Saturday saw the commencement of Matchday 3 in the English Premier League, with numerous top teams taking to the field. Although it remains early in the season, a few teams are starting to distinguish themselves from the rest.
The reigning champions, Manchester City, appear poised to dominate once more, having secured three consecutive victories. Liverpool could potentially join them with a perfect record if they triumph over Manchester United on Sunday. Conversely, Arsenal experienced their first setback, squandering a lead to settle for a 1-1 tie against Brighton.
Let’s delve into the events of Week 3 in the EPL.
Arsenal, a Man Down, Settle for 1-1 Draw with Brighton
Joao Pedro’s second-half goal for Brighton resulted in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in north London.
Initially, Arsenal seemed on course to maintain their flawless record when Bukayo Saka delivered a pass to Kai Havertz, who netted it past Bart Verbruggen in the 38th minute to give Arsenal the lead.
The dynamic of the game, however, shifted dramatically after Declan Rice received a second yellow card in the 49th minute for delaying Joel Veltman’s free-kick. Arsenal had to play the remainder of the match with ten men, a factor that proved decisive.
Utilizing the numerical advantage, Brighton intensified their efforts and equalized in the 58th minute when Yankuba Minteh’s shot was deflected in by Pedro.
Havertz had an opportunity later on to clinch the victory for Arsenal, but Verbruggen’s superb save ensured the match ended in a draw.
Substitute Yasin Ayari came close to putting Brighton ahead, but David Raya managed to keep his effort out.
The draw, while not disastrous, sees Arsenal drop to mid-table, now trailing Manchester City by 2 points. Their next challenge will be against Tottenham in a fortnight.
Man City Continue Their Dominance with Another Win
On Saturday, Manchester City secured a 3-1 victory over West Ham, with Erling Haaland once again stealing the limelight. The Norwegian striker netted a hat-trick for the second time this season, taking his tally to seven goals in just three games – four more than any other player.
This makes Haaland the first player to achieve two hat-tricks in the opening three league matches of a season since Paul Jewell did so for Bradford in the 1994/95 season.
Haaland’s first goal came in the 10th minute, courtesy of a pass from Bernardo Silva that sliced through the West Ham defense. Although West Ham equalized through an own goal by Ruben Dias off Jarrod Bowen’s cross, Haaland quickly restored City’s lead with a powerful strike from just outside the box midway through the first half. He completed his hat-trick late in the game with a deft chip over the keeper after beating the offside trap.
This win places Pep Guardiola’s team at the summit of the table, while West Ham slip to 14th. Given their current form, Manchester City appear tough to dislodge from the top spot, provided they remain injury-free. Their next Premier League match is against Brentford on September 14th.
Check out our EPL predictions page to find more info about the upcoming matches.
Other Matchday 3 Scores
Here is a summary of the scores from the EPL’s Matchday 3 games that were held on Saturday.
| Nottingham Forest | 1 |
| Wolves | 1 |
| Leicester City | 1 |
| Aston Villa | 2 |
| Ipswich Town | 1 |
| Fulham | 1 |
| Brentford | 3 |
| South Hampton | 1 |
| Everton | 2 |
| Bournemouth | 3 |
