The Premier League’s third round of fixtures brings an early heavyweight test as defending champions Arsenal welcome Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, September 6, with both clubs aiming to preserve their perfect starts. At the same time, Tottenham Hotspur travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday desperate to avoid a third consecutive defeat under Roberto De Zerbi.
Arsenal have opened their title defence with victories over Coventry City and Aston Villa, while Chelsea have also collected maximum points against Fulham and Brighton. The meeting in north London therefore offers an early indication of how the two clubs compare as they pursue ambitious campaigns.
The weekend also presents a critical moment for Tottenham. After defeats by Brentford and Newcastle United, Spurs sit at the bottom of the table and face a Forest side that has beaten them in their last four Premier League meetings.
Mikel Arteta’s side have made a remarkably controlled start to the season.
Arsenal defeated Coventry 3-0 on the opening weekend before recording a 1-0 victory away to Aston Villa. The two results have left the champions with a perfect six points and no goals conceded.
That defensive resilience will be tested by Chelsea’s attack, which has produced seven goals across its opening two league matches.
Bukayo Saka has also provided an important attacking boost after an injury-disrupted previous campaign. The England winger has scored in both of Arsenal’s league games so far.
Arsenal’s summer recruitment has further strengthened the squad. Bruno Guimaraes arrived from Newcastle United, while Ezri Konsa was brought in following William Saliba’s long-term injury. Christos Tzolis also joined from Club Brugge to add another attacking option.
The central question for Arteta is whether Arsenal can maintain their defensive control while dealing with Chelsea’s greater attacking variety.
Chelsea have made an impressive start to the Xabi Alonso era, winning their opening two Premier League matches and extending their unbeaten run across all competitions to three victories.
Their attacking production has been particularly encouraging.
Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers have combined for five of Chelsea’s seven league goals, giving Alonso several ways to threaten opponents. However, the Blues have also conceded five times in those victories.
That defensive record could prove significant against an Arsenal side that has shown a preference for controlling matches and limiting opposition chances.
The Premier League’s own Matchweek 3 analysis has identified the Arsenal fixture as an important examination of whether Alonso’s Chelsea are genuine title contenders rather than simply enjoying a strong opening.
There is also an unfavorable recent record for Chelsea: they have gone nine Premier League matches without defeating Arsenal.
Tottenham’s early-season problems are even more urgent.
Spurs lost 3-0 at Brentford before suffering a 2-0 home defeat against Newcastle. The results have left De Zerbi’s side without a point or a league goal after two matches.
That start is particularly concerning given the scale of Tottenham’s summer rebuild. The club invested more than £350 million in new players, including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Savio, in an attempt to reshape the squad.
Yet the new-look team has struggled to produce immediate results.
Tottenham now travel to Nottingham Forest, where they face another difficult tactical challenge. Forest have won their last four Premier League games against Spurs and possess a counter-attacking approach capable of exploiting space behind Tottenham’s defensive line.
Tottenham have only four times in their history lost their first three league matches of a season, with the last occurrence coming in 1979/80.
A defeat at the City Ground would therefore give De Zerbi a particularly difficult early problem to solve.
The manager has remained confident in his squad despite the poor results, but Tottenham need that belief to translate into goals and points quickly.
Liverpool are another major club under pressure to turn promising performances into victories.
New head coach Andoni Iraola has seen his side draw their opening two league matches against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. Liverpool have scored in both games but have also conceded four goals.
Their visit to newly promoted Ipswich Town on Friday could provide an opportunity to secure Iraola’s first competitive league victory as Liverpool manager.
The arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain has added another attacking option to a squad already featuring Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Barcola could make his Liverpool debut at Ipswich.
The end of the transfer window also means Iraola can now work with a settled squad rather than a group still being shaped by incoming and outgoing transfers.
The third round may be early in the campaign, but several clubs face important tests.
Key storylines include:
- Arsenal vs Chelsea: A meeting between two sides with 100 percent league records.
- Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest: Spurs need their first points and goals of the campaign.
- Ipswich vs Liverpool: Iraola seeks his first Premier League win at Liverpool.
- Chelsea’s defence: Alonso must find greater defensive stability against the champions.
- Arsenal’s title defence: Arteta’s side face their first major test against a direct challenger.
The third weekend of the 2026/27 season will not decide the title or relegation battle, but it can reveal which early trends deserve attention.
Arsenal have looked disciplined and difficult to break down. Chelsea have shown considerable attacking potential under Alonso but remain vulnerable defensively. Tottenham, meanwhile, need a rapid turnaround after a start that has raised familiar concerns around the club.
The Arsenal-Chelsea meeting is particularly significant because both clubs entered the season with title ambitions. A victory at the Emirates would give either side an early advantage and potentially establish a psychological edge in the developing title race.
For Tottenham and Liverpool, the objective is more immediate: convert expensive summer rebuilds and new managerial projects into results before early-season pressure grows.
