After the first international break of the season, the Premier League returns this weekend, bringing with it a host of intriguing storylines.
Clubs have had time to regroup, evaluate their early-season performances and integrate new signings as they aim to make a strong statement with the season beginning to take shape.
Here’s our selection of key things to keep an eye on in this weekend’s Premier League action.
Haaland to make history or miss the game?
Erling Haaland has started the season in beast mode, netting seven goals in just three Premier League matches to comfortably lead the goal-scoring charts. Six of those goals came in his last two games, where the Norwegian striker recorded back-to-back hat-tricks against Ipswich and West Ham — the latter marking his first hat-trick away from the Etihad Stadium.
Now, the 24-year-old has a chance to make Premier League history by becoming the first player to score hat-tricks in three consecutive matches when Manchester City face Brentford at home on Saturday. While no one has achieved this feat in the Premier League era, it has been done four times in the history of England’s top flight.
Frank Osborne was the first to score hat-tricks in three straight games in 1925 for Tottenham Hotspur, followed by Tom Jennings (Leeds United, 1926), Dixie Dean (Everton, 1928), and Jack Balmer (Liverpool, 1946).
Though Haaland would undoubtedly love to join that exclusive club, there are doubts about whether he will play. Reports indicate that City’s No.9 has been offered compassionate leave following the death of close family friend Ivar Eggja.
If Haaland takes Pep Guardiola’s offer, his bid for history may be delayed until next weekend's clash against Arsenal.
Manchester united looking to avoid worst Premier League start
With just three points from their opening three matches, Manchester United and Erik ten Hag find themselves under pressure once again.
A humiliating 3-0 home defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool, following a loss to Brighton the previous week, has left fans questioning whether the club made the right decision in sticking with Ten Hag.
Last season’s eighth-place finish was almost unimaginable for a club of United’s stature, and many expected Ten Hag to be shown the door after Sir Jim Ratcliffe assumed control of the club’s sporting operations. However, the Dutchman salvaged his position by winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City and securing a new contract earlier this summer.
Now, with the pressure mounting, Ten Hag desperately needs a result this weekend as his side travels to Southampton for Saturday's early kick-off. The Saints, promoted from the Championship last season, have struggled to find their footing, with no wins and just one goal in their last three matches while conceding five.
United are strong favourites heading into the match, but given their inconsistency, nothing is certain. If they repeat the careless mistakes made against Liverpool, they could be facing their worst start to a season since 1986-87, when they managed just one point from their first four games.
That disastrous start led to the sacking of Ron Atkinson, paving the way for Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary reign.
Arsenal’s midfield woes
In the previous Premier League game week, we enjoyed the North-West Derby, and now we're set for another exciting clash with the North London Derby this weekend.
Clashes between Tottenham and Arsenal rarely disappoint, with five of their last six encounters producing at least three goals. Last season alone, the two matches delivered a total of nine goals, starting with a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, followed by a thrilling 3-2 victory for the Gunners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Both teams come into this fixture with a point to prove after dropping points in their last outings. Spurs were beaten by Newcastle, while Arsenal could only manage a draw against Brighton. Despite that, Spurs will likely feel more optimistic heading into Sunday’s clash.
Why? Because Arsenal are facing a minor crisis in midfield. Declan Rice is suspended, and their captain, Martin Odegaard, will be out for a few weeks after picking up an injury on international duty. This leaves Arsenal without two key players from their regular midfield trio.
Jorginho is expected to step in for Rice, but manager Mikel Arteta has a bigger dilemma in replacing Odegaard’s creativity. The straightforward answer is there’s no like-for-like replacement. However, dropping Kai Havertz into a midfield role could be a solution, as he played there on several occasions last season.
Without Havertz available up front, and with Gabriel Jesus also sidelined through injury, Raheem Sterling might be deployed as a false nine, flanked by Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka.
It’s a headache Arteta would have preferred to avoid, especially with such a crucial part of the season looming. A potentially season-defining match against Manchester City is up next, and Pep Guardiola’s side rarely drop points.
With Arsenal already trailing City by two points, they’ll likely need at least four from their next two games to stay in the title race. That may sound premature with 35 games left, but Arsenal know they can't afford to let City pull away. Last season, they lost just once in their final 17 matches but still finished behind City.
