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Things are warming up nicely across the English Premier League as we prepare for matchday three.
Manchester City, Hull, and Chelsea entered the round with a maximum of six points on the board. Enzo Maresca's eight-time Premier League title winners are leading the way. At the opposite end of the ladder, Tottenham sit rock bottom on zero points and a -5 goal difference.
Premier League gameweek three runs from Friday evening, when Liverpool visit Ipswich, through to Sunday afternoon, when Arsenal and Chelsea go toe-to-toe in a mouth-watering London derby.
Who will be the big winners and losers on the first weekend of September? The legal betting apps featured on this page offer a mountain of pre-match markets and promotions, including price boosts, free bets, and cashback.
After making a solid profit on week two, experienced football betting writer Frank Monkhouse guides Flashscore readers through his strongest predictions.
Ipswich v Liverpool, Friday, 20:00 BST
Ipswich Town host Liverpool on Friday evening before a capacity crowd at Portman Road, boosted by a huge TV audience.
The Tractor Boys finished second in the Championship last term, securing their promotion to the top tier of English professional football. Gary O'Neil's team opened with an impressive 2-1 win over Sunderland when last playing at this venue, but suffered a painful 5-2 defeat at Old Trafford last time.
Liverpool travel to Suffolk with two points from a possible six, following 2-2 draws with Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest last month. A win on the road would catapult Andoni Iraola's men up the pecking order and towards the early leaders.
To stand any chance of claiming a first win of 2026/27, Liverpool must improve defensively.
The visitors need a win, and the stats suggest they'll get it.
Liverpool have never lost a Premier League match at this venue in six previous attempts, with four wins and two draws.
They've won their last four games against Friday's opponents and boast an impressive record when playing newly promoted teams, unbeaten in 20.
The bookies have an away win as the most likely outcome here, and I'm happy to follow. You can add Liverpool to your weekend accumulators. I'm confident this pick will get us off to a flying start.
Tip: Liverpool win @ 8/15 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Liverpool beat Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Friday, you'll beat the bookmakers and make a profit.
Newcastle v Bournemouth, Saturday, 12:30 BST
The opening match of seven played on Saturday comes from St James' Park, where Newcastle host Bournemouth in the early afternoon kick-off.
Newcastle enter unbeaten in two games, following an opening-day 2-2 draw here against Liverpool, with a stunning 2-0 win over Tottenham last week. Followers of my predictions bagged a profit in London on that upset.
Bournemouth are currently down in 14th position in the Premier League, and the Cherries are yet to win from two attempts. They lost 2-1 at Man City and drew 1-1 against Everton on the south coast.
Traders working at bet365 have a home win as their favourite, but there's enough evidence to oppose the Magpies on their patch. I expect Bournemouth to take at least a point from this fixture, and the stats offer encouragement.
Newcastle haven't beaten Bournemouth in their previous eight league meetings, a run stretching back to July 2020. Since then, Bournemouth have banked three wins and earned five draws.
St James' Park is never an easy place to visit, especially when the locals are in high spirits. Despite that, Bournemouth have won their previous two games here, scoring six goals and conceding only two.
With Marco Rose's team taking the lead in each of their two games this season, scoring to make it 1-0 on 26 minutes at the Etihad Stadium, and just before half-time against the Toffees, I'm taking Bournemouth or draw in the double chance market at bet365.
Tip: Bournemouth or draw @ 4/6 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You need Bournemouth to avoid defeat when visiting St James' Park on Saturday afternoon.
Man City v Coventry, Saturday, 15:00 BST
Moving to the home of 10-time Premier League champions, Man City, we find the pick of the Saturday 15:00 starts.
Man City entered round three in pole position, thanks to two wins from two, six points gained, six goals scored, and two conceded. Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki got two goals each in an impressive 4-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last Friday.
Three wins from three should give manager Enzo Maresca a solid foundation to build a title challenge.
Under the guidance of former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard, Coventry City have lost each of their two games since returning to the top flight. The Sky Blues sunk 3-0 to defending champions Arsenal in London on the opening game of the season. That's forgivable, but a better result was expected when they lost 1-0 at home to Hull last weekend.
Fans demand a quick response.
Did you know that Man City are unbeaten in their last 30 league games against newly promoted teams, winning 27 and drawing three?
Results show the hosts are also sharp in summer, taking nine points from their first three fixtures in two of the previous three campaigns. City have also won their opening two home matches in four of the last five seasons.
Is Lampard the man to stop Man City's fast start? The fact that he has lost 20 and drawn 8 of his last 32 games at this level encourages me to bet on the home win.
Tip: Man City win @ 2/11 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Man City must beat Coventry City at the Etihad Stadium before the live TV cameras to land you a profit.
Hull v Aston Villa, Saturday, 17:30 BST
The final match on Saturday is played in Yorkshire, where Hull City face Aston Villa on TV and legal live streaming apps.
Hull finished sixth in the Championship last term, gaining promotion through the playoffs. In the early part of their Premier League return, the Tigers have picked up a maximum of six points from two games.
Sergej Jakirovic's troops beat Man Utd 2-0 at MKM Stadium, and ground out a 1-0 win at CBS Arena seven days ago.
Aston Villa won the Europa League and secured a top-four finish in the Premier League last term. This season, Unai Emery's squad has lost 4-0 to Brighton and 1-0 to Arsenal, dragging them into the relegation zone.
It's still very early in the season, but the pressure is already building on all connected to Villa Park, including Emery, who faces Hull for the first time in the league as manager.
Despite their poor start, Aston Villa open as betting favourites in the match-winner market. I'm happy to take the traders on here, opposing Villa until they show us something better.
We know that Villa's results have been poor, but their performances have been just as bad. They are yet to score in the league, and you may remember that they failed to find the net in their first three starts of the 2025/26 campaign.
To make matters worse, the visitors kick off as the only EPL team yet to have a single shot on target. With that in mind, I'm backing Hull in the double chance market.
Tip: Hull or draw @ 10/11 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Your bet wins if Hull avoid defeat when hosting Aston Villa on Saturday evening.
Everton v Man Utd, Sunday, 14:00 BST
Switching to a Sunday double header, and we're at the Hill Dickinson Stadium as Everton boss David Moyes tackles former employer Manchester United, live on TV.
Everton enter with the confidence that comes from an unbeaten start to the season. The Toffees began the round in seventh place, with four points from a possible six. They beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in their previous home match.
The hosts drew 1-1 with Bournemouth last Saturday, thanks to a stoppage-time equaliser from captain James Tarkowski.
Man Utd got off to the worst start possible when losing 2-0 at MKM Stadium against a Hull City side that was playing in the Championship just a few months ago. What should have been a dream opening fixture quickly turned into a nightmare.
Boss Michael Carrick demanded a response, and he got it in the form of a stunning 5-2 win over Ipswich Town at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes scoring a hat-trick.
The head-to-head stats show Everton have lost 12 and drawn seven of 22 league meetings with the Red Devils. In addition, the Toffees failed to score in five of seven EPL games against Man Utd. That drought includes a 1-0 reverse when United were here in February.
Moyes carries a rotten record against Sunday's opponents, losing 23 times. The Opta Stats show only Harry Redknapp has suffered more defeats to United, finishing on 24. That suggests backing an away win is best here, but there's another, more interesting angle.
Fernandes loves this fixture, demonstrated by his six goals and five assists in 13 league games against Everton. The 31-year-old attacking midfielder from Portugal is the club captain, and he's been busy setting standards this summer.
Bruno scored three goals and provided one assist in his team's 5-2 win over the Tractor Boys at the end of August. He also scored at this stadium in 2025.
Back Fernandes to score or assist on Sunday, and your stake rides on a man playing with confidence, fresh from hitting a treble. Bruno scoring a 30-yard screamer is every bit as useful as him setting up a teammate for an easy finish.
Tip: Fernandes to score or assist @ 10/11 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Bruno Fernandes scores against Everton or is credited with providing an assist, your bet lands.
Arsenal v Chelsea, Sunday, 16:30 BST
I've saved the best for last, covering Arsenal v Chelsea from the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The London giants go head-to-head for the 179th time in league history. In that period, Arsenal have 71 wins, and Chelsea 54, with 53 games ending in draws.
The neighbours crossed paths four times last term in the Premier League and the EFL Cup. Each match was competitive, with the rivals sharing two goals at Stamford Bridge, before Arsenal won 2-1 in the league. Arsenal also won 3-2 and 1-0 in EFL Cup meetings.
Let's dig a little deeper.
Mikel Arteta's Premier League champions have won each of their last four home games against The Blues in this competition, scoring 11 goals and conceding two. Do you think that's impressive? There's more.
Arsenal are unbeaten in nine league starts against Chelsea, racking up six wins and three draws. That will come as no surprise to followers of the stats, who know Arsenal have a fantastic record when playing other clubs from the capital.
Just one defeat in 29 London derbies makes the champions easy to trust.
Having made a strong case for a home win on Sunday, I'll explain the best way to back Arsenal here.
The simplest way to bet on this game is to back Arsenal to win the match. With this approach, the winning margin, scorers, and goal times don't matter. If the home team outscores Chelsea and moves onto nine points from three matches, you'll enjoy a profit.
Those looking for a bet at higher odds can back Arsenal to win to nil for the third time in four games at 2/1 or try Bukayo Saka to score for the third league match on the bounce at 15/8. Both bets are available on the bet365 app now.
Tip: Arsenal win @ 7/10 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Keep it simple and place your bets on Arsenal to beat Chelsea, or add the Gunners to your weekend multiples.
Betting on the Premier League
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