After the brilliance of Cody Gakpo, who assisted both goals in the victory over Ipswich, Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola confirmed that he had no doubts about Cody's importance to the team.
Crystal Palace achieved its first victory this season after twice recovering from a one-goal deficit, winning 3-2 over Fulham.
The Guardian reviews here 10 notable points in the third round of the English Premier League...
Everton need Grealish's energy
With 25 minutes left in the match against Manchester United, Everton fans had reason to be happy about the return of Jack Grealish after joining the team on loan.
The attacking midfielder remains popular thanks to his desire to entertain fans, as he got the hosts back on track by creating dangerous chances within seconds of his introduction.
Everton suffered from attacking ineffectiveness in the final third of the pitch for long periods due to the absence of Thierno Barry.
But if Everton manager David Moyes wants to keep his side in contention to finish in the top half of the table, he will need Grealish to be the focus of the team's creativity. (Everton 2-2 Manchester United).
Tzolisi shines among the new faces
The match was not without some special moments for the newcomers, as Arsenal rose to victory over Chelsea. Morgan Rogers was the first to open the scoring with a wonderful goal within two minutes.
Emiliano Martinez received a hostile reception upon his return to the Emirates Stadium, and although he was disappointed that he was unable to save Kai Havertz's opening goal, he saved his own net from several dangerous chances, the most notable of which was his brilliant save from Bukayo Saka's shot.
As for Ezri Konsa, who played his first match as a starter with Arsenal, he ignited the enthusiasm of the home team’s fans after his strong intervention to stop Rogers at the beginning of the second half, which was the most prominent moment in his strong performance.
But Christos Tzolisi was the one who controlled the course of the match, as he exhausted the Chelsea defense line with his skillful dribbles and dangerous offensive runs.
He also made a perfect pass for Martin Odegaard to score the winning goal, achieving his first assist in the Premier League. (Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea).
Scott shows his eligibility to join the England national team
If England manager Thomas Tuchel needed a reminder of how good Alex Scott is, the Bournemouth midfielder produced an exceptional performance at Newcastle.
The 23-year-old has the ability to read matches faster than his teammates, and his precise passes contributed to raising the level of the match that Bournemouth, under the leadership of its coach Marco Rose, was supposed to win after taking a two-0 lead, with Scott contributing to the assists of both goals.
While Newcastle's technical director, Matthias Geisel, can feel optimistic about his team's determination not to give up and obtain a valuable point, thanks to the goals of Harvey Barnes and Jacob Ramsey, his players did not find solutions to reduce Scott's danger. His first international appearance for the senior England team is certainly imminent.
The upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic provide ideal opportunities for Tuchel to put Scott on the international stage, in the way he deserves. (Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth).
Arbeloa is already looking for solutions
The signs do not look promising for Fulham coach Alvaro Arbeloa. Only twice before did Fulham start their Premier League season with three consecutive defeats, and ended in relegation both times: in the 1951-1952 season and in the 2020-2021 season under the leadership of Scott Parker.
Arbeloa tried to focus on the positive aspects after his team gave away the lead twice against Crystal Palace, only to lose in the end to a Ben Chilwell goal.
Fulham looked dangerous in attack, with Josh King showing great understanding with newly signed Gonzalo Garcia, even if the Spaniard was largely responsible for Tyreek Mitchell's second equaliser.
As for Fulham's defensive line, the situation is completely different: Joachim Anderson's lack of speed has been repeatedly exposed due to the advanced defensive line that the team relied on against Crystal Palace, and Arbeloa must find a solution before facing his former team Liverpool and then Manchester United.
Arbeloa said: “We knew that this month would be very difficult, but I told my players that it would not determine the fate of their entire season from now on.” (Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace).
Gakpo remains and shines with Liverpool
Liverpool showed many positive points in their match against Ipswich Town: Bradley Barkula showed great speed during his short appearance, Ronald Araujo put in a solid performance at right-back, and Alexander Isak returned to his best form by scoring two wonderful goals.
But it was Cody Gakpo who received the most praise after the match. Gakpo was on the verge of moving to Manchester City or Tottenham during the transfer window, but he stayed with Liverpool to contribute to Isaac's two goals.
Reds coach Andoni Iraola said: “Cody knows how much we appreciate him.”
The departure of sporting director Richard Hughes on Saturday sparked mixed evaluations of the work he had done. Ultimately, Isaac may justify the club paying a record sum to sign him, if he succeeds in regaining the levels he was performing with Newcastle.
Florian Wirtz, another expensive signing by Hughes, continues to receive similarly mixed reviews. In the Ipswich match, he lost the ball 22 times!
Now, Gakpo, whom Hughes was not involved in in his purchase and sale, is the one carrying the task of adding a creative touch to Liverpool's performance. (Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool).
Ndiaye could not refuse Manchester City's offer
Elimane Ndiaye showed his eagerness to work hard in his first match for Manchester City following his £65m move from Everton.
The Senegalese striker, who came off in the 87th minute, ignoring the possibility of a move to Tottenham, said: “I did my best for the team, and to win. I always dreamed of joining Manchester City. I aspired to play in the Champions League, and to play for one of the best teams in the world. I do not deny that Tottenham is a special team, but when Manchester City asks to sign you, you cannot refuse. It was a great week for me, and it culminated in a win. “I was patient, and when I joined Manchester City, I felt very happy.” (Manchester City 1-0 Coventry).
Brighton finds a new gem
After Brighton's draw with Leeds United, there were many questions that Fabian Hortzeller had to answer, especially why it took almost an hour for the team to wake up from their nap. However, for two weeks in a row, Brighton's coach praised Malek Yalkoy's performance.
The 20-year-old was not even well-known among his club's fans at the start of the season, having spent seasons on loan at Sturm Graz and Swansea City since joining from Gothenburg for £6m in July 2024.
Since then, Yalkoy has started against Chelsea and Leeds United, and has impressed as an attacking midfielder. “He shows a lot of energy and gives a lot of effort, and he is very good, both on and off the ball,” Hortzeller said.
There is no doubt that the Ivorian player's self-confidence, his intense enthusiasm for competition, and his excellent control of the ball are undoubted. Yalkoy could be the next player Brighton sell at a huge profit! (Brighton 1-1 Leeds United).
Tonali explains Tottenham's new spirit
Tottenham failed to score in their first three Premier League matches for the first time since the 1974-75 season. The club spent more than 300 million pounds this summer, and Sandro Tonali was the most prominent new player in this boring encounter at the City Ground.
De Zerbe praised the fighting spirit shown by Tottenham players in the match that ended in a goalless draw, a spirit that was clearly demonstrated by Tonali's brilliance during his first-half intervention with Dan Ndoye, which ended with a corner kick for Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner said: “I think this will be a promotional advertisement for the Premier League. This is what the English Premier League is famous for, and this is what everyone loves.” (Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham)
Angulo plays with a strange randomness
Nelson Angulo, who scored Ecuador's goal against Germany in the World Cup, remains an enigmatic figure at Sunderland: strong and gentle, cunning and naive, witty and clumsy at the same time.
Sometimes, without seeming to be connected to the course of the match around him, he suddenly stops strangely and moves his legs. One of his wonderful touches with the back of his ankle to return a cross high into the middle of the field was stunning.
He is good at starting quickly and stopping suddenly to create space, and he controls the ball perfectly, but then at other times he becomes strangely slow.
Probably the only thing harder than watching him is playing alongside him, trying to figure out if he's going to cross or not. He's playing randomly, and that's clear to everyone; That he is a high-class football player is less clear! (Brentford 1-1 Sunderland).
A teenage defender who performs at great levels
Not many teenagers play as centre-backs regularly in the English Premier League, but Australian international Lucas Herrington is quietly establishing himself in a Hull City team that is adapting to the atmosphere of the top flight and fame.
The newly joined player from Colorado Rapids celebrated his nineteenth birthday on Saturday, by participating as a substitute against Aston Villa, to help the Tigers keep a clean sheet.
Herrington is considered one of the best emerging defensive talents in world football, and he demonstrated his great talent with a decisive save from Tyrone Mings' shot.
Herrington has featured as a substitute in all three of Hull City's Premier League matches this season, and the young star is expected to continue to impress throughout the campaign.
“Herrington is an excellent player with huge potential, so all these minutes are very valuable for him,” said Hull City coach Sergei Yakerovich. I don't feel any fear when he's on the field, and I trust him completely. As long as he stays healthy, anything is possible.” (Hull City 0-0 Aston Villa).
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