Premier League Preview: What’s on the agenda for Gameweek 3?

The Premier League season has started emphatically with plenty of fast-paced drama and despite it still being extremely early doors, the division is already beginning to take shape and we are getting a good idea of which teams will likely be where come next May.

Manchester City look as rampant as ever but Newcastle pushed them to the wire at the Etihad on Saturday, narrowly losing 1-0 thanks to a stunning first-half strike from Julian Alvarez.

Eddie Howe’s side look primed to enjoy another successful campaign once again this time out and face another immediate challenge in the shape of Liverpool’s visit this Sunday.

In what looks to be the standout fixture of the gameweek, the Reds travel to the north-east on the back of a 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday but will have their work cut out at a hostile St. James’ Park – a stadium that this new-look Newcastle team have turned into quite the fortress this year, losing just once in front of their home support since mid-March.

The 5-1 rout over Aston Villa on the season’s opening weekend was a huge statement of intent from Howe’s men and, despite losing to City, there were plenty of positives to be taken from their performance against the champions and there is certainly no shame in losing to a team that dispatch practically everything in their path – especially on home soil.

The game promises to be a thrilling affair and if last season’s match-ups are anything to go by we should be in for a real treat. Liverpool edged proceedings on both occasions – winning 2-0 at Anfield and 2-1 at St. James’ Park – with the latter a particularly explosive contest as Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo put the Reds two goals ahead within the opening 17 minutes, and Nick Pope was sent off for handling the ball miles out of his area just five minutes later. I doubt the Magpies shot-stopper will make the same mistake this time around but I won’t speak too soon…

Elsewhere, Arsenal and Fulham clash in an all-London affair at the Emirates. The Gunners made it two wins from two with a hard-fought win over Crystal Palace on Monday and look poised for another serious title-challenge this season after acquiring Declan Rice – who was outstanding at Selhurst Park – over the summer. Mikel Arteta’s side will certainly fancy their chances against Fulham following the Cottagers’ disappointing 3-0 defeat against Brentford on Saturday.

Chelsea go in search of their first victory of the new campaign when they take on Luton Town this Friday. A defeat against the Hatters would cast major question marks over the Blues’ ability to improve on last season’s horror show of a campaign where they finished a lowly 12th. The west Londoners crashed to a 3-1 loss against London rivals West Ham on Sunday and need an immediate reaction at Stamford Bridge to ensure they don’t fall too far behind so early on.

Similarly, Erik ten Hag will hope to see a much better performance from his side when they welcome Nottingham Forest to Old Trafford on Saturday. United have been largely unimpressive so far, fortuitously beating Wolves 1-0 before losing to Spurs 2-0 at the weekend – a result that has left them in 12th heading into this weekend’s third round of fixtures.

The action is coming thick and fast, it’s good to be back.

Premier League GW3 Fixtures In Full:

Friday 25 August

20:00 Chelsea v Luton Town

Saturday 26 August (3pm unless stated)

12:30 AFC Bournemouth v Spurs

Arsenal v Fulham

Brentford v Crystal Palace

Everton v Wolves

Man Utd v Nott’m Forest

17:30 Brighton v West Ham

Sunday 27 August