Premier League predictions & results: Gameweek 3
The Premier League is back in full swing and *checks notes* there’s new sheriffs in town at the top of the table – David Moyes‘ wonderful West Ham.
Hot on their heels are the usual suspects, with Chelsea and Liverpool in particular looking impressive during their opening two outings of the campaign – and they played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Anfield on Saturday evening. At the other end, it’s already looking like it will be a long old season for Norwich, and they are joined in the relegation places by a struggling Arsenal.
Read on for a summary of this weekend’s results so far and a look ahead to Sunday’s games – as well as what 90min think the scores will be.
Manchester City 5-0 Arsenal
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ performance!
? 5-0 ? #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/QdjRLPlwsT
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 28, 2021
Manchester City romped to an easy Premier League win over a very poor Arsenal, who played more than half of the game with 10 players after Granit Xhaka was sent off.
Just as it was when they thrashed Norwich a week ago, the game was over for City as a contest in the first half. The champions cut through the Gunners far too easily and led 2-0 inside 12 minutes thanks to easy goals Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres.
Arsenal already had a mountain to climb, but Xhaka made it impossible with a moment of madness in the closing stages of the first half. The Swiss international, who is supposed to be a leader and one of their ‘experienced’ players, flew into a two-footed tackle and had no right to argue with the referee’s decision to produce a red card – although he did try.
City made it 3-0 before half-time, while a fine team goal early in the second half was finished off by Rodri. The latter strike summed up the game because Arsenal defenders were chasing shadows on the edge of their own box before the Spaniard nonchalantly stroked the ball home.
City didn’t let up and Torres got his second of the day in the closing stages when he drifted off the back of Rob Holding and converted an easy header.
You can read 90min’s full player ratings here.
Aston Villa 1-1 Brentford
Aston Villa and Brentford played out a high tempo and fiercely contested 1-1 draw at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.
In a frantic opening fifteen minutes, two stars of last season’s Championship netted their first Premier League goals for their respective clubs. Aston Villa’s Emi Buendia swiftly cancelled out Ivan Toney’s opener to begin a breathless first half between two sides trying to close the other down.
While the tackles continued to fly in, the legs and minds grew weary and the second half became an increasingly fractious and physical, but largely even affair.
The Villa Park crowd were treated to a fleeting sight of former Brentford forward Ollie Watkins – who arrived to applause from all four sides of the stadium – dovetailing with new signing Danny Ings, but that partnership, nor anyone else, could add to the early scoring.
You can read 90min’s full player ratings here.
Newcastle 2-2 Southampton
Newcastle were denied their first Premier League win of the season by a 95th minute penalty in a 2-2 draw with Southampton.
The Magpies were second-best for much of the game, and thought Allan Saint-Maximin’s last minute strike was enough to seal all three points, but James Ward-Prowse’s spot kick pegged them back.
Moussa Djenepo should have put Southampton ahead midway through the first half, but he skied Tino Livramento’s low cross from six yards out. The Mali international spurned another opportunity from close range moments later as the crowd began to turn on the home side.
Jacob Murphy flashed a free-kick just over the bar as Newcastle went in search of an opener against the run of play, with Alex McCarthy denying Callum Wilson with an instinctive save from a corner on the verge of half-time.
Newcastle carried their attacking intent into the second half with Saint-Maximin firing into McCarthy’s side-netting after the break. Their visitors responded by going up the other end and threatening again through Djenepo, whose effort curled just wide.
But it was Steve Bruce’s side who took the lead when Murphy’s header at the back post was directed perfectly into the path of Wilson to tap in.
Southampton found an equaliser with 20 minutes remaining, with Mohamed Elyounoussi firing home from Nathan Redmond’s cross.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side went in search of a winner, but were caught on the counter in the dying embers of the game. Saint-Maximin led Newcastle up the pitch and found Joelinton, who cut back inside to tee up Ryan Fraser. The Scot’s shot was cleared off the line, but his French teammate was on hand to blast in the rebound.
The drama wasn’t over there, though. With seconds remaining, Jamaal Lascelles brought Adam Armstrong down in the box, and after a VAR check, Southampton were awarded a penalty. James Ward-Prowse netted the resulting spot kick to snatch a point.
You can read 90min’s full player ratings here.
Brighton 0-2 Everton
FT. Our unbeaten start continues! ? pic.twitter.com/RMvXshCD6F
— Everton (@Everton) August 28, 2021
Everton took their points tally at the start of the new Premier League season to seven from a possible nine, beating a Brighton side that never really got going at the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls had plenty of possession in the opening stages but didn’t create much in the way of chances to score. The Toffees, meanwhile, were a clear threat with the speed of Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend on either wing.
It was Gray who made the breakthrough for the visitors, scoring his second goal of the season with a driving run into the penalty area and finish across the goal.
Everton made it two in the second when Seamus Coleman was fouled in the penalty area and Dominic Calvert-Lewin calmly converted from the spot. It became a pressure kick for the striker because Richarlison had tried to take the ball for himself and was confronted by Coleman and Townsend, who had to diffuse a potentially nasty situation.
Leandro Trossard looked the most likely player in a Brighton shirt to make something happen, although in the end it seemed that Everton were more likely to score a third than let the hosts back into the game. Alex Iwobi impressed off the bench in that respect.
You can read 90min’s full player ratings here.
Norwich 1-2 Leicester
Leicester City returned to winning ways on Saturday afternoon, condemning Norwich City to their third defeat in three games with a 2-1 win at Carrow Road.
The Foxes broke the deadlock on eight minutes, when Brandon Williams was caught napping in possession, and Ricardo Pereira picked out Jamie Vardy in the penalty area, who made no mistake curling a strike into the far corner.
Norwich didn’t allow this setback to affect them, and went in search of an equaliser. Kasper Schmeichel made a couple of good saves, but he could do nothing to stop Teemu Pukki levelling the scores from the spot on the stroke of half-time, after Caglar Soyuncu brought down Pierre Lees-Melou in the box.
Leicester looked to reinstate their advantage in the second half, and Youri Tielemans came close, but his effort flew over the bar. The Canaries had chances too, but Schmeichel stood firm. And the Foxes struck with 15 minutes to play, after Vardy’s pass found Marc Albrighton, and the winger’s deflected strike fizzed past Tim Krul.
Norwich thought they’d equalised immediately after, when Kenny McLean headed home from a corner, but Todd Cantwell was adjudged to have been offside while standing directly in front of Schmeichel, meaning the goal was disallowed.
Brendan Rodgers‘ men held on to claim a vital victory, sinking Norwich to the worst possible start to life back in the top flight.
You can read 90min’s full player ratings here.
West Ham 2-2 Crystal Palace
West Ham’s 100% start to the 2021/22 Premier League season came to an end on Saturday as Crystal Palace held them to a 2-2 draw at the London Stadium.
The Hammers twice took the lead through goals from Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio, but both were responded to by fine strikes from Conor Gallagher.
The Hammers will certainly be annoyed as they miss the opportunity to go back on top of the Premier League table. For Palace, Saturday’s clash saw them get their first goals of the campaign and first point – a welcome relief for new boss Patrick Vieira.
You can read 90min’s full player ratings here.
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
The first real clash of two title contenders in the league this season didn’t disappoint – for most of the first half at least.
Chelsea visited Anfield and looked in a strong position after they took the lead in the first half through a Kai Havertz header, and they created opportunities to even add to their tally as Liverpool struggled to break through. Break through they did though, after Reece James was judged to have handled the ball on the line in an end-of-first-half goalmouth scramble.
Mohamed Salah converted emphatically from the spot, but the second half was a story of resolute defending from the 10-man visitors and relative struggles for Liverpool’s famed attack. A draw was perhaps a fair result in the end.
You can read 90min’s full player ratings here.
Tottenham vs Watford
What time is kick off? 14:00 (BST)
Where is it being played? Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
TV channel? Peacock Premium (US)
Everything is hunky dory in north London once more. Tottenham have won two games out of two in the Premier League, are through to the group stages of the Europa Conference League, and Harry Kane no longer wants to push through a move to Manchester City.
Do newly promoted Watford stand a chance this weekend then? Yes, is the absolute honest answer to that, but it’ll take something special from the Hornets to smash down the feel good factor at the *checks notes again* Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Someone please rename that thing.
Prediction: Tottenham 2-0 Watford
Burnley vs Leeds
What time is kick off? 14:00 (BST)
Where is it being played? Turf Moor
TV channel? Sky Sports Main Event (UK), fuboTV (US)
Sean Dyche vs Marcelo Bielsa is the kind of match anybody would pay to watch at Wrestlemania – or perhaps on a CM Punk-headlined AEW Rampage card, depending on your wrestling preference.
Instead, the grandest stages of them all will have to do without as win-less Burnley entertain a Leeds side at Turf Moor who are still running 150,000km every game under their masterful Argentine tactician.
It’ll be physical, it’ll be fast paced and it should have goals in it.
Burnley predicted lineup
Leeds predicted lineup
Prediction: Burnley 1-3 Leeds
Wolves vs Manchester United
What time is kick off? 16:30 (BST)
Where is it being played? Molineux
TV channel? Sky Sports Main Event (UK), fuboTV (US)
At the time of writing, Manchester United are neck deep in negotiations for a sensational Cristiano Ronaldo return.
That slightly overshadows their visit to Wolves this weekend, but game faces will need to be on if United are to get back on the winning trail. Last week against Southampton, the Red Devils‘ quality in central midfield was pretty bleak to say the least, and they ended up drawing a game they really should have won.
Wolves, meanwhile, slipped to a second straight defeat, courtesy of a Dele Alli penalty for Spurs. The home side deserved better, and took out their frustration on Nottingham Forest midweek with a thumping win. Whether that’s enough to get anything from this game is another story.
Prediction: Wolves 1-2 Manchester United