Sloppy Newcastle draws at Aston Villa and slick Tottenham beats Burnley in Premier League

By Canadian Press on August 16, 2025.

LONDON (AP) — Newcastle lacked a cutting edge without star striker Alexander Isak and drew at Aston Villa 0-0 in the Premier League opening round on Saturday.

Tottenham looked far sharper in attack, dispatching newly promoted Burnley 3-0 with Brazil forward Richarlison scoring twice.

Later, Manchester City was at Wolverhampton.

Isak was left out as he tries to push for a move to defending champion Liverpool. New signing Anthony Elanga looked dangerous on the right of Newcastle’s attack, but the visitors could not make the most of their possession.

Villa’s Ezri Konsa was sent off in the 66th minute for pulling back Anthony Gordon as he raced through on goal.

Elsewhere, West Ham lost at promoted Sunderland 3-0, and Fulham equalized deep into stoppage time for 1-1 at Brighton.

Mohammed Kudus set up Richarlison from the right flank for both of his goals, the second of which was an exquisite scissor kick in the 60th.

Brennan Johnson latched onto Pape Sarr’s pass shortly after to make it 3-0 for Europa League winner Tottenham, which lost midweek to Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup.

Forward Eliezer Mayenda and center half Dan Ballard scored with headers in the second half for Sunderland before Wilson Isidor sealed the win with an injury-time goal.

Matt O’Riley’s penalty early in the second half for Brighton punished a foul by Fulham’s Sander Berge on Georginio Rutter as he ran into the penalty box.

But Brighton failed to deal with a corner and Rodrigo Muniz fired in the equalizer in the sixth minute of injury time.

In memory of Jota

A moment’s silence was observed at all Premier League games in memory of the former Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Diogo Jota.

On Friday, Liverpool players and fans paid moving tributes to Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, at Anfield before and during the league-opener against Bournemouth. The brothers died in a car crash in Spain last month.

Liverpool beat Bournemouth 4-2 in a match marred by alleged racial abuse of Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo by a spectator. On Saturday, Semenyo thanked the soccer community for supporting him. ___

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The Associated Press