Xabi Alonso. Photo: Getty Images
The transfer window is run and won and now it is time for action on the park to take centre stage with a huge weekend of Premier League climaxing with a cracking London Derby between Arsenal and Chelsea.
What the world is talking about ahead of the weekend
Finally managers can turn their attention fully to matters on the park after the end of the European Summer Transfer Window, which provided a stack of headlines in the Premier League.
Manchester City’s deadline day move for Enzo Fernandez levelled the Premier League transfer record, a day after Bradley Barcola’s headline making move to Liverpool from Paris Saint-Germain. For a full rundown of the window’s climax read more.
The game you cannot miss
Arsenal. Chelsea. 1.30am AEST Monday morning. There is massive interest in the first huge London Derby of the season with Xabi Alonso’s side looking to find a hole in Mikel Arteta’s impeccable start to their title defence.
Fresh from a monster transfer window, which included the ruthless signing of former Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to replace Robert Sanchez after one game, and with Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer sparkling up front, there is hope the Spanish mastermind can help Chelsea romp back up the table.
But this is a test of where they’re really at. They’re entertaining again, but they’re leaking goals – two against Fulham, three against Brighton & Hove Albion; they’ll be punished if they are as open in a trip to the Emirates.
Bukayo Saka’s lone goal was enough to get the job done at Aston Villa but Arteta’s side look solid again in 2026-2027 and have yet to be breached.
While they have shipped Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli out this week, the Gunners boast enough depth that star signing Bruno Guimaraes only came off the bench at Villa Park, with teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly continuing his impressive run starting in the midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
The game you need to set your alarm for
Manchester United stumbled against Hull on the opening weekend, and needed to come from behind before unleashing on Ipswich Town. Now, they get a test against a side not coming up from the Championship, away at Everton. David Moyes’ side have Jack Grealish returning on loan but missed out on their preferred target, US striker Folarin Balogun at the death of the window; we’ll see just how good Michael Carrick’s side are after they scored five times in 42 minutes, featuring a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick at Old Trafford. 11pm on Sunday night is one worth staying up for.
Lucas Herrington watch
The Aussie teenager is loving life at Hull City, who sit third on the table after an inspired return to life in England’s top flight. After a man of the match display midweek in the EFL Cup against Stoke City, the Socceroos defender was again brought on with 30 minutes to play on the weekend, and was part of a rear guard that kept another clean sheet to pave the way for Liam Miller’s winning goal. They host a wounded Aston Villa on the weekend, reeling from the departures of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and striker Ollie Watkins, following on from Morgan Rogers’ earlier move to Chelsea.
The star you need to tell your mates about
Rayan Cherki has taken the reins at Manchester City as their star performer to start the campaign, with two goals at Selhurst Park in a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace to back up his two assists against Bournemouth on the opening weekend. His dazzling run to score against Palace was mesmerising. And while Erling Haaland’s goal scoring exploits will usually take the headlines, Cherki’s performance is one to come back for more of. He also apparently told his boss, Enzo Maresca, not to pull him off at the break, which was the plan. He asked for a few more minutes, got it – and scored twice.
De Zerbi’s emotional signing after reunion in Sydney
How soon is it to hit the panic button at Tottenham? Two losses, and a trip to Nottingham Forest has Roberto De Zerbi’s tenure off to a wobbly start on the park, having spent lavishly in the transfer window to re-build his side, including Omar Marmoush arriving on loan from Manchester City.
But the Italian has also brought in a sentimental signing to bolster his attacking ranks: Mykhailo Mudryk, from Chelesa, on a season long loan with an option to buy, with the winger having returned from a drug suspension keeping him out since December 2024.
Speaking in Sydney after Tottenham beat Chelsea in the Sydney Super Cup, De Zerbi already hinted at his affinity for a player he got to know in Ukraine when they were at Shakhtar Donetsk.
“He’s my son, he’s a cool guy, a top player,” he said.
“Hopefully he can show what he suffered the last two seasons in this coming season, maybe not against Tottenham, but he’s a lovely guy.”
Matchweek Three fixtures on Stan Sport (coverage times)
Saturday, September 5
Ipswich Town v Liverpool — 4:00am AEST
Newcastle United v Bournemouth — 8:30pm AEST
Sunday, September 6
Brentford v Sunderland — 11pm AEST
Brighton v Leeds United — 11pm AEST
Fulham v Crystal Palace — 11pm AEST
Manchester City v Coventry City — 11pm AEST
Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur — 11pm AEST
Hull City v Aston Villa — 1:30am AEST
Monday, September 7
Everton v Manchester United — 10:00pm AEST
Arsenal v Chelsea — 12:30am AEST