p][embed guid="502e549b-81d6-42d7-9427-a85a4d34e860" url="https://x.com/BHAFC/status/2091654317669237194?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rogers-morgan/lp4jm80n/"]Morgan Rogers[/a] (Chelsea) - 8.9[/b][/p][p]Debutant Rogers showed glimpses of why Chelsea shelled out £117 million this summer to bring him in.[/p][p]The England star slotted in a debut goal thanks to Lacroix's excellent work, while winning eight duels and completing three dribbles.[/p][image alt="Rogers v Fulham" id="565b3c36-4a98-449f-948d-927ce51c3172" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="9b482851-2e6f-4408-a2bf-f0b3ad1aa2cf" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][h2]Forwards[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-pedro/CAmJERl2/"]Joao Pedro[/a] (Chelsea) - 8.7[/b][/p][p]Just 31 seconds was all it took for Joao Pedro to open his Chelsea account for the season.[/p][p]A menacing attacking performance saw him also notch an assist for Palmer's effort early in the second half.[/p][embed guid="857b12f5-cbf7-4daa-8c73-004c526ade66" url="https://x.com/ChelseaFC/status/2092024403009954155?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/emersonn/48J66oWK/"]Emersonn[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ipswich/thqhB2MB/"]Ipswich[/a]) - 8.5[/b][/p][p]Emersonn hit the ground running for Ipswich by scoring on his debut and helping them make a winning start back in the top flight.[/p][p]He bundled in their opener and won seven duels as he made himself a nuisance throughout.[/p][infobox id="02b45e73-9abc-454d-882a-650a1a621f7d" /]