The Wrap: What happened in Matchweek 3

A wonderful Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick settled the title-rival encounter with Arsenal to secure champions Liverpool top spot at the international break as the only team yet to drop a point.

Chelsea are now their closest challengers after a win against Fulham, while Tottenham Hotspur lost for the first time under Thomas Frank at home to AFC Bournemouth.

Elsewhere, there was a much-needed victory for Manchester United over Burnley, Manchester City fell to successive defeats with a loss at Brighton & Hove Albion, and West Ham United broke their duck with a win at toothless Nottingham Forest.

Here is everything you need to know about Matchweek 3.

They began the day with four strikers and briefly ended the afternoon with just one, but Chelsea still had enough firepower to see off local rivals Fulham.

Saturday was a rollercoaster day for the hosts’ attacking talent, with Christopher Nkunku departing permanently for AC Milan and Nicolas Jackson flying to Germany seeking to complete a loan move to Bayern Munich. However, Jackson’s switch was reportedly paused at the last minute after Liam Delap injured his hamstring early in the match at Stamford Bridge. Delap is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

Despite all that turmoil, goals from Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez ensured the hosts maintained their unbeaten home run in the Premier League this calendar year.

Joao Pedro has now scored five times and assisted twice in his first five Chelsea starts in all competitions.

Fulham could feel hard done by after 18-year-old Josh King saw his wonderfully taken early opener ruled out after a VAR review, with Rodrigo Muniz adjudged to have stepped on Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up.

A day after he admitted he “sometimes hates” his players, Ruben Amorim declared his love for them again, with Bruno Fernandes’ stoppage-time penalty sparing Manchester United’s blushes.

Amorim had cut a forlorn figure when United had lost on penalties at League Two Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup in midweek. Despite a much-improved performance, wasted chances meant they came close to slipping up against promoted Burnley, only for their captain to score from the spot at the death.

Watch Fernandes' late penalty

The awarding of that penalty saw Jaidon Anthony go from hero to villain, when the scorer of Burnley’s second equaliser pulled down Amad entering the penalty area. Lyle Foster also scored for the visitors, while United benefited from Bryan Mbeumo’s opener and a Josh Cullen own goal.

“When they put the effort in, I always love them,” said Amorim. “The effort was always there. It ended well, I think we deserved to win the game, I think we created a lot of chances, we should go to the half-time with a bigger advantage.”

Worryingly for the hosts, Matheus Cunha was forced off injured in the first half.

As the hours tick down on Transfer Deadline Day, Sunderland and Brentford find themselves as two of a host of clubs reportedly with striker dilemmas. Saturday’s showdown only added to their difficult decisions.

While the hosts are believed to be in the market for a new face to lead the line, Wilson Isidor did his best to show Regis Le Bris that reinforcements are unnecessary by scoring a winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

In doing so, the Frenchman became only the second Sunderland player ever to score in both of his first two Premier League home appearances. It was an emotional 24 hours for Isidor, who had barely slept before the match after the birth of his daughter.

In the opposite dugout, Keith Andrews made do without wantaway striker Yoane Wissa, opting for Igor Thiago to fill the void.

However, the Brazilian – who scored a penalty against Nottingham Forest earlier this season – was strangely absent when a spot-kick arose, allowing Kevin Schade, who has never scored a penalty in his professional career, to step up and see his effort saved instead.

That error raised Sunderland spirits sufficiently enough for the hosts to score twice in the closing stages – Enzo Le Fee converting a penalty – and pull off an unlikely win.

Six points from Thomas Frank’s opening three games was perhaps considered par, but after beating Man City a week earlier, it was a bit of a surprise when his Spurs trudged off after being thoroughly outplayed at home to Bournemouth.

Having failed to register a single attempt in the opening half of a Premier League home game for the first time since February 2020, Spurs went on to manage just one shot on target in the whole match.

By contrast, Bournemouth tried their luck 20 times, with Evanilson scoring the game’s only goal after five minutes. The visitors could, and perhaps should, have triumphed by more.

The brightest moment for the hosts came before kick-off, when new signing Xavi Simons was paraded on the pitch.

“Sometimes you need a player that can do something a little bit out of nothing, go past a player, produce a cross, a shot, a pass, with that extra quality that you need on the day,” said Frank. “That’s what I think he [Simons] can bring.”

One remarkable statistic encapsulates the impact that player of the match Jack Grealish has had on Everton since joining on loan from Man City this summer.

In just three Premier League games, Grealish has notched four assists; since the start of the 2024/25 season – an enormous 41 games ago – only Dwight McNeil has provided more Everton assists, with six.

The England midfielder has been a revelation, and stole the show with his all-round display, as well as providing goals for Beto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Iliman Ndiaye scored the other, although a shaky performance from Everton’s defence meant the visitors were left hanging on for the win.

Grealish's assist for Beto v Wolves

“He is even better than I thought,” said David Moyes of Grealish. “But it is all about Jack, not me. He probably needs a bit of love and attention. He needs the games as well. Footballers need games. He’s got something to prove, I’m sure, I think we all have in life.”

Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers remain the only side yet to pick up a point this season. After winning six consecutive Premier League matches between March and April, they have failed to win any of their last seven in the competition.

Another Newcastle United game ticks by and the wait for a win goes on. If only the deal for new forward Nick Woltemade had been completed in time for the German to play rather than watch on from the directors’ box.

Between them, Leeds United and Newcastle have scored just three Premier League goals this season. There was rarely any threat of adding to that tally here.

Leeds did not have a shot on target until the closing stages, while Newcastle only tested Lucas Perri in the Leeds goal for the first time just before half-time.

The combined Expected Goals (xG) of both sides was 1.01 (Leeds 0.59, Newcastle 0.42); since the start of last season, only one Premier League match has featured lower (Fulham v Man Utd with 0.93).

Without Alexander Isak, the suspended Anthony Gordon and the injured Joelinton, Newcastle’s lack of firepower was noticeable.

“We’ve historically been a really good attacking team and very good chance creation, but it hasn’t quite been there,” said Eddie Howe. “We’re disappointed with that aspect of our play.”

Eager to show that last year’s absence of silverware was a mere blip, Man City have now lost two of their opening three Premier League matches in a season for the first time in 21 years.

Worryingly, only one team has ever recovered from such a position to win the title: Man Utd in 1992/93.

It was not a poor performance from the visitors, who seemed in control until a Brighton quadruple substitution on the hour, which prompted goals from James Milner and Brajan Gruda.

“I have a good feeling in many, many things,” insisted Pep Guardiola. “We played really, really good. We created a lot.”

However, his side faded alarmingly as the match wore on, failing to register a single shot on target in the second half.

Milner’s penalty saw him become the Premier League’s second-oldest scorer ever at 39 years and 239 days. It is remarkable longevity from a man who also sits second in the league’s list of youngest scorers at 16 years and 356 days.

Milner's penalty and Jota tribute

What a way to stop the rot. West Ham had faced 18 shots on target in three defeats across all competitions prior to this match, conceding 11 goals in the process.

Yet a firm defensive performance paved the way for an outstanding finale that saw Graham Potter’s side score three late goals.

Jarrod Bowen began the flood with a neat first-time finish to continue his excellent form. Since the start of April, he has been directly involved in more goals than any other player in the Premier League (10 – seven goals, three assists).

Lucas Paqueta then scored from the penalty spot, kissed the badge to deny reports that he was heading to Aston Villa, and Callum Wilson came off the bench for his first goal for the club.

“It is a really pleasing day for us because with the results we’ve had it is very easy to be negative and lose trust and confidence,” said Potter. “This is the world we’re in, you get written off in your job after a week, which is ridiculous.”

The result meant Forest were beaten by more than three goals in a Premier League home game for the first time since February 1999.

A tense, nervy encounter between two Premier League heavyweights was settled by a moment of majesty.

Thanks to injuries elsewhere, Szoboszlai has been the man tasked with filling the Trent Alexander-Arnold hole at right-back in Liverpool’s last two matches. It seems he has also now cemented his status as Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick successor.

The Hungarian’s wonderful strike from 32 yards seven minutes from time meant he was the first Liverpool player other than Alexander-Arnold or Philippe Coutinho to score a direct Premier League free-kick since February 2016.

Watch all angles of Szoboszlai's free-kick

“I should mention Trent,” Szoboszlai said. “He was taking the free-kicks because, obviously, he has an unbelievable shot. But finally I could have my chance and, yeah, I did it.”

Liverpool have now scored in 37 consecutive Premier League matches – their longest ever run of consecutive games scored in top-flight history – while they go into the international break top of the table as the only team with a perfect record from their opening three games.

Arsenal’s winless run at Anfield now stretches 13 Premier League matches since September 2012.

Last season, Villa missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification only on the final day of the season. This campaign, they cannot even score.

The only Premier League club yet to find the net in their opening three games sit above only Wolves in the table and look to be desperately in need of reinforcements in the final few hours of the transfer window.

Amid talk of a potential move away from Villa Park, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was not deemed selectable, with his replacement Marco Bizot conceding from Jean-Philippe Mateta, Marc Guehi and Ismaila Sarr. It ended Villa’s 22-game unbeaten home run across all competitions.

Palace, meanwhile, have not lost in their last 14 matches across all competitions – their longest ever run as a top-flight team.

Guehi scored a stunner, curled in from the edge of the box, in what could prove his final Palace game, although Oliver Glasner hopes his captain stays.

Guehi's sublime strike v Forest

“We need to keep Marc if we want to have a successful season,” said Glasner.

“We had a meeting in March and we have an agreement that we sell Marc if we have the right replacement in. There’s no replacement in the building so it’s clear one part of the agreement is not fulfilled.”