NO SURPRISES
As we approach the end of an opening round of Premier League fixtures that were brimful of promise and possibilities as recently as Friday afternoon, the number of bona fide surprises thrown up by the nine games played so far have amounted to what can charitably be calculated as the square root of eff all. Manchester United’s stumble to victory against Fulham got the ball rolling in suitably predictable fashion on Friday night. Then, an Ipswich team that has been patronised to within an inch of its life in recent weeks were swatted aside by the Arne Slot incarnation of Liverpool, despite a suitably plucky first-half performance from the Tractor Boys, in which the TNT Sports cameras spent more time lingering on the hobbit-like head of a local busker in the stands than the actual field of play. It was only after Ed Sheeran left at half-time to go and perform a gig that Liverpool hit their stride, their minds no longer preoccupied by the potential torment of him strapping on a guitar and ruining their day with an impromptu rendition of the exercise in aural torture and faux paddy-whackery that is Galway Girl.
