Here is a look at the Premier League table after Round 3- the EPL log as it stood before the September 2024 international break.
There were four teams with a 100% record at the end of Week 2; that’s now reduced to two teams (Man City and Liverpool) following Arsenal and Brighton’s 1-1 draw.
Premier League Standings After GW3 24-25 season
Man City, Liverpool, Brighton and Arsenal make up the top four, with MCFC topping on goals scored.
Here is a look at the xG (expected goals) stats from Man U vs Liverpool (Official attendance of 73,738 at Old Trafford on 1 September, 2024). A comfortable 3-0 win for Liverpool as they capitalised on United errors in midfield
xG Man United 0.72- 1.06 Liverpool shots map (Actual score MU 0-3 LFC)
0-1 Diaz header goal vs Man United xG 0.35
0-2 Diaz second goal vs MU xG 0.08
0-3 Salah goal vs MUFC xG 0.11
Not much for United in terms of chances on xG apart from one Zirkzee header (63rd minute) from close range that was saved by Alisson. The chance accounted for most of United’s xG- the rest of the ones weren’t really high percentage opportunities.
United had only two shots in the first half (both to Mazraoui), and their first shot came after half an hour.
Liverpool also had a first half Trent Alexander Arnold goal disallowed for Salah being offside.
The Dutch manager derby between Arne Slot and Erik ten Hag takes place later this afternoon at Old Trafford as Manchester United host arch rivals Liverpool. The Reds are the only team left in the table not to have conceded a goal after Arsenal let in one against Brighton yesterday.
Here is what the big pundits have predicted for this GW3 clash.
Paul Merson
Merson says Man Utd were decent but unlucky against Brighton. Adds that Liverpool have started well under Slot and have done some excellent business in acquiring Chiesa, who according to him would be worth “£40m if he was English”
Thinks there’ll be plenty of goals in this clash and has gone for a 2-2 draw.
Merson also thinks it’ll be a “routine win” for Chelsea in their London derby clash against Palace on the same day and has tipped them to win 3-0.
Alan Shearer
Shearer says United often “produce their best performances against the big hitters”, and says this game against Liverpool could be one of them. Thinks United must avoid defensive lapses that proved to be their undoing against Brighton, and has gone for a draw with both teams scoring.
For the Chelsea-Palace game, Shearer reckons CFC will be full of confidence after thrashing Wolves last weekend, and that should mean a home win for the Blues.