Bukayo Saka is confident he will agree to a new contract with Arsenal, revealing he feels "really loved" by Mikel Arteta and his Gunners teammates.

Saka has emerged as a key part of Arsenal's side since making his league debut in 2019, and hit the net 11 times to finish as their top Premier League goalscorer last season.

Since the start of last campaign, meanwhile, no Gunners player has recorded as many Premier League assists as Saka (eight), and only Martin Odegaard has created more chances (80 to Saka's 75).

While Saka's current deal does not expire until 2024, Arsenal are keen to tie one of their most important assets to new terms in order to avoid being placed in a vulnerable position at the end of the season.

Ahead of a 3-0 win at Bournemouth earlier this month, Arteta said he was "very confident" a new contract would be agreed with the England international.

When those comments were put to Saka ahead of Arsenal's Premier League meeting with Aston Villa on Wednesday, the 20-year-old responded: "I share his confidence.

"I really feel the love from my team-mates, my coaches and the fans as well. I feel really loved here."

Arsenal have made a perfect start to the new Premier League season, winning their first four games as Arteta earns plaudits for implementing an entertaining style of play since the acquisitions of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Saka hailed the Spaniard's man management skills as crucial to his development, adding: "I feel like he's always there for me. 

"He knows when to speak to me, it's not too much but it's not too little, and the different bits of advice he gives me are special and it makes such a difference."

Arsenal are looking to start a top-flight campaign with five consecutive victories for the fourth time when they welcome Villa to the Emirates Stadium, having previously done so in 1930-31, 1947-48 and 2004-05.

The Gunners ended the first two of those seasons as champions, finishing as runners-up to Chelsea last time they made such a strong start.

Chelsea continued their frustrating start to the Premier League season with a disappointing loss at Southampton – which had previously been a happy hunting ground.

The Blues took an early lead but could not hold off a Southampton comeback, leaving Thomas Tuchel's side with just two wins from their opening five league games.

Brighton and Hove Albion's unbeaten start came to an end against Fulham at Craven Cottage, Crystal Palace conceded a late equaliser against Brentford, while Leeds United and Everton shared the spoils in a fiery 1-1 draw at Elland Road.

Here, Stats Perform unpacks the pick of the data from Tuesday's fixtures in the English top flight.

Southampton 2-1 Chelsea: Sterling delivers but Saints finally sink Blues at home

Romeo Lavia and Adam Armstrong cancelled out Raheem Sterling's opener as Southampton beat Chelsea at home in the Premier League for the first time since March 2013.

Saints were winless in nine games at St Mary's against Chelsea in the competition and would have feared a familiar fate after Sterling poked home in the 23rd minute.

That marked the forward's 169th goal involvement (112 goals, 57 assists) in the top flight, a tally bettered by only Harry Kane (230) Sergio Aguero (209 and Jamie Vardy (175) since Sterling made his debut in March 2012.

But Lavia soon hit back as he became the fourth youngest Southampton player to score in the Premier League, with the recent arrival aged just 18 years and 236 days.

A smart Armstrong finish then inflicted consecutive top-flight away defeats on Chelsea for the first time under Tuchel, who may have reasons for concern after an underwhelming start to the new campaign.

Indeed, Chelsea (W2 D1 L2) have lost two or more of their first five games in a Premier League season for just the second time this century. The last time it happened, they finished 10th in 2015-16 after opening with three losses in five games.

Fulham 2-1 Brighton and Hove Albion: Mitrovic ends Seagulls' flying start

Brighton headed to Craven Cottage unbeaten in nine league games, winning six of those, but were undone by Aleksandar Mitrovic and a Lewis Dunk own goal.

Mitrovic continued his fine form in front of goal for his 48th-minute opener, scoring for a fourth time in the Premier League against the Seagulls, more than he has managed against any other side in the competition.

The Serbian's strike also marked his 100th league goal in Fulham colours before Dunk turned into his own net – his sixth Premier League own goal, more than any other player since the start of the 2016-17 season.

Richard Dunne (10), Martin Skrtel (7), Phil Jagielka (7) and Jamie Carragher (7) are the only players to find their own net more in Premier League history than Dunk, who endured a night to forget.

Alexis Mac Allister offered brief hope of sparing Dunk's blushes with a penalty, but Fulham held on to reach eight points from five games, their best start to a top-flight season since the 2012-13 term (nine points).

Crystal Palace 1-1 Brentford: Zaha-reliant Eagles suffer more London derby frustration

Wilfried Zaha continued to carry the hopes of Selhurst Park on his shoulders, but his curling effort was not enough to see Palace to a rare London derby victory.

The Ivory Coast international found the top-right corner in the 59th minute to open the scoring, his 13th goal in 20 appearances in the Premier League in 2022, as many as he managed in his previous 45 games in the competition.

Zaha has also scored six of Palace’s last seven home league goals, but the Eagles could not hold out for what would have been just a third win in their last 20 top-flight London derbies.

Yoane Wissa denied Palace in the 88th minute with a fourth league goal in his last eight games on the road.

Brentford have now avoided defeat in five of their last eight Premier League games where they conceded first (W2 D3 L3), while Palace have won just one of their last five when opening the scoring in the league.

Leeds 1-1 Everton: Lampard's men let another lead slip

Everton remain winless this season in the Premier League (D3 L2), despite taking the lead at Elland Road through Anthony Gordon. Expecting Everton to hold a lead has become a fool's game.

Luis Sinisterra's leveller means that since Frank Lampard's first league game in charge of Everton in February, only Leicester (16) and Wolves (14) have dropped more points from winning positions than the Toffees (13).

Leeds would have seen this as an opportunity to put three more points on the board, but at least their unbeaten run at home continues. They have earned eight points from their last four league games at Elland Road (W2 D2), which is as many as they had mustered from their previous 11 (W2 D2 L7).

Will Gordon stay with Everton beyond Thursday's transfer deadline, or could the links to Chelsea see him move on? He has now scored two goals in his last two Premier League games, having netted just four in his first 52 appearances. His last two strikes have been away from home, with each of his first four coming at Goodison Park.

Thomas Tuchel declared Chelsea must improve "as fast as possible" after claiming "it does not take a lot" to beat the Blues at present after their underwhelming Premier League start continued at  Southampton.

Chelsea took the lead through Raheem Sterling on Tuesday, but goals from Romeo Lavia and Adam Armstrong turned the contest on its head as Southampton secured a 2-1 success.

Having been thrashed 3-0 by Leeds United on their last road trip, Chelsea have now suffered back-to-back away league defeats for the first time since December 2020.

Tuchel, meanwhile, has suffered consecutive league losses on the road for the first time since he was coaching Paris Saint-Germain in August 2019.

After Southampton moved level with the disjointed Blues in the early-season Premier League table, Tuchel was at a loss to explain their troubles.

"I don't know if concerned is the word, I absolutely dislike to lose and it's the second time in the season, very early," he told BT Sport.

"I think it does not take a lot to beat us. This is what I don't like. We are humble enough to understand that we can lose matches and of course, away matches.

"We don't like it and we try to win every match but the way we do this is something we need to understand as fast as possible and to change.

"It's difficult, I don't know why, we start well in all the games almost, and obviously we struggle with our focus and consistency in matches.

"It's not enough to play 20 minutes good, we did the same in Leeds. Then one thing goes against us, and we struggle to find answers and fight our way back if things don't go in our direction."

Meanwhile, Sterling has now scored each of Chelsea's last three goals, and while Tuchel is concerned by his team-mates' attacking struggles, he emphasised the importance of rediscovering their defensive composure. 

"It is what it is and it's the reality. We played with four offensive players now many, many times," Tuchel said.

"I think in the first 20 minutes we created chances, half-chances but we struggled to score, which is also not brand new for us and does not necessarily need to have the consequence that you lose matches.

"You can also win 1-0 or 2-0 with a late goal, so no problem. But then you need to have a clean sheet, you need to be more focused. 

"The amount of individual errors, the lack of concentration is simply too high at the moment to win football matches consistently. We can win, of course, but it's not consistent enough." 

Chelsea were without Reece James due to illness and the injured N'Golo Kante on the south coast before sustaining another blow when Ruben Loftus-Cheek was withdrawn at half-time after suffering discomfort.

Tuchel was visibly frustrated with the injury woes that have hampered Chelsea as he added: "It's a hamstring injury, so the next midfielder is out and nobody is left.

"The recommendation for Mateo Kovacic was 20 minutes, we made 45 out of it. That's the situation.

"I also don't understand why we are in this situation regarding the injuries, and the injuries like all players in midfield. But that's the way it is, and we need to find solutions."

Paris Saint-Germain have signed midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Napoli.

Fabian has agreed a five-year deal with the Ligue 1 champions, becoming their fifth new recruit in the transfer window following the arrivals of Vitinha, Renato Sanches, Nordi Mukiele and Hugo Ekitike.

The Spain international has ended a four-season stay at Napoli, where he lifted the 2019-20 Coppa Italia, as he moves to the French capital for a reported initial €21.5million fee.

Fabian said: "I'm very happy to sign for Paris Saint-Germain. It's a joy for me to start this new stage of my career in this country.

"And I'm proud to come to one of the best clubs in Europe with the best players in the world. It's a truly exciting challenge."

The 26-year-old scored seven goals and provided four assists as Napoli finished third in Serie A last season, completing more passes (1,966) than any other Partenopei player in the competition.

Since he joined Napoli in 2018, only Dries Mertens and Ruslan Malinovskyi (both 15) have scored more goals from outside the penalty area in Serie A than Fabian (13).

His arrival to bolster the PSG midfield, along with Portugal duo Sanches and Vitinha, comes after Christophe Galtier allowed Georginio Wijnaldum to join Roma.

Fabian's exit represents another blow for Napoli after the departures of key trio Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Lautaro Martinez put the seal on Inter's 3-1 victory against Cremonese at San Siro after first-half goals from Joaquin Correa and Nicolo Barella gave the Nerazzurri full control.

The hosts were in front early on when Correa converted a rebound from a parried Edin Dzeko shot, before a superb strike from Barella made it 2-0 before half-time.

Simone Inzaghi’s hosts took their foot off the gas after the interval, but they added a third through substitute Martinez before David Okereke netted a late consolation.

The three points mean Inter bounce back from Friday’s 3-1 defeat to Lazio as they move up to second, just one point behind leaders Roma. Cremonese are still yet to pick up a point this season, kept off the bottom by Monza on goal difference.

The hosts were ahead after 12 minutes when visiting goalkeeper Ionut Radu, on loan from Inter, palmed a powerful Dzeko shot straight into the path of Correa, who finished with ease.

Inter dominated the first half, and they doubled their lead shortly before the break with a wonderful volley from Barella, after a perfectly weighted cross from Hakan Calhanoglu picked him out on the edge of the box.

After the interval, the visitors started to have more of the ball and a vicious Luca Zanimacchia effort flew just over Samir Handanovic’s crossbar.

Dzeko nearly added a third for Inter when a brilliant Denzel Dumfries flick-on put the striker in on goal, but Radu made an excellent stop from the close-range shot.

Despite Cremonese's improved second-half performance, Martinez secured the three points with an excellent finish into the bottom corner after Barella played him in.

The visitors grabbed their reply in the dying seconds, with a delightful curling effort from Okereke denying Inter a clean sheet.

Southampton came from behind to stun Chelsea 2-1 as Adam Armstrong's goal dealt Thomas Tuchel's men their second defeat of the Premier League season.

Chelsea hit the front through Raheem Sterling after 23 minutes, but Romeo Lavia's powerful long-range strike dragged Southampton level five minutes later before Armstrong put the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time.

With Reece James missing through illness, Chelsea struggled to create throughout a disjointed performance, and Kai Havertz squandered their best chance to level after the break.

The result saw Ralph Hasenhuttl's men draw level with Chelsea in the early Premier League table after a lively display, as the Blues' unconvincing start to the campaign continued.

Sterling produced a tame attempt when presented with Chelsea's first chance 13 minutes in, but he made amends to hand the Blues the lead, turning to poke home at the second attempt following good work from Mason Mount.

Chelsea's lead did not last long, however, with Lavia latching onto Havertz's clearance to open his Premier League account in spectacular fashion by drilling a vicious 18-yard strike past Edouard Mendy.

Southampton then hit the front through a well-worked goal as half-time approached, Armstrong controlling Romain Perraud's cross before composing himself and firing into Mendy's top-left corner.

Marc Cucurella kept Chelsea in the contest with an incredible goal-line block from Mohamed Elyounoussi's header after the break, before Havertz headed over from six yards when left unmarked as he met Cesar Azpilicueta's cross.

That represented Chelsea's clearest opportunity to find a leveller, with Thiago Silva forced to clear Mohammed Salisu's 73rd-minute header off the line as Saints went close to a third.

What does it mean? Away-day blues continue for Tuchel

Chelsea never looked entirely comfortable on the south coast despite taking an early lead, and the meek loss means they have lost consecutive Premier League away matches for the first time since December 2020 under Frank Lampard.

Tuchel, meanwhile, has been dealt his first back-to-back league losses on the road since he was coaching Paris Saint-Germain in August 2019, and his attentions will now turn to attracting much-required reinforcements before the transfer deadline.

Sterling shows his value

Having fired Chelsea to a hard-fought victory over Leicester City last time out, Sterling maintained his strong start at Stamford Bridge by opening the scoring.

Since Sterling made his Premier League debut for Liverpool in March 2012, he has 169 goal involvements in the competition, putting him level with Mohamed Salah with the joint-fourth highest tally in that time.

Armstrong ends drought

Armstrong had endured a long wait for a Premier League goal, with his composed strike marking his first time on the scoresheet in 18 games since he netted against Aston Villa last November.

The striker has only scored three times in 43 appearances in the competition overall, and Tuesday's strike is sure to be remembered as his most crucial to date.

What's next?

Chelsea welcome West Ham to Stamford Bridge for a London derby on Saturday, while Southampton go to Wolves on the same day.

Milan will go into the derby with Inter having suffered another early blip in the Scudetto race after being held to a 0-0 draw at Sassuolo.

The defending Serie A champions got back to winning ways at the weekend with a 2-0 victory over Bologna, having previously been held by Atalanta.

But they were not at their best on Tuesday in a game they would have lost had Mike Maignan not saved a first-half penalty from Domenico Berardi – the Italy international who later came off with a seemingly concerning injury.

It means Milan are still unbeaten with two wins and two draws from four games, but the stalemate offered Inter – along with the likes of Roma, Napoli and Lazio – the chance to leapfrog the Rossoneri in this round of midweek fixtures.

Milan unsurprisingly made the early running and went close in the 16th minute when Brahim Diaz dragged wide from the edge of the area.

Yet Sassuolo were gifted a chance to take the lead when Giorgos Kyriakopoulos was tripped just inside the box by Alexis Saelemaekers in the 21st minute.

However, Berardi's penalty lacked direction and Maignan was equal to it, his save providing a huge let-off for the champions.

Berardi's day got worse when he had to be helped off seven minutes into the second half and was clearly emotional in the dugout after coming off. 

Kristian Thorstvedt drew a comfortable save from Maignan as the hosts initially enjoyed the better of the second period.

Chances at either end were few and far between thereafter, though, Milan hitting the target just twice in an underwhelming display that was capped by Alessandro Florenzi limping down the tunnel in injury time.

Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur dedicated her shock victory over Simona Halep in the opening round of the US Open to the people in her war-torn country.

The world number 124 marked her debut in the main draw of a major with a 6-2 0-6 6-4 win at Flushing Meadows on Monday.

Snigur is the lowest-ranked player to win a grand slam match against Halep – one of the favourites for the title – since Maria Sharapova at the same tournament in 2017.

She is also the first female qualifier to win a US Open match against a top-10 seed since Johanna Konta eliminated Garbine Muguruza seven years ago.

Making Snigur's achievement all the more incredible is that the 20-year-old's training base in Kyiv was bombed by Russia, forcing her to instead prepare for the event in Riga.

Reflecting on the biggest win of her burgeoning career, a tearful Snigur said: "This is a victory for Ukraine, for all Ukrainian people, for my family, for my team.

"The situation is bad, of course. I try to do the best for Ukraine, I try to support my country.

"It's not so easy because the war is continuing. Sometimes it's impossible to play but I try to do my best because I want to live in Ukraine.

"I have to say thanks to Simona for this incredible match. I want to thank all the fans who watched our match today."

Two-time major champion Halep has lost just three of her past 19 first-round matches in grand slams, though each of those have come at the US Open.

Snigur will now face Rebecca Marino, who defeated Magdalena Frech in straight sets to advance to the second round.

Bournemouth have sacked Scott Parker as head coach after a run of three league defeats.

The Cherries began their first season back in the Premier League with a 2-0 opening day win against Aston Villa.

Comprehensive losses to Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool followed, though, with the 9-0 scoreline at Anfield on Saturday the joint-heaviest defeat in the league's history.

Following that game, Parker said: "There is no denying we are under-equipped at this level".

A statement on Bournemouth's website on Tuesday read: "AFC Bournemouth can announce that the club has parted company with head coach Scott Parker.

"Gary O'Neil will take interim charge of the team, and will be assisted by Shaun Cooper and Tommy Elphick."

Bournemouth co-owner Maxim Demin said on Parker's departure: "I would like to place on record my gratitude to Scott and his team for their efforts during their time with us. Our promotion back to the Premier League last season under his tenure will always be remembered as one of the most successful seasons in our history.

"However, in order for us to keep progressing as a team and a club as a whole, it is unconditional that we are aligned in our strategy to run the club sustainably. We must also show belief in and respect for one another. That is the approach that has brought this club so much success in recent history, and one that we will not veer from now.

"Our search for a new head coach will begin immediately."

Parker left his previous job at Fulham to take charge at the Vitality Stadium in July 2021 and guided Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship in his first season, finishing second behind his former club.

Despite the promising start against Villa, Bournemouth lost their next three league games to City, Arsenal and Liverpool, conceding 16 times and failing to score themselves, though did beat Norwich City on penalties in the EFL Cup second round last week.

Overall, the former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder took charge of 55 games at Bournemouth, winning 28, drawing 14 and losing 13.

Parker becomes the 10th manager to either be sacked or resign with four games or fewer of a Premier League season played.

RJ Barrett is close to signing a four-year extension with the New York Knicks worth up to $120million, according to reports.

The 22-year-old guard will become the youngest player in Knicks history to earn over $100m from a deal.

However, the news may indicate an end to the franchise's pursuit of Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz.

It had been expected that Barrett would be part of those negotiations, but according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the player's agent Bill Duffy of BDA Sports and WME Sports has advised his client is penning an extension in New York.

Barrett made 70 appearances for the Knicks last season, averaging 20 points per game, as well as 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

The number three pick from the 2019 NBA Draft recorded 3,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 three-pointers before he turned 22, joining an elite group of five to have done so along with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic.

Serena Williams joined elite company in the final tournament of her playing career becoming the fourth player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam match in her teens, 20s, 30s and 40s.

Williams joined 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, former world number four and three-time major semi-finalist Kimiko Date Krumm and six-time major winner and sister Venus Williams in achieving the feat.

The American's 6-3 6-3 win over Danka Kovinic in the US Open first round on Monday comes ahead of her 41st birthday next month, with Williams aged 40 years and 337 days.

The 40-year-old has been lauded for her decorated playing career, highlighted by 23 Grand Slam titles, but none of that is possible without endurability.

Williams's career spans 27 years, having turned professional in 1995 and having first played in a major in 1998 at the Australian Open. She played in that year's US Open too and has won every first-round match at Flushing Meadows in her career (21).

The ceremony and pomp after Monday's win was bigger than ever, with words from Oprah Winfrey and Billie Jean King along with an extended interview conducted by Gayle King with Williams, followed by a crowd display of signs reading "We love Serena".

It all offered a level of finality, despite Williams still being live in the tournament, albeit with a tougher test against second seed Anett Kontaveit to come on Wednesday.

Despite all that Williams, who has steered clear of the word retirement instead using "evolution", teased reporters when she replied to a question about the US Open definitively being her final tournament with a smile: "Yeah, I've been pretty vague about it, right? I'm going to stay vague because you never know."

Every team after every single draft believes they nailed it with their class of rookies. Yet the percentage of draftees who go on to have a transformative impact in their first NFL season is a small one.

Those players who do hit the ground running as rookies can completely change the direction of their franchise. That was the case in 2021, as fifth overall pick Ja'Marr Chase exploded onto the scene and helped propel the Cincinnati Bengals to within minutes of a Super Bowl victory.

Last season also saw Micah Parsons, the first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, establish himself as one of the most fearsome defensive players in the league.

Both Chase and Parsons earned individual honours as they won the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards respectively.

The 2022 NFL Draft was not of the same standard as the 2021 class, but this group of rookies still features several players who could replicate the rise to stardom Chase and Parsons enjoyed in their maiden campaign.

Aidan Hutchinson - Edge Rusher, Detroit Lions

No edge defender in the NFL draft comes into the league as well-rounded as Hutchinson, who has already flashed his tremendous potential in the preseason for the Lions.

With flexibility, power, quickness and a wide array of pass-rush moves in his arsenal, Hutchinson’s pressure rate of 30.8 per cent was the second best of all edge prospects in this year's class.

The tools that saw him amass 14 sacks in his final season with Michigan should translate excellently to the pros and significantly boost a Lions defense that ranked 27th in pass rush win rate last season.

After a 2021 campaign in which they went 3-13-1 but lost six games by one score, the Lions are viewed by many as a team on the rise.

They are unlikely to compete for the playoffs this year but Hutchinson's floor is high enough for him to quickly blossom into a household name with a standout season for a team that should at least take another step forward on the path to contention.

Chris Olave - Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints

Olave had to wait to hear his name called after former Ohio State team-mate Garrett Wilson, but he is in a better position to immediately succeed at the highest level.

A smooth and detailed route-runner with the speed to test defenses deep, Olave figures to mesh perfectly with a typically aggressive quarterback in the form of Jameis Winston.

The former Buckeye was sixth in burn rate among wide receivers in this class in 2021, winning his matchup with a defender on 69.9 per cent of his targets. He was tied third in burn yards per target (14.08) while recording the second-highest average depth of target (14.3).

With the health of Michael Thomas still a concern, Olave could quickly become the top target in the Saints' offense. Given his proclivity for gaining separation downfield, such an opportunity has the chance to result in substantial production for Olave, provided Winston's encouraging pre-injury form of 2021 does not prove a false omen.

If they get serviceable quarterback play, the Saints have the roster to contend for a return to the postseason and Olave will have a strong chance of following in Chase's footsteps by winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year if he is a key factor in a campaign that ends in a playoff berth for New Orleans.

James Cook - Running Back, Buffalo Bills

For the past four years, the Bills have not had a player eclipse 870 rushing yards in a season, so it made sense to take a swing on Cook in the second round.

Despite none of their backs coming close to the 1,000-yard mark of late, the Bills are one of only six teams to average at least 150 rushing yards per game across the past three seasons, reaping the benefits of quarterback Josh Allen's dual-threat skill set.

Cook, the younger brother of Minnesota Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook, was a star during his time at Georgia, averaging 6.5 yards per carry for his career with the Bulldogs and finishing his final season with 1,012 scrimmage yards on 140 touches, ranking fifth among Power 5 backs with 7.2 scrimmage yards per touch. He had seven touchdowns on the ground and four through the air as Georgia rode him to their first National Championship since the 1980s.

Cook thrived because of his burst to the second level and his long speed, which could heighten the big-play threat of a running game that racked up 60 runs of 10 yards or more in 2021, the seventh most in the NFL.

And, even when not afforded a huge advantage, Cook can be effective. He was fifth in the NCAA in yards per carry on plays where there was a run disruption.

His recieving skills saw him record 11 receptions of at least 10 yards, tied for 12th among Power 5 backs, last season. Playing in an offense that consistently has defenes fearing the deep ball from Allen, Cook has the potential to become a dynamic short-game weapon who can take advantage of the underneath space he will often be afforded.

Not since LeSean McCoy have the Bills had a back with the all-round ability Cook possesses. Their offense could be borderline unstoppable should the Bills immediately harness his talents and put Cook in position to ascend to his brother's level of stardom as a rookie.

George Karlaftis - Edge Rusher, Kansas City Chiefs

When the Chiefs selected the Purdue edge rusher with the 30th pick of this year’s NFL Draft, it was the highest draft pick they had committed to the position since taking Dee Ford with the 23rd pick back in 2014.

The Chiefs ranked 19th in the league in sacks in 2020, before plummeting to 29th in that category in 2021, illustrating their inability to take care of arguably the defense's most important job – hitting the quarterback.

This past season, the Chiefs blitzed at the eighth-highest rate in the league (28.1%) and were credited with 278 quarterback pressures. Only nine teams produced more in the regular season. But the league's best quarterbacks thrive against the blitz, and a more sustainable formula for defensive success is to create consistent pressure by sending only four rushers.

That is where Karlaftis can thrive.

In his 26 games at Purdue, Karlaftis totaled 29 tackles for loss and 14 sacks, and his pressure rate of 21.9 per cent was the sixth-best among all edge rushers in this draft class.

Set to play alongside Chris Jones, arguably the premier defensive tackle in the NFL not named Aaron Donald, on the Chiefs' front, Karlaftis could become an immediate difference-maker for a Chiefs' team eyeing another Super Bowl push if his monstrous physical traits translate to the NFL as many expect.

Christian Watson - Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers

The Packers have one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the sport, coming off back-to-back league MVP awards – but it remains to be seen if Aaron Rodgers' weapons are up to the task.

Only Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp received more targets in 2021 than Davante Adams, Rodgers' favourite target since 2016 who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. Watson was one of the men picked to help fill the void, selected 34th overall this year’s draft out of North Dakota State.

Standing 6ft 5in tall, Watson is a height-weight-speed receiver who ran a 4.36 40-yard dash and has the versatility to do damage as a receiver and out of the backfield. He carried the ball 49 times for his career in Fargo, averaging eight yards per rush and racked up over 20 yards per reception as a pass catcher.

However, he played against weaker competition in the FCS, and has seemingly been usurped on the depth chart this preseason by fellow rookie Romeo Doubs, who was selected in the fourth round. Doubs is younger, has been producing since his true freshman season and may, at this point, be a better football player, but the Packers will need more than one receiving threat to emerge this season and Watson's athletic gifts, duplicity and big-play upside give him the highest ceiling of any receiver on their roster.

If he establishes a rapport with Rodgers, Watson could play a massive role in finally getting the Packers over the top.

Kaiir Elam - Cornerback, Buffalo Bills

The Bills already have one All-Pro cornerback in Tre'Davious White and hope they have found another after using their first-round pick on Elam.

Elam rose up the draft board following an impressive final season with Florida in which he more than held his own against some of the SEC's best.

His performance against Jameson Williams in the Gators' clash with Alabama was one that drew effusive praise and Elam finished the year 10th among all corners in the draft in burn yards per target allowed, giving up 8.52.

Elam's success in providing tight coverage was on display in his preseason debut against the Indianapolis Colts, offering further encouragement he can enjoy a smooth and swift transition to the pros.

A physical and aggressive corner with the speed to stay in lockstep with blazers like Williams, Elam's man coverage skills may allow a Bills defense that was 22nd in blitz rate (22.9%) last year to throw a more diverse array of pressure packages at opponents as they bid to get over the hump and win a first Super Bowl.

Playing across from a corner of White's reputation, Elam will be tested continually. His own profile will grow rapidly should he pass those tests.

Antoine Griezmann scored the winner just a couple of minutes after coming off the bench as Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 1-0 in a feisty LaLiga clash on Monday.

Griezmann and Thomas Lemar were brought on midway through the second half by Diego Simeone at the Mestalla and they combined to secure all three points.

Griezmann took a pass from Lemar before opening the scoring with a deflected shot to make it two wins out of three for Atleti.

With new signing Edinson Cavani watching on, Valencia had a goal from Yunus Musah disallowed in the first half following a VAR check as they slumped to back-to-back defeats.

Alvaro Morata came close with an early effort from close range, but Valencia started to look the more threatening and it appeared they had taken the lead 25 minutes in.

Musah beat Jan Oblak with a rasping long-range drive, but referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez ruled the goal out following a check on the pitchside monitor for a foul by Mouctar Diakhaby on Joao Felix.

Coaches Simeone and Gennaro Gattuso were booked as tempers flared on the touchline, before Joao Felix was denied by Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Fernandez was centre stage again when he sent Thierry Correia off for a professional foul on Morata, but changed his decision and instead dished out a yellow card to the defender.

Mamardashvili used his left foot to keep out Morata's finish when the striker was sent clear right at the end of a frantic first half.

Neither side looked particularly threatening in the second half until Lemar and Griezmann made an instant impact off the bench, the midfielder winning possession and setting up the France forward, whose left-foot shot from outside the area deflected in off Carlos Soler.

Mamardashvili produced an excellent save to thwart Yannick Carrasco after Matheus Cunha had a goal ruled out for offside and Valencia's impressive keeper prevented Griezmann from claiming a double.

Cunha's effort struck the crossbar via a strong hand from Mamardashvili, but Griezmann's goal proved to be enough.

Andy Murray equalled Lleyton Hewitt by claiming his 47th main-draw win at the US Open as he came through a tricky first-round clash with Francisco Cerundolo.

Just under 10 years on from his maiden grand slam triumph at Flushing Meadows, where he famously beat Novak Djokovic in a near five-hour final, Murray overcame 24th seed Cerundolo in relatively short order.

The world number 51 produced one of the more impressive performances since his return from hip surgery to win 7-5 6-3 6-3 in two hours and 42 minutes on the Louis Armstrong Stadium court.

It is a success that moved him level with Australian great Hewitt, with whom he now shares ninth place on the all-time list for the most main-draw wins in New York.

Additionally, it marked Murray's first straight-sets win at a grand slam since his fourth-round victory over Benoit Paire at Wimbledon in 2017.

Cerundolo, meanwhile, is still awaiting his first main-draw win at a major.

He has enjoyed a breakthrough year, winning his first ATP title at the Swedish Open in July and reaching a career-high ranking of 24, but fell at the first hurdle for the third successive major having failed to qualify for the Australian Open at the start of the year.

Murray will play John Millman or Emilio Nava in the second round.

Leeds United host Everton on Tuesday, but both sides are learning to adapt to life without two star Brazilians.

Raphinha and Richarlison were instant hits after joining the clubs in 2020 and 2018 respectively.

While Raphinha was a relatively under-the-radar arrival from Rennes for a reported £17million, eyebrows were raised when Everton spent an initial £40m to bring in Richarlison from Watford. 

A double on his Everton debut swiftly endeared Richarlison to Evertonians, and he went on to score 53 goals across all competitions in his four seasons at Goodison Park.

Neither player will be involved at Elland Road on Tuesday. Raphinha is at Barcelona, and Richarlison will be preparing for Tottenham's match against West Ham.

But who has been the biggest miss so far, and what strides have Leeds and Everton taken towards attempting to replace them?

What are they missing?

Across his two seasons in the Premier League, Raphinha directly contributed to 29 goals, scoring 17 times and providing 12 assists, at least one more than any team-mates.

The variety of his strikes was hugely impressive, with seven of his league goals for Leeds coming from outside the area. Only one player – Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse – could boast a better total (nine) in the same time frame. That quality was on show when he planted a wonderful strike into the top-right corner for Barca against Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly in the United States.

He has started well at Barca, with only three players in LaLiga creating more goalscoring opportunities so far than the 25-year-old (eight).

Raphinha's 11 league goals last season marked his best performance since the 15 he netted in the 2017-18 campaign, when he played for Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal. He did not score as freely for Sporting CP, and only managed seven goals during his sole full season with Rennes in France, but in Marcelo Bielsa's system, he thrived.

One of the hardest-working wide players in the Premier League, Richarlison provides flair to go with the graft and snide that endears him to his fans. He played at least 30 league games in each of his seasons on Merseyside, operating all across the front line and even as a number 10 at times under Rafael Benitez.

While not as creative as Raphinha, whose tally of 129 chances created in the league for Leeds betters the total managed by Richarlison in his four years at Everton (109), Richarlison's knack of finding space in behind defences and between the lines mean he is often in the right place at the right time to apply a finishing touch.

Meanwhile, his tenacity off the ball was demonstrated perfectly by his assist for Harry Kane's second goal for Spurs against Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Having chased what looked like a lost cause, Richarlison picked out Kane with a sublime outside-of-the-boot cross, supplying Tottenham's talisman with a simple header into a gaping net.

The replacements

Raphinha was not the only big player to leave Leeds, with Kalvin Phillips having been sold to Manchester City. 

Leeds, eager to back Jesse Marsch, moved quick to reinvest those funds into the squad. Luis Sinisterra was drafted in from Feyenoord as Raphinha's de-facto replacement.

More comfortable playing on the left, but also capable of featuring from the opposite flank, Sinisterra has pace and skill in abundance. A hamstring injury in pre-season was cause for concern but he returned in time to make his debut as a substitute against Southampton on August 13.

A wonderful strike on his full debut – in an EFL Cup win over Barnsley last week – demonstrated what the Colombia international, who scored 23 goals for Feyenoord last term, is all about.

Brenden Aaronson, Marcsh's compatriot, is an attacking midfielder who shone for Salzburg and has made a bright start to life in England and will help plug the gap, too.

Matters have been more complicated for Everton when it comes to replacing Richarlison. 

While he has so far had to settle for cameo roles at Spurs, Richarlison was Everton's attacking hub. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin injured for so much of last season, it was his 10 goals, with six of those coming from April onwards, that were crucial to keeping Frank Lampard's team up. He was involved in 10 of Everton's 11 league wins in 2021-22.

With Richarlison sold at least in part to appease the Premier League's profit and loss regulations, Everton have not been able to use the initial £50m they received from Spurs as freely as they would have liked.

Dwight McNeil has been brought in but is not a goalscorer, putting extra onus on Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon, who is drawing the interest of Chelsea. Neal Maupay arrived last week to ease some of the strain, but with Calvert-Lewin injured again, Everton's attack looks blunt.

Who is coping better?

At the time of writing, Leeds look better equipped to make up for the loss of Raphinha than Everton do Richarlison.

That could change in the coming days, with Everton linked with moves for Ben Brereton Diaz (Blackburn Rovers), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves) and PSV star Cody Gakpo, with the latter two also said to interest Leeds, and the Whites' own Daniel James. That being said, those moves might hinge on Gordon's future.

Leeds have taken seven points from their opening four fixtures, whereas Everton have just two to their name. While they were defeated by Brighton on Saturday, they have already scored seven goals. With striker Rodrigo in form, the Whites have slightly outperformed their expected goals (xG - 6.8)

Everton, on the other hand, have underperformed theirs, scoring three times from an xG of 4.8, suggesting the finishing abilities of Richarlison – and, in fairness, Calvert-Lewin – have been missed. Golden opportunities missed by Gordon and Gray in draws against Nottingham Forest and Brentford are glaring examples of where a forward of Richarlison's prowess would likely have done better.

It is a long season, and Tuesday's match between the sides that finished 17th and 16th respectively last season should not be taken as a sure indicator of where these teams will end up. But as for the two absent Brazilians, it is Leeds who are adapting quicker.