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quite the intro

The new Premier League season has just got off to the most mental start ever

Arsenal and Leicester played out an engaging first half of the new season

How good is it to have proper football back?

The first Premier League game of the 2017/18 season got off to the most entertaining start possible at the Emirates.

Alexandre Lacazette needed just 94 seconds to score his first goal in English league football when he expertly steered a header past Kasper Schmeichel.

Mohamed Elneny repaid Arsene Wenger’s faith by providing the assist with a beautiful cross into the Frenchman.

Elneny curled in an inviting cross

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Elneny curled in an inviting cross

Lacazette beat Wes Morgan to the ball

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Lacazette beat Wes Morgan to the ball

94 seconds in and Arsenal fans must have thought they were destined to win the title

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94 seconds in and Arsenal fans must have thought they were destined to win the title

Lacazette celebrated with trademark self-confidence

PA:Press Association
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Lacazette celebrated with trademark self-confidence

Gunners fans erupted with joy at the storybook start but the celebrations didn’t last long.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s lack of match fitness meant he started on the bench for visitors Leicester and gave Shinji Okazaki a chance to prove himself as Jamie Vardy’s partner up top.


YOU CAN STILL PICK YOUR FANTASY TEAM, IT’S NOT TOO LATE!


And boy did the Japanese international take his opportunity.

Three minutes after Lacazette’s opener, Okazaki headed home from close range after Harry Magurie did well to keep Marc Albrighton’s cross in play.

Albrighton delivered the cross after a short corner

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Albrighton delivered the cross after a short corner

Maguire headed the ball back into the danger area

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Maguire headed the ball back into the danger area

With Cech left stranded, Okazaki rose well to equalise

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With Cech left stranded, Okazaki rose well to equalise

Then one of the Premier League’s most notorious characters doubled Wenger’s woes.

Granit Xhaka played a superb pass to the Invisible Man which led to Albrighton surging down the left before delivering a superb cross for Jamie Vardy.

The Foxes’ party boy made no mistake with the finish to leave the Emirates stunned.

Xhaka was under minimal pressure in the middle of the park

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Xhaka was under minimal pressure in the middle of the park

But misdirected his pass into the path of Albrighton

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But misdirected his pass into the path of Albrighton

Leicester’s left-winger carried the ball before whipping in an inch-perfect cross

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Leicester’s left-winger carried the ball before whipping in an inch-perfect cross

Vardy cushioned the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 to the visitors

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Vardy cushioned the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 to the visitors

Seconds before the interval Danny Welbeck made it 2-2 when Lacazette’s half-blocked shot trickled into the path of Saed Kolasinac.

The Bosnian defender selflessly squared the ball to Welbeck who finished despite pressure from Schmeichel.

Lacazette turned and shot instinctively

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Lacazette turned and shot instinctively

The deflection fell for Kolasinac…

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The deflection fell for Kolasinac…

Leading to a simple finish for Welbeck

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Leading to a simple finish for Welbeck

Neutral fans were thankful for the two sides providing a thrilling introduction to the new season but for Arsenal fans the opening exchanges felt very familiar…

And so on and so forth.

Strap in lads, we’re in for a cracking season.


YOU CAN STILL PICK YOUR FANTASY TEAM, IT’S NOT TOO LATE!


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Because the Dream Team game – the UK’s biggest fantasy football game – is back and better than ever this season.

You’ve got a £50m budget to pick 11 players, with all the biggest new signings ready and raring to go ahead of a mouthwatering new Premier League campaign.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up to play now!