I TELL YAH INVITATIONAL LEAGUE

SEASON TWELVE

WEEK 1

The Premier League is thankfully back and started with a bang as Man City put out some early fears with a dominant 4-0 away win at Wolves. Newly promoted Sunderland got off to a great start with a 3-0 home destruction of West Ham, while Arsenal got a hard-fought 1-0 win at Man Utd.

In the game of the opening day, Liverpool beat Bournemouth 4-2 at home after being pegged back to 2-2 from a comfortable 2-0 lead. Spurs eased past Burnley 3-0 at home. Notts Forest picked up where they left off as they eased past Brentford 3-1 at home.

Leeds also got off to a much-needed good start by beating Everton 1-0 at home. Brighton drew 1-1 at home to Fulham. Villa got a 0-0 draw at home to Newcastle, despite going down to 10 men, and Chelsea drew at home with Crystal Palace 0-0.

In the opening week of the ITYFL, Yours Truly is the early pace setter at the top and obviously, this week’s Highest Scorer. I am on a revenge season mission after finishing bottom of my own league last season (how embarrassing). I recorded a very decent 81 point weekly score, thanks to captain Haaland (26) Wood (13) Ait-Nouri (9) Gakpo (7) Gabriel (6) Spence (6) and Brooks (4).

Former champ (Ahem) Charles Denton is in second following a decent weekly score of 76 points, with captain Haaland (26) Kudus (10) Saliba (9) Gakpo (7) Porro (6) Gabriel (6) and Van de Ven (6).

My middle son, Jahsiah T, is third, hoping to make an impact this season, beginning with a decent 70 point week due to captain Haaland (26) Wood (13) Sanchez (8) Reinildo (6) and Van de Ven (6).

My Old Skool mate Derick Fredericks makes up the Champions League places following his weekly score of 67 points, due to captain Haaland (26) Reijnders (10) Sarr (6) Van de Ven (6) Caicedo (5) and Aina (4).

My right-hand man, Tyrone Brown, makes a reappearance in the league and is off to a decent start in fifth, following a decent 66 point week. With Ait Nouri (9) Pope (9) Saliba (9) Lacroix (8) Salah (8) Stach (8) and Adingra (6). Owen Barnes is in sixth, with a 64 point weekly score. His contributions came from Semenyo (15) Kudus (10) Raya (10) Salah (8) Gabriel (6) and Aina (6).

Just a point behind in seventh is my oldest son, under his alias Tommy Devito, with a 63 point weekly score, due to captain Salah (16) Wood (13) Ait-Nouri (9) Gabriel (6) and Rice (6). Sanjay Beecher, flying the flat of USA & JA, is a point behind in joint eighth, following his 62 point week, with captain Salah (16) Haaland (13) Reijnders (10) Gabriel (6) and Van de Ven (6).

Joining in joint eighth, on 62 points, is my former work colleague Abdul Rahman, with contributions from captain Haaland (26) Cucurella (8) Salah (8) Sarr (6) and Aina (4). Making up the top ten, just a point behind is Kool FM’s Pressure X with a 61 point weekly score, due to Semenyo (15) Ekitike (11) Cucurella (8) Salah (8) Gabriel (6) and Alderete (4).

Full steam ahead to week 2, which will again start on Friday. Make it count y’all.