news-engine

A Manchester Derby headlines matchweek four of the Premier League, where Tottenham badly need a win and there are seven games on a bumper Saturday night of action. What the world is talking about this weekend Have Arsenal gone to another level this season? While there was some feeling that prolific transfer windows and productive deadline days for Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Tottenham might help ensure the Gunners don’t extend their advantage on the chasing pack while defending their title, Mikel Arteta’s side look ominous. Not only did they come back from a goal down to beat a revamped Chelsea on the weekend, but they have options everywhere you look, despite not signing a world class No.9 in the transfer window. Kai Havertz was superb in opening the scoring, while Martin Odegaard looked back to his best. Arteta has been able to summon Martin Zubimendi, Bruno Guimaraes, Victor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke off the bench, such is their depth, but the most telling factor is they still look as ruthless defensively, with new signing Ezri Konsa slipping in seamlessly, as ever. “The worrying thing for everyone else already, is that (French defender William) Saliba who was genuinely world class, arguably the best centre-back in world football, has not played a minute of football so far this season and it doesn’t look like anyone can score against them,” Premier League pundit Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports. The game you cannot miss The Manchester Derby. Premier League fans are being spoiled with a London Derby between Arsenal and Chelsea in week three, and now the Manchester instalment between City and United in week four. It is box office, but it is also the unknown, a first edition between Enzo Maresca and Michael Carrick. United still have a bit of convincing to do, having lost to Hull, come from behind before smacking five past Ipswich ahead of a 2-2 draw with Everton that exposed some further defensive uncertainties. City, meanwhile, have few excuses post Rodri’s departure now that they have broken their transfer record twice to bolster their midfield with Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez. They scratched to a 1-0 win over newly promoted Coventry on the weekend through the trusty and newly shaved head of Erling Haaland. This showdown at Old Trafford is a chance for both to make a statement and ignite their campaigns. The game you need to set your alarm for Is matchweek four too early to start to call it pressure cooker? It is creeping ever so quickly to that point for Tottenham, yet to score and with just one point after three games and a huge European summer transfer window spending spree. That, of course, means Roberto de Zerbi needs time to integrate all these new names – but time is not something readily available in the Premier League, especially without progress. On the weekend, against Nottingham Forest, they didn’t even muster a shot on target and afterwards, perhaps concerningly for Spurs fans, their manager was already singling out individual players for misfiring in attack. He said “in the last third we have to improve. We have to take the better decisions. We have to keep more calm when we are very close to doing something important in the last third”, before name dropping Omar Marmoush, Savio, Mateus Fernandes and Dominic Solanke. 2.30am AEST, Sunday, at home to Everton, Tottenham need a response. Lucas Herrington watch Hull, amazingly, head into matchweek four yet to concede a goal in their return to the Premier League. While Socceroos defender Lucas Herrington has only been used in the final 30 minutes of those games against Manchester United, Coventry and Aston Villa, his boss Sergej Jakirovic is under no doubt he’s locking things up when the Aussie comes on. “He is excellent,” his coach said after the game. “Great potential…I don’t have any fear when he is on the pitch.” The Tigers get a fantastic test at Chelsea on the weekend – no side has ever won four games on the trot after promotion, but they’ll need to shut down Xabi Alonso’s swashbuckling front three of Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, who have contributed to Chelsea’s eight goals in three games, to do so. The star you need to tell your mates about It seems obvious to pinpoint the second most expensive player in Premier League history, but, it is worth emphasising that in Bradley Barcola, Liverpool have spent £123million on a player that could become one of the Premier League’s pinup stars. Part of both France and Paris Saint-Germain’s formidable attacking units, the Frenchman arrives at Anfield as a bona fide star in the club’s difficult bid to replace Mohamed Salah. On debut, he came off the bench in a 2-0 win over Ipswich for his first taste of the Player League and attempted seven dribbles, completing five, in 26 minutes – but most notably his top speed of 35.9km/h was the fastest in the league this season. Undefeated Liverpool host a desperate Fulham on Saturday night; Alvaro Arbeloa’s side are now fighting against history. The only two other times they’ve opened a top flight campaign with three defeats, they’ve been relegated. Across town, Everton fans are celebrating the deadline day arrival of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time to steal a point in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United on debut. With a record of six goals in 119 appearances for France’s Lyon, he endeared himself immediately to the Toffees faithful, sparking jubilant celebrations. “Words can’t describe how I feel right now,” Maitland-Niles said on the BBC. The story to tell your mates about Brighton have completed the set of a win, loss and draw to start the season in entertaining fashion as they look to build on qualifying for Europe again. Most impressive is how they continue to renew and identify diamonds in the rough, with a manager, Fabian Hurzeler who himself is only 33, in charge. On the weekend, Malick Yalcouyé, 20, was singled out for praise for his display in attacking midfield, while 19-year-old defender Luka Vuskovic, back in the Premier League after a loan at Hamburg, is becoming something of a fantasy revelation, with his form in central defence alongside veteran Lewis Dunk. Matchweek Four on Stan Sport Saturday 11pm AEST Coverage Liverpool v Fulham Crystal Palace v Ipswich Town Bournemouth v Brentford Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest Chelsea v Hull Sunday 2.30am kickoff Tottenham v Everton Sunday 4am AEST coverage Sunderland v Arsenal Sunday 10pm AEST coverage Coventry v Brighton Manchester United v Manchester City, 1.30am AEST kickoff Tuesday 4am AEST kickoff Leeds v Newcastle