Premier League Gameweek 3 was defined by Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win over Chelsea and an extraordinary level of competitive balance, with six draws across the 10 fixtures. Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers stunned the Emirates with a volleyed strike after just 77 seconds, but Arsenal responded through Kai Havertz (25′) and Martin Ødegaard (50′) to complete the turnaround.
The weekend’s results offered very little separation. Six matches ended level, three were decided by a single goal, and only Liverpool won by more than one goal.
Premier League Gameweek 3: Arsenal respond after Chelsea strike first
Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea was the headline result. Rogers’s early volley made him the first player to score or assist in each of a club’s first three league games of a season since Eden Hazard in 2018-19 — an early statement of Chelsea’s own ambitions under Xabi Alonso. Havertz, scoring his third goal in the fixture against his former club, levelled midway through the first half, before a slick move five minutes into the second — Havertz dummying a pass to spring Ødegaard clean through — settled it.
The win keeps Arsenal and Manchester City as the only unbeaten sides through three games, with City ahead only on goal difference.
Six draws underline the league’s competitive middle
Newcastle United drew 2-2 with AFC Bournemouth, Brentford and Sunderland finished 1-1, and Brighton & Hove Albion drew 1-1 with Leeds United. Nottingham Forest played out a 0-0 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, Hull City and Aston Villa also finished 0-0, and Everton drew 2-2 with Manchester United.
Those results represent different types of stalemate. The 2-2 matches suggest contests where both teams found enough attacking solutions to score twice but could not establish control. The two 0-0 draws point to matches where defensive organisation or attacking inefficiency prevented either side from converting pressure into a breakthrough.
Liverpool make the clearest winning statement
Liverpool’s 2-0 win away to Ipswich Town was the round’s most controlled margin. Alexander Isak scored twice inside the opening nine minutes (6′, 9′), both set up by Cody Gakpo, to give new manager Andoni Iraola his first Premier League win since taking charge — after Liverpool had been held in their opening two matches. The result moved Liverpool to five points from three games.
Manchester City win narrowly as Coventry frustrate
Manchester City defeated Coventry City 1-0, a result that contrasts sharply with Liverpool’s margin. City took the points but had little room for error, keeping them level with Arsenal at the top on points, ahead only on goal difference.
The remaining results complete a tightly packed round
Fulham and Crystal Palace produced the only other match decided by more than one goal, with Palace winning 3-2 away in a five-goal contest.
Confirmed Premier League Gameweek 3 results:
- Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool
- Newcastle United 2-2 AFC Bournemouth
- Brentford 1-1 Sunderland
- Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Leeds United
- Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace
- Manchester City 1-0 Coventry City
- Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
- Hull City 0-0 Aston Villa
- Everton 2-2 Manchester United
- Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
Early conclusions
Arsenal’s comeback against Chelsea was the most significant result of the round, but the defining story of Gameweek 3 is parity: six draws out of 10 matches left the division unusually compressed, making game management as important as attacking quality this early in the season.
You can track how these results shape the table on our League Tables page.
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