Premier League GW2: Liverpool, Tottenham, Fulham chase first wins this weekend
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Liverpool travel to newly-promoted Ipswich Town on Friday, 3 September to kick off the weekend's Premier League fixtures, with head coach Andoni Iraola still searching for his first victory in charge. The Reds arrive under pressure, with defensive questions unresolved ahead of their Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid the following week. Late-window arrival Bradley Barcola, signed from Paris Saint-Germain, is expected to begin on the bench but is likely to feature.
Key Matches to Watch
Tottenham Hotspur head to Nottingham Forest desperate to avoid a third consecutive league defeat after last weekend's 2-0 home loss to Newcastle United. Summer spending has so far failed to silence doubts around Spurs, while Forest arrive buoyed by the hard-earned draw they claimed at Anfield seven days ago.
Fulham, still without a point under new coach Alvaro Arbeloa, host Crystal Palace in a south London derby. New striker Gonzalo, who arrived from Real Madrid, has impressed early on. Palace, also coming off back-to-back defeats, will look to new signings Ben Chilwell and Quinten Timber to make an immediate difference under coach Pierre Sage.
City, Newcastle and the Rest
Manchester City host Coventry, who are still seeking their first points since returning to the top flight. City welcome back midfielder Enzo Fernandez, reunited with manager Enzo Maresca after a big-money move from Chelsea. Newcastle United, whose 2-0 win at Tottenham suggested the squad is adapting well to coach Matthias Jaissle, now host Bournemouth — a side showing improvement under Marco Rose but prone to conceding late.
Brentford continue their solid start under Keith Andrews, while Sunderland carry confidence from a 1-0 win over Fulham last weekend — their first points of the campaign. Leeds United visit Brighton in what promises to be an open contest, and Hull City — bolstered by 18 summer signings, including five on deadline day — host Aston Villa at home, looking to extend their impressive early-season form with their trademark counter-attacking and set-piece threat.
Sunday's Headline Fixtures
Manchester United make the short trip to Everton, whose supporters remain underwhelmed by the club's transfer activity this summer. The day's standout tie sees Arsenal host Chelsea — a fixture that will serve as a significant test of Chelsea's reportedly fragile defensive unit.
What's at Stake
Several clubs — Liverpool, Tottenham, and Fulham among them — cannot afford further dropped points if they are to avoid an early-season crisis. For newly-promoted sides like Ipswich and Coventry, every point on the board before the international break carries extra weight. The weekend's results will sharpen the picture at both ends of the table heading into the first midweek round of fixtures.