RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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I was at St James' Park on Sunday and when I regained my composure after the beautiful and poignant celebrations of the great Kevin Keegan's life, I quickly understood the devil-may-care approach that Matthias Jaissle's Newcastle United side brought to the party.
Liverpool were champions two years ago. They have spent many hundreds of millions of pounds since, on a squad which still looks threadbare, but on Sunday they were matched by a very young midfield duo delivered at a fraction of the cost.
Florian Wirtz (£116m) and Alexander Isak (£125m) were stifled by 20-year-old Lewis Miley, who cost nothing, and 18-year-old Sean Steur, who was signed for a measly initial £20m from Ajax. Putting that sort of youth up against world superstars would have been considered foolhardy until very recently, but the new coaches aren't bringing any fear with them into their new roles.
It is not just the newbies either, Everton's engine room under Davie Moyes had Premier League debutant Hayden Hackney (£24m from Middlesbrough ) beside 19-year-old Harrison Armstrong, a Toffees academy graduate. They were still trusted to control the midfield and duly dispatched Crystal Palace .
This was always going to be a season of upheaval with all the managerial changes but it might be even more substantial than that. It could be the dawn of a complete shift in outlook.
Arsenal with their quality and experience might still see off the wannabe challengers in the end. Then again, weren't they riding the crest of this wave of organised chaos, utilising set-piece bedlam, as they won the title last season?
The big take: The league is always exciting but hasn't always given us enough tales of the unexpected, this season promises to be different. The newcomers appear to have a lack of fear and a love of chaos.
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