Matchday 3 of the Premier League kicks off with Arsenal taking on Brighton in the early game, looking to build on their strong start. Later, Brentford will clash with Southampton in what promises to be an exciting encounter. Manchester City will travel to West Ham in the afternoon, aiming to continue their impressive form. Sunday’s action features Chelsea hosting Crystal Palace, Newcastle going head-to-head with Tottenham, and the highlight of the weekend: Manchester United versus Liverpool. Fans are eagerly awaiting this top-of-the-table showdown, which could be a season-defining clash.
Table of Contents
Arsenal vs Brighton
Gabriel Jesus missed Arsenal’s recent game due to a groin injury from training and is expected to miss Saturday’s match as well, joining Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) on the sidelines. Arsenal might debut their new signing Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, but he will likely start on the bench as Thomas Partey is expected to keep his spot in midfield. Leandro Trossard could start against his former club Brighton, replacing the out-of-form Gabriel Martinelli. Brighton’s new player Matt O’Riley, who got injured early in his debut, is expected to miss the game along with Solly March (knee). Evan Ferguson is back from an ankle issue but might not replace Danny Welbeck, who is aiming to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time in a decade.Brighton’s Euro 2024 star Ferdi Kadioglu might also make his debut at left-back.
Brentford vs Suthampton
Southampton have struggled in their return to the Premier League, losing their first two games to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, despite conceding only two goals. Their recent EFL Cup match against Cardiff City was a thrilling 4-4 draw, with Southampton winning thanks to late goals from Cameron Archer and James Bree. As they aim for their first Premier League points, Southampton could face a tough time against Brentford, a team they’ve lost to in their last three meetings without scoring a goal. Brentford has bolstered their attack by signing Gustavo Nunes from Gremio, while Ivan Toney’s future remains uncertain amid interest from top clubs. Brentford will miss several key players due to injuries, but their regular goalkeeper, Mark Flekken, is expected to start. Southampton is trying to sign Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale before the transfer deadline, especially with Gavin Bazunu out until early 2025 due to an Achilles injury. Ross Stewart is still working on his fitness, but Kamaldeen Sulemana is back from injury and could strengthen Southampton’s attack.
Everton vs Bourneouth
Last weekend, Bournemouth thought they had snatched a late win against Newcastle, but VAR ruled out Dango Ouattara’s last-minute goal for handball, leaving the game at 1-1 after Marcus Tavernier’s opener and Anthony Gordon’s equalizer. Bournemouth’s bad luck continued in midweek as they were knocked out of the EFL Cup by a late West Ham goal, extending their winless streak in all competitions to five matches. Bournemouth hasn’t won in their last two trips to Goodison Park but did beat Everton 2-1 at home in March. Everton’s defensive issues have improved, with Seamus Coleman back from injury, but Nathan Patterson and Jarrad Branthwaite remain sidelined. Bournemouth might give a debut to on-loan goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, but they are still missing key players like Enes Unal, Tyler Adams, and David Brooks due to injuries. Daniel Jebbison is expected to be replaced by new signing Evanilson, while Julian Araujo and Milos Kerkez should return to the starting lineup.
Ipswich vs Fulham
Fulham had a tough start to the season with a 1-0 loss to Manchester United but bounced back with a 2-0 win over Leicester City, thanks to goals from former Arsenal players Emile Smith Rowe and Alex Iwobi. They also advanced in the EFL Cup with a win over Birmingham City. Fulham hasn’t won two of their first three top-flight games since the 2008-09 season, but they’ve had a strong record against Ipswich, winning their last six encounters. Ipswich, struggling with injuries to several key players, has seen new signings feature in recent matches but might rotate their squad. Fulham, on the other hand, has a clean bill of health and may field the same starting XI for the third consecutive Premier League match, with Smith Rowe looking to score in back-to-back games for the first time since December 2021.
Leicester City vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s perfect start to the season was halted with a 2-0 loss to Arsenal, after they had beaten the Gunners twice last season. Villa struggled, with Ollie Watkins missing key chances, and goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey sealed their defeat. Manager Unai Emery is focused on improving the team’s defense, as Villa have not kept a clean sheet in their last seven Premier League games. They face Leicester on Saturday, a team that has scored against them in 13 of their last 15 meetings. Villa has won only seven of their last 28 matches against Leicester but has performed better in recent visits to the King Power Stadium. Leicester will be without Patson Daka and Jakub Stolarczyk due to injuries, but Luke Thomas and Conor Coady are back in fitness. Aston Villa’s Matty Cash is out for a month with a hamstring injury, so either Kosta Nedeljkovic or Ezri Konsa will play right-back. Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings are recovering from knee injuries, and backup goalkeeper Robin Olsen could be available for the bench. Morgan Rogers, who impressed against Arsenal, is expected to continue in attack, with Leon Bailey, Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans, and John McGinn likely starting in midfield.
Nott’m Forest vs Wolves
Wolves are struggling this season, having lost their first two Premier League games to Arsenal and Chelsea, with a heavy 6-2 defeat to Chelsea last weekend. They have made many defensive errors and are yet to earn any points, with only one win in their 19 August matches since promotion in 2019. Wolves got a boost with a 2-0 EFL Cup win over Burnley, thanks to two goals from Goncalo Guedes. They are unbeaten in their last six away games against Nottingham Forest, who will miss midfielder Danilo until December due to an ankle injury and might also be without Ryan Yates. New signing Alex Moreno may start at left-back, while Gibbs-White and other attackers like Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood will lead the Forest attack. For Wolves, Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, and Leon Chiwone are injured, but Nelson Semedo is back from a ban. Semedo might replace Pedro Lima, while Yerson Mosquera and Toti Gomes are expected to play in defence. Guedes could start in attack, but Gary O’Neil is likely to stick with Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen up front.
West Ham vs Manchester City
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui got his first win last weekend with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace, thanks to goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen. The Hammers also progressed to the EFL Cup third round with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth, although their late goal would likely have been disallowed if VAR had been used. They will face Liverpool in the next round but first have tough Premier League matches against Manchester City and Fulham. West Ham hasn’t beaten Manchester City in their last 17 Premier League meetings. City have started the season strongly, winning their first two league games and scoring six goals while conceding only one. Erling Haaland has been in great form, scoring four goals in those matches, including a hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Ipswich. City have a strong record against West Ham, having lost just one of their last 14 league visits to the Hammers.
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke started in Chelsea’s Conference League loss to Servette, but their participation against Crystal Palace is uncertain due to the quick turnaround. Despite this, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is likely to stick with most of the lineup that recently beat Wolves. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, is dealing with injuries in defense. New signing Chadi Riad was injured in their game against Norwich, leaving them with limited options at centre-back. While Palace has been unlucky in their first two games, Chelsea seems to be finding their rhythm.
Newcastle vs Tottenham
Tottenham visit Newcastle for the final Premier League match before the international break. Spurs are feeling positive after a 4-0 win over Everton, especially following a disappointing 1-1 draw with Leicester in their opener. They are looking for revenge after being thrashed at St James’ Park last season. Newcastle might be without Joe Willock, who was injured in their Carabao Cup win against Nottingham Forest, and Callum Wilson, who is also out injured. Sandro Tonali is available, but Fabian Schar is suspended. Spurs will check on Dominic Solanke’s fitness after he missed the Everton match with an ankle injury. Newcastle have struggled this season, and Spurs could take advantage of that with their strong attack.
Manchester united vs Liverpool
Erik ten Hag is aiming to recover from Manchester United’s recent loss to Brighton, with the team feeling optimistic due to their summer signings. However, another defeat could increase the pressure on him. United might be without key players like Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund, Luke Shaw, and Leny Yoro, and Ten Hag must decide if Marcus Rashford, who is out of form, should start. On the other side, Arne Slot has begun his Liverpool career with two 2-0 wins, though some fans are still unsure about him. A win at Old Trafford could solidify his position, with Ibrahima Konate expected to continue at center-back due to Jarell Quansah’s injury, and Diogo Jota and Ryan Gravenberch playing crucial roles in attack and midfield.
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