Premier League Matchday 3 Predictions: Arteta vs Alonso Takes Centre Stage
Chelsea just can’t stop scoring under Xabi Alonso, Everton may have lost out on a player or two but they are yet to lose a game and Hull just keep finding ways to keep on winning.
Two matchdays in and the league’s already refusing to sit still… and neither are we with our Premier League week three predictions.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change.
Ipswich Town vs Liverpool
Whether they like it or not, one streak will come to an end in the opening match of Matchday 3 on Friday night.
Ipswich, currently unbeaten in their last 18 home matches, face a slow-starting Liverpool side unbothered in their last 20 Premier League matches against newly promoted sides – including the double over the Tractor Boys in 2024/25.
Gary O’Neil’s side have spent big this summer in a bid to right those wrongs, bringing in top talent from around Europe – notably Julio Enciso, who has assisted in both games so far.
But money may not be enough to buy a win against the Reds, who will almost certainly be looking at Portman Road as a chance to pass go and collect their first three points of the season after failing to beat Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
New signing Bradley Barcola is expected to travel with the squad and feature after trading Paris for Merseyside this summer in a deal that, like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak before him, runs well over the £100 million mark.
Barcola’s addition alone should give Andoni Iraola's side a much-needed lift – even if their marquee signing doesn’t start the game.
Barcola scored three times and assisted once at the World Cup for France and is a steadfast 4/5 to do either on his Liverpool debut.
BetMGM selection: Barcola to score or assist @ 4/5
Newcastle vs Bournemouth
When Newcastle meet Bournemouth goals are all but guaranteed, as seen across the previous four meetings that have produced a staggering 18 goals.
Surprisingly the home side have won just two of their last eight Premier League games against the Cherries, who have more than enjoyed their time up north by going unbeaten in their last three at St James’ Park.
Time will tell if this trend translates to the two new managers, who are both lauded for their attacking, front-foot football that has seemingly worked out better for Matthias Jaissle than Marco Rose at the moment.
Jaissle, who was seconds away from managing a famous victory over Liverpool and whose team shut out a wayward Tottenham in their own state-of-the-art yard in arguably the best performance of the week on Matchday 2.
Rose, on the other hand, is yet to taste all three points in the league after being less than 10 minutes away from a rare win at the Etihad and even closer to beating Everton at home.
Over 2.5 goals in the match currently priced at 8/15 looks a smart play, considering it’s landed in all of the last four in this exact same fixture on Tyneside.
If anyone is most likely to contribute to that, it’s Anthony Elanga. The Swede is the first player in black and white since Alan Shearer in 2003/04 to score in the opening two league games.
BetMGM selection: Over 2.5 goals @ 8/15
Hull vs Aston Villa
No matter what else happens, Hull's upset victory over Manchester United will make the highlight packages as one of the biggest moments of the season – one they backed up with last week's win over fellow newcomer Coventry.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, are yet to get off the mark with two losses from two on top of becoming the first team since 2003/04 to register zero shots on target in their first two games of a season.
It looks highly unlikely that trend continues though – especially against the Tigers, who faced 14.6 shots on average last season in the Championship and 21.0 on average after two games back in the big time, albeit via a smaller sample size. The heroics of keeper Konstantinos Tzolakis have rewarded Sergej Jakirović's side with back-to-back clean sheets – a trend that should run its course eventually up against stronger opposition.
Villa's own new arrival between the sticks, Zion Suzuki – who averaged 3.27 saves per game last season for Parma – looks an astute and assured signing for Unai Emery.
Which is why we fancy the Japan international to make three or more saves at 4/5.
In terms of a winner, we fully expect the Villans to spoil the party here as the pressure to get up and running mounts – much like last season when they failed to win a game until Matchday 6.
BetMGM selection: Suzuki 3+ saves @ 4/5
Everton vs Manchester United
Transfer window and squad depth aside, Everton have started the season strong by beating Crystal Palace 2-0 on the opening weekend then earning a hard-fought draw at Bournemouth courtesy of a Hail Mary strike from James Tarkowski in injury time.
They’re back at Hill Dickinson Stadium this time around – a ground where they haven't won back-to-back games since moving in.
The Toffees and Manchester United traded 1-0 wins on away soil last season, with the Red Devils coming off worse of the two after failing to capitalise on an Idrissa Gueye red card for striking his team-mate Michael Keane inside 13 minutes.
Our 11/4 Bet Builder points to another hard-hitting affair, only far more open than the previous two matches, made of Thierno Barry to have a shot on target, Bruno Fernandes to score or assist, both teams to be carded and both teams to score.
Through no fault of his own, Barry is Everton’s only senior striker; not that it’s bothering him just yet – the Frenchman ranking third for non-penalty xG over the first two matches.
Fernandes' inclusion speaks for itself; he also ranks top for shots on target per game for United and fourth in the entire league with exactly two a game on average.
The Red Devils haven’t kept a clean sheet in six matches, so it may well be former manager David Moyes who gets the last laugh here with his side scoring in both games in the lead-up to this one.
BetMGM selection: BTTS, Barry 1+ SoT, Fernandes to score or assist & both teams to be carded @ 11/4
Arsenal vs Chelsea
The main event of the weekend is probably the most personal London Derby of the season, as Mikel Arteta prepares to do battle with childhood friend Alonso.
Other than a 4-1 victory in pre-season, these two never met in a competitive setting in the dugout, which should only add spice to an already spicy fixture that has produced 11 goals and two red cards across the last four games alone.
The result, however, often goes the way of Arsenal, having not lost to the Blues since the 2021/22 season back when now England manager Thomas Tuchel was in charge.
Six managers have helmed Chelsea since that 2-0 win at the Emirates but early signs around Alonso suggest his side are on the up – aided, of course, by the fact they’ve won both games and scored three or more goals in both of them.
That attacking spark comes at a cost, though, with the west Londoners shipping five goals across those same two matches against Fulham and Brighton.
The Gunners have not conceded, nor faced a single shot on target, from their opening two games. Those were against Coventry and a depleted Villa, though, and they now play the joint-best attacking team in the league on goals scored.
We’re going with the champions here but we don’t think they’ll keep a clean sheet – not with Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer in form and firing.
An Arsenal win and both teams to find the back of the net is 9/4 at BetMGM and gives you a decent enough base to build on if you’re after better odds.
BetMGM selection: Arsenal to win & BTTS @ 9/4
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change.
