The English Premier League goes derby crazy this weekend, with a full round of fixtures as the table starts to take early shape.
Three local derbies are sprinkled throughout the EPL weekend but it’s another rival clash that tops the bill on Sunday afternoon when resurgent Manchester United face table-toppers Arsenal at Old Trafford.
Thursday night’s win on the road was a third in a row for new Red Devils chief Erik ten Hag, hauling United up the standings and putting their opening two defeats firmly in the rear-view mirror.
That’s nothing compared to the Gunners, though, who boast the league’s only remaining perfect record with five wins from five ahead of their date in the north west.
The Premier League weekend kicks off a little further along the M62 on Saturday lunchtime with the Merseyside derby.
Liverpool are tracking their rivals in red with back-to-back victories allowing boss Jurgen Klopp to breathe a little easier going into the short trip across the city to Goodison Park.
No such luck for Frank Lampard’s Toffees, who have collected just three points so far and remain in search of their first win of the campaign.
London is not to be left out in the rival stakes either, as Lampard’s former clubs Chelsea and West Ham collide at Stamford Bridge as one of six 15.00 (BST) kick offs.
Neither side has hit the heights of last season yet, with coaches Thomas Tuchel and David Moyes both hot under the collar at times before August was even out.
There’s another local tussle across the capital at the same time, with Tottenham going up against Fulham.
Spurs were denied a share of second place by the Hammers in midweek, while the Cottagers picked up their second victory on returning to the top flight to maintain an impressive sequence since promotion from the Championship.
Manchester City have rattled in 19 goals already, with summer signing Erling Haaland notching a second successive hat-trick in the week to set EPL defences across the country firmly on edge.
They arrive at Aston Villa on Saturday evening with home boss Steven Gerrard really wishing they weren’t, with the Liverpool legend and his charges under the spotlight after four defeats from five so far.
Only Leicester sit below their fellow Midlands strugglers, with Foxes coach Brendan Rodgers probably also wishing he were back at Anfield.
They have the unpalatable proposition of a trip down to Brighton on Sunday, with the Seagulls looking to hit back straight away after suffering their first loss of the season on Tuesday.
Elsewhere on Saturday it’s a return to home comforts at St James’ Park for Newcastle, following their last-gasp heartbreak at Liverpool, as Crystal Palace head up to Tyneside.
Wolves and Southampton go toe-to-toe at Molineux with Bruno Lage looking for a belated kickstart to the new campaign and the Saints aiming to win a third in four matches,
Midtable duo Brentford and Leeds meet in west London with both attempting to find the winning formula after a run of sticky results.
Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth complete the programme at the City Ground, nearly a week after the visitors fired boss Scott Parker following their 9-0 humiliation at Liverpool.
English Premier League predictions for 3 – 4 September
Prediction methodology explained:ย The expected win percentage is based off publicly available odds. For example, if a team’s odds are 2.30, the expected chance of winning is 43%. If the odds are 1.62 the expected chance of winning is 62% and so on. These are accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change. Where there is no value listed, the odds were not available at the time of writing.
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Everton | 13 | |
| Liverpool | 71 | 65 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Chelsea | 65 | 66 |
| West Ham | 18 | 1 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Brentford | 48 | 56 |
| Leeds | 29 | 20 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Newcastle | 50 | 78 |
| Crystal Palace | 27 | 20 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Nottingham Forest | 51 | 58 |
| Bournemouth | 25 | 50 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Tottenham | 67 | 64 |
| Fulham | 15 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Wolves | 45 | 41 |
| Southampton | 31 | 14 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Aston Villa | 13 | |
| Manchester City | 74 | 76 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Brighton | 55 | 33 |
| Leicester | 22 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Manchester United | 40 | 46 |
| Arsenal | 37 | 36 |