Opening Day Upsets, Arsenal's Statement, and a Fifa Power Shift

The Premier League's opening weekend delivered its share of drama. Arsenal left little doubt about their title credentials, dismantling promoted Coventry with Christos Tzolis the standout in a contest that was one-sided from the outset. But elsewhere the day produced sharper surprises: newly-promoted Hull City beat Manchester United 2-0, leaving Michael Carrick urging calm, while Brentford thrashed a disjointed Tottenham 3-0, prompting Roberto De Zerbi to admit his expensively assembled squad is not yet a team. Ipswich marked their own Premier League return with a Jack Clarke winner against his former club Sunderland, and Leeds claimed a fine away victory at Nottingham Forest through Anton Stach's late free-kick.

Beyond England, José Mourinho began his second spell at Real Madrid with a last-gasp 2-1 win at Espanyol, while Michael Olise powered Bayern past Dortmund to win the German Supercup. Inter Milan crushed Monza 4-1 in their Serie A opener.

The most significant story, though, may prove to have no final score. Senior African football figures have been sounding out Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafström as a potential challenger to Gianni Infantino ahead of next year's presidential election, with as many as 15 African federations said to be reconsidering their allegiances. It is the most credible internal threat to Infantino's grip on world football in years.