Hostilities are renewed good and early in the English Premier League this weekend, as round three of the new season pits a pair of the country’s most famous rivals against each other.
Manchester United have home advantage as they brace for a north west derby clash with Liverpool on Sunday.
The Reds make the short trip east with two wins from two to start life under new coach Arne Slot, while the Red Devils were opening night winners at Old Trafford before coming unstuck on the road last weekend.
A London derby also lights up Sunday’s fixture hat-trick, as Chelsea meet Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
The big-spending Blues’ bad start a fortnight ago was rectified as they bashed in six goals in the second round of action, with their visitors from south of the River Thames yet to pick up a point as last season’s improving form so far eludes them.
Two Uefa Champions League qualification hopefuls, meanwhile, meet in the north east when Newcastle host Tottenham.
Both have four points on the board after their opening pair of EPL games, with an early unbeaten run at stake for the pair at St James’ Park.
Seven Saturday fixtures in the top flight build towards the evening contest between West Ham and reigning champions Manchester City.
It’ll require a marathon effort from the Hammers at the London Stadium if they are to snatch anything from Pep Guardiola’s machine, who have already secured two wins from two to start the new campaign.
Arsenal also have a maximum six-point haul after the opening fortnight, in a perfect start to their mission to avoid finishing as the bridesmaids to City for a third season running.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners play the Saturday lunchtime Premier League kick off as they welcome Brighton to the Emirates Stadium, with the Seagulls having also caught the eye with a perfect record of their own under new wunderkind coach Fabian Hurzeler.
A nightmare start to the new season for Everton sees the Toffees rock bottom and without a goal ahead of the visit of Bournemouth to Goodison Park.
The Cherries make their final league trip to the famous old stadium also without a victory, although they do remain unbeaten going into their efforts to compound the misery for Sean Dyche and Co on Merseyside.
There are also a pair of all-Midlands EPL contests on Saturday, with Aston Villa versus Leicester the pick.
Both have already tasted defeat, with the promoted Foxes looking to make good their top flight comeback and the Villans preparing to combine domestic duties with an expanded Champions League adventure.
The tables have turned early doors, however, for Nottingham Forest and Wolves.
Gary O’Neill’s men head to the City Ground pointless and with those six goals shipped at home to Chelsea fresh in the memory, while the hosts may well have put last season’s travails behind them with an impressive four points from their first possible six.
Ipswich are already in a scrap to keep the romance of their top flight return alive, with the grim reality of the task at hand highlighted by losses to hot shots Liverpool and Manchester City.
No disgrace in that for flavour-of-the-month coach Kieran McKenna and his Tractor Boys, who will at least reckon themselves in the contest when they welcome Fulham to Portman Road.
Early points are also required in west London on Saturday when Brentford take on Southampton.
Bees fans will be expecting a second win of the new season as they eye a nudge up the table from last season’s relegation worry, while the promoted Saints are so far without a point as they attempt to make their Premier League return stick.
Latest EPL Predictions
Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion
| Result prediction | Arsenal to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Arsenal / Arsenal to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | L. Trossard(Arsenal) D. Welbeck(Brighton & Hove Albion) |
Brentford v Southampton
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Southampton / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Y. Wissa(Brentford) |
Everton v AFC Bournemouth
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Everton / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Ipswich Town v Fulham
| Result prediction | Fulham to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Fulham to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Fulham |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | S. Szmodics(Ipswich Town) |
Leicester City v Aston Villa
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | J. Durán(Aston Villa) |
Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers
| Result prediction | Nottingham Forest to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Nottingham Forest / Nottingham Forest to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | C. Wood(Nottingham Forest) C. Hudson-Odoi(Nottingham Forest) |
West Ham United v Manchester City
| Result prediction | Manchester City to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Manchester City / Manchester City to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | E. Haaland(Manchester City) P. Foden(Manchester City) |
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
| Result prediction | Chelsea to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Chelsea to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | N. Madueke(Chelsea) J. Mateta(Crystal Palace) E. Eze(Crystal Palace) |
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
| Result prediction | Newcastle United to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Newcastle United to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | A. Gordon(Newcastle United) Pedro Porro(Tottenham Hotspur) |
Manchester United v Liverpool
| Result prediction | Liverpool to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Liverpool / Liverpool to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Mohamed Salah(Liverpool) |