Premier League Matchday 3: Opta stats and tips for every game

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Premier League Matchday 3 Opta Stats and Tips

Ipswich v Liverpool - Back goals as leaky defences struggle

Friday 4 September, 20:00, Live on Sky Sports

The Opta Stat: Liverpool have drawn 2-2 in their first two Premier League matches in 2026-27 - the Reds have only conceded 2+ goals in their first three games once before in the competition, doing so in 2012-13 in Brendan Rodgers' first three games in charge.

Ipswich Town have kept one clean sheet in their last 36 Premier League games and none in their last 21 since a 2-0 win over Chelsea in December 2024. Meanwhile, manager Gary O'Neil has two clean sheets in his last 35 Premier League games, both against sides who finished 20th that season - Sheffield United in February 2024 and Southampton in November 2024 with Wolves. 

Betfair Bet: Back over 3.5 goals @ 6/52.20

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Now read Kevin Hatchard's Ipswich v Liverpool preview

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Newcastle v Bournemouth - Back Cherries to strike first

Saturday 5 September, 12:30, Live on TNT

The Opta Stat: Bournemouth have opened the scoring in both Premier League games this season, losing 2-1 to Man City and drawing 1-1 with Everton. No side has ever scored first but failed to win any of their first three games in a campaign in the competition. 

Betfair Bet: Back Bournemouth to score first goal @ 11/102.11

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Get Ste Tudor's Newcastle v Bmouth bet builder and more Saturday tips

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Fulham v Crystal Palace - Back hosts to score at least twice

Saturday 5 September, 15:00

The Opta Stat: Crystal Palace have conceded at least two goals in each of their last eight Premier League matches - they've never done so in nine league matches in a row in their league history. 

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Brentford v Sunderland - Back Bees to shutout Black Cats

Saturday 5 September, 15:00

The Opta Stat: Sunderland have won just eight points in their last 16 away Premier League matches in London (W2 D2 L12), losing their last three and conceding three goals in every defeat (0-3 vs Brentford, 1-3 vs West Ham, 0-3 vs Arsenal). 

Brentford have kept five clean sheets in their 11 Premier League home games in 2026, including in three of the last four. It's as many shutouts as they kept at the Gtech Community Stadium in both 2025 (2) and 2024 (3) combined.

Betfair Bet: Back Brentford to win to nil @ 17/102.70

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Brighton v Leeds - Back Seagulls to subdue Whites again

Saturday 5 September, 15:00

The Opta Stat: Brighton are unbeaten in their last 10 home league games against Leeds United (W7 D3), keeping eight consecutive clean sheets against the Whites at the Amex. 

Betfair Bet: Back Brighton to win to nil @ 13/53.60

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Man City v Coventry - Back Cherki to outclass Sky Blues

Saturday 5 September, 15:00

The Opta Stat: Manchester City's Rayan Cherki has recorded four goal contributions across his opening two Premier League matches this season (two goals, two assists). Overall in the competition, the Frenchman has now recorded 15 across his 20 starts (five goals, 10 assists).

Coventry boss Frank Lampard has won just four of his last 32 Premier League matches (D8 L20), including just one of his last 19 in the competition (D4 L14), a 3-1 win at Bournemouth as Chelsea caretaker manager in May 2023. 

Betfair Bet: Back Man City -1 and Cherki to score or assist @ 4/51.80

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Nottm Forest v Tottenham - Back MGW to star again

Saturday 5 September, 15:00

The Opta Stat: Only Bruno Fernandes (22) has been involved in more Premier League goals in 2026 than Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White (17 - 13 goals, 4 assists), with Gibbs-White's 13 goals the most in the competition so far this year.

Betfair Bet: Back Morgan Gibbs-White to score or assist @ 11/102.11

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Hull v Aston Villa - Back Jakirovic to join elite managers' club

Saturday 5 September, 17:30, Live on Sky Sports

The Opta Stat: Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic is looking to become just the fourth manager to win each of his first three Premier League games with a clean sheet after José Mourinho in 2004, Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2007 and Arne Slot in 2024. 

Aston Villa are yet to score in the Premier League this season, while they also drew a blank in their first three games of last season. In top-flight history, the only team to fail to score in their first three games in consecutive seasons is Ipswich Town in 1969-70 and 1970-71.

Betfair Bet: Back Hull @ 6/17.00

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Everton v Man Utd - Back Fernandes to deliver again

Sunday 6 September, 14:00, Live on Sky Sports

The Opta Stat: Bruno Fernandes has been involved in 11 goals in 13 Premier League appearances against Everton (6 goals, 5 assists), the joint most of any Man Utd player along with David Beckham (4 goals, 7 assists) and Ryan Giggs (7 goals, 4 assists). 

Betfair Bet: Back Fernandes to score or assist @ 1/12.00

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Arsenal v Chelsea - Back Saka to score in Gunners win

Sunday 6 September, 16:30, Live on Sky Sports

The Opta Stat: Arsenal are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League matches against Chelsea (W6 D3), their best unbeaten run against the Blues since a run of 19 between 1995 and 2005. 

Bukayo Saka has scored in each of his last two Premier League appearances, last scoring in more consecutively in January/February 2024 (5 in a row). The last Arsenal player to score in their first three games in a season was Alexandre Lacazette in 2020-21. 

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Now read Lewis Jones' Latest Premier League Betting Notebook

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