EPL - 2018/19 Season - Game Week 3

Champions Manchester City started their high score with a 6-1 win over Huddersfield with Sergio Aguero scoring a hattrick. When you look at the table now it reads: (20) Huddersfield (19) West Ham, (18) Fulham, (17) Arsenal and (16) Cardiff. The top four are (1) City, (2) Liverpool, (3) Chelsea and (4) Watford. Huddersfield were expected to be found wanting. West Ham have a good manager in Pelligrini, spent quite a bit and got some quality players but not having the start they wanted, Fulham plays a nice passing game, spent a lot of money but found life at the top to be really tough. Unai Emery and Arsenal will need to find more time to get back on their feet. At times tentative, they allowed Chelsea to race to a 2-0 lead and of all people Aubameyang missed a yawning goal but their fight back was admirable but collapse late on when Alonso scored the winner. They now have an interesting player in Guendouzi and Emery is trying new things. Cardiff are all grit and how far can grit alone carry  you. 

For City, Aguero is on fire, scoring his first hattrick of the new season. Sad thing is we are all going to miss Kevin De Buryne. Meantime, Raheem Sterling continues to run like a mini T-Rex. Liverpool won 2-0 at Palace to keep pace and is looking like the real and clear challenger. Sarri's Chelsea are still good and surprised with a good start. Watford? Yes Watford has more than surprised so far against the odds. Can they continue? What does this weekend brings?

Wolves v Manchester City  - I watched Wolverhampton Wanderers and they can play, have spent quite a bit, showing ambition, have some good players and gave Everton a solid fightback and dominated Leicester for a while. But soccer is about scoring and winning. They will surely get better but they have to host City now. City will miss De Bruyne but they have plenty of options. This match pits the Champions of both divisions. Wolves will give their visitors a stern test. City may eventually end up chasing Wolves's Portuguese star Ruben Neves but first they have to stop free-scoring Agureo. Gabriel Jesus playing alongside has been a good distraction. Neves may help the home side get a goal but City often get two or three. 1-3. 

Arsenal v West Ham - Emery dares to introduce changes. There are signs in areas they could improve. The question is how long? The Gunners after two defeats are already at a historical low. The good news is that they are playing West Ham who also have lost twice and are lower. Arsenal must win and Mkhitaryan exemplified their fight back against Chelsea with a solid low strike. When Pelligirini was appointed manager and he made some good signings, the Hammers look set for a good season but their start has been tough. 0-4 to Liverpool and defeat at home by Bournemouth after taking the lead and now visiting the Emirates. However, the Gunners have their own weaknesses and pressure and badly needed to win if not there will be talks of who is replacing Emery. Ditto for the Hammers but Pelligrini is good and needs time to gel his team. You do not want to replace him after those spending. I could say the same for Emery. So this could turn put to be an interesting and exciting match especially so as a London Derby. By the way, Arsenal's unknown new boy Matteo Guendouzi could be found wanting due to his lack of experience but I found him to be determined and interesting. Arsenal have the edge here and in the last two meetings at the Emirates Arsenal on 1-0 and 4-1. This time it shall be close. 3-2.

Bournemouth v Everton - Bournemouth with two wins are now 6th in the table, two points ahead of Everton. They are playing well and in a good place. Everton are back to showing their promise this season and Richarlison has been prolific. They should do well this year. The Vitality Stadium at Dean Court shall give the Cherries an advantage. Bournemouth have always been able to score and with Callum Wilson in such fine form and a great goal last week, they will. However, I have yet to see Lewis Cook in action, the midfield controller everyone is talking about that has an important England future. Instead Dan Gosling has been running the show and if the Cherries continue their winning streak, he will grow into their beautiful goose. Bournemouth have been improving each year and this time they have overcome their false starts. Could it lead to better things? The Toffees themselves have been scoring a brace and playing with a clear purpose and direction under Marco Silva. Bournemouth but as Everton are strong it shall be a good draw. 2-2.

Huddersfield v Cardiff - These are the games both have to win against each other. It is hard enough with limited budget so they have to get points from teams at about the same level as they are. You can't outrun the bear, just outrun the others. The Terriers fixture did not help to face Chelsea and then City. Cardiff lost the opener but recovered a bit with a home draw. They will both labour and grind and probably end up with a draw. Huddersfield goalkeeper Ben Hamer is new and could cost them points. Whatever happened to Jonas Lossl who was quite good last season? 1-1.

Southampton v Leicester - The Saints had a draw and a narrow loss, not too bad. The Foxes were unlucky to have lost to United but had a good win over Wolves despite earlier domination by Wolves. Watch this boy previously from Coventry, Norwich and now with Leicester. The 21 year old Englishman was watched by the big boys but only Leicester moved in. How to replace Riyadh Mahrez? James Maddison was impressive and consistent. He was all action and has very good movement. He should have a bright future. Leicester is looking interesting again. They have Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans at the back, a promising new signing Soyuncu, Ben Chiwell is playing chillingly well, have Ndidi and Silva in the middle and quite a strike force of Jamie Vardy, Demarai Gray and James Maddison. Southampton can be stubborn but Leicester could triumph. 0-1.

Liverpool v Brighton - Liverpool won away to a good Crystal Palace side to keep pace with City where Virgil van Djik gave a masterclass performance making his record price tag as the world's most expensive defender seemed cheap. Mohamed Salah is straight back to his best and Sadio Mane have been very impressive too with three goals in two games. In the past, they could have slipped and lose by an odd goal or  even held to a draw. They are much more confident and assured now. With this week's tie at Anfield, Liverpool have a great chance to extend their 100% win streak. After all, they were undefeated all season at home. The "This Is Anfield" must strike fear in their opponents. This is yet another one of those games that the Reds have to grind out a result and yet be careful since the Seagulls made a mockery of Manchester United last week with a famous 3-2 win. Remember Eric Cantona's retort that ''when seagulls follow a trawler it is because they think sardines are being thrown." Well the Seagulls won and United the trawler sank. Can they repeat with another upset? The Reds had better beware. I would like to see Fabinho play though as he has not featured. Is Klopp keeping him for European football or is he afraid of risking two new players at the same time with Naby Keita? A win will see Liverpool keep and stretch their 100% victory and if they get another clean sheet - wow! Last season they went to Brighton and won 5-1 and 4-0 at Anfield. 4-0.

Watford v Crystal Palace - The Hornets surprised all pundits to be where they are and have been impressive. They had beaten Brighton 2-0 and went on to beat Burnley 3-1. Not many teams could have achieved that. Being at home now must make them clear favourites. Palace are no slouch. They may have lost 0-2 to Liverpool at Selhurst Park but they played well and were impressive when they won 2-0 away at Craven Cottage over Fulham. It could be a pulsating match here surely. 2-2.

Fulham v Burnley - This is Fulham's chance. Despite playing a passing game, Fulham have nothing to show. Hosting a Burnley who have just surprising crashed meant they could get a result here unless the Clarets respond positively but I feel a draw is most likely. 1-1.

Newcastle v Chelsea - Benitez was the one who helped Chelsea win a Europa trophy. He makes his team quite solid at the back and if the Magpies could do that and make Chelsea quiet then there maybe a surprise the longer they hold on but Sarri's team has been quite slick on the go. Jorginho and Kante will play an important part here. However, The Blues conceded twice to Arsenal last week so Sarri should be concerned. Newcastle may even steal a point at St. James Park. Eden Hazard may play his first 90 minutes this week. I go for a surprise result here. 1-1.

Manchester United v Tottenham - All is not well with the Red Devils. They looked rather limp at Brighton last week and the 2-3 defeat would have looked worse if they did not get a penalty. I may even suggest that Mourinho may have lost his players. Welcoming Spurs to Old Trafford is the worst thing he needs. Jose Mourinho is famous and rich but he walks around saying the world is against him. Spent so much money and still could not build a team. His three year itch is up. Maybe, he just likes the sack when things do not go well to collect his severance early. It looks like when and not if. Some say Zidane is a good catch. May I suggest Arsene Wenger. Haha. Why not? Only history suggest they have a good record against Tottenham but Kane and his mates could prey on their weak back line. I mean if Brighton could put three past them. Maybe they could just do enough for a point. Tottenham scored three superb goals against Fulham with the finest being from Kieran Trippier's free-kick from 30 yard bending it like Beckham and scoring a gem of a goal! Trippier has picked up from where he left in the Russia Cup. What a stunner! Last season (only in January and April respectively), Tottenham won 2-0 and home but lost 1-2 in the F.A. Cup. United should raise their game as they normally would against their closest rivals unless they have become despondent. 1-1.