The Premier League continues this weekend with Matchday 3, and Sportsnet will have live coverage of five games.
Saturday, August 25
• Wolves vs. Manchester City, 7:00 a.m. ET (Sportsnet and Sportsnet World)
• Southampton vs. Leicester City, 9:30 a.m. ET (Sportsnet)
• Liverpool vs. Brighton & Hove Albion, noon ET (Sportsnet and Sportsnet World)
Sunday, August 26
• Watford vs. Crystal Palace, 7:30 a.m. ET (Sportsnet World)
• Fulham vs. Burnley, 11:00 a.m. ET (Sportsnet World)
Here’s what you need to know ahead of this weekend.
MARQUEE MATCH
Manchester United vs. Tottenham: All eyes will be on Old Trafford on Monday evening to see how the Red Devils respond after a listless display in a 3-2 road loss to Brighton & Hove Albion last week.
United also didn’t exactly impress in its season-opening win at home against Leicester City, and the club’s tepid performances through the first two weeks of the campaign have led to vocal criticism from fans and pundits, as well as to questions about Jose Mourinho’s future.
Tottenham enters this game in fine form off the back of wins against Newcastle United and Fulham. But an away date against Manchester United, even in its current state, is no easy task – Spurs have lost on each of their last four trips to Old Trafford.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Jack Wilshere, West Ham United: The English midfielder faces Arsenal for the first time since parting ways with the Gunners at the end of last season. His departure ended a 17-year tenure at Arsenal – he joined the team’s youth academy when he was nine. “It’s down to me to prove a point to Arsenal that they were wrong to get rid of me,” Wilshere told West Ham’s official website.
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WOLVES vs. MANCHESTER CITY
Manchester City is attempting to become the first reigning Premier League champion to win its first three matches of the season since 2011-12. Who managed to do it back then? Manchester United.
BOURNEMOUTH vs. EVERTON
Richarlison has scored in each of his Premier League matches for Everton. If he scores on Saturday, he would join Romelu Lukaku as the only other player to score in each of his first three Premier League appearances for the Toffees.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN vs. CARDIFF CITY
Saturday’s contest will mean Neil Warnock has managed in this fixture in the top three divisions in England. He was in charge of Huddersfield Town when they faced Cardiff in the third tier in 1993-94 and 1994-95, and he managed Cardiff against Huddersfield in the Championship in 2016-17.
SOUTHAMPTON vs. LEICESTER CITY
Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho has scored more Premier League goals (three in four appearances) against Southampton than against any other side.
LIVERPOOL vs. BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Liverpool is unbeaten in its last 22 Premier League matches at Anfield (with 14 wins), and has kept a clean sheet in the last six. The last time they recorded seven consecutive shutouts at home in the Premier League was in February 2007, when they kept nine.
WATFORD vs. CRYSTAL PALACE
If Troy Deeney scores on Sunday it will be his 100th goal for Watford in all competitions.
FULHAM vs. BURNLEY
Burnley is unbeaten in its last 10 Premier League matches against promoted sides (with two wins).
NEWCASTLE UNITED vs. CHELSEA
Maurizio Sarri is looking to become the fifth Chelsea manager to win his opening three Premier League matches, after Antonio Conte, Carlo Ancelotti, Guus Hiddink and Jose Mourinho.
THE BIG QUESTION
Every week, Sportsnet’s soccer panel will debate The Big Question. Have your say by voting in the poll below:
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HE SAID IT
“My idea is control. Control in the game – but the opposition want the same thing. I know we need intensity in every moment in the games. This control is to not let the opposition do their work, their play. For me, we didn’t have the control in our first two matches. Saturday is another match, tactically it is different. I want to have more control to find the win in this match.” – Arsenal manager Unai Emery
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