The first midweek stretch of the season has already brought Champions League and Carabao Cup action, and the Premier League schedule now tightens again around Gameweek 4.

Sunday’s Manchester derby is the clear centrepiece, but there is plenty elsewhere to weigh up, from Chelsea and Liverpool enjoying home advantage to Arsenal facing a testing trip away from home.

Here is a revised look at how the weekend may unfold, based strictly on the evidence from recent form, results and context in the draft.

Aston Villa are tipped to edge Nottingham Forest 2-1, with both sides still searching for their first league win and Villa Park likely to favour the home team. Bournemouth and Brentford could cancel each other out in a 1-1 draw, while Chelsea are expected to make short work of Hull and win 3-0 as their attack meets a defence that has impressed but may not be able to sustain that level.

Crystal Palace are backed to beat Ipswich 2-1 after a timely lift in form, and Liverpool are forecast to defeat Fulham 3-1, with the hosts carrying momentum into the fixture. Tottenham and Everton look set for a 1-1 draw, a result that would fit the recent frustrations around Spurs and the unbeaten start made by the visitors.

Arsenal are predicted to keep their perfect start going with a narrow 1-0 win at Sunderland, while Brighton are expected to leave Coventry with a 3-1 victory. The weekend’s biggest game, Man Utd against Man City, is called as another 1-1 draw, reflecting uncertainty on both sides despite City’s winning run.

Monday closes with Leeds against Newcastle, a meeting that could finish 2-2 after both clubs have shown enough going forward to suggest another open contest.

Premier League spending climbed beyond the $4 billion mark for the second straight summer in 2026, with total outlay across the division reaching $4.75 billion (£3.5 billion). That figure tops the roughly $4.1 billion (£3.1 billion) spent on new signings in 2025 and confirms another aggressive market across the league.

The final day of the window supplied the biggest individual headline, as Manchester City completed a $168.8 million (£125 million) joint-British transfer record move for Enzo Fernández. Activity at Aston Villa and Newcastle United also contributed to the increase, taking the league to levels not seen before.

Manchester City finished as the biggest spenders on $609.1 million (£458m). Chelsea were second with $470.7 million (£349m), followed by Tottenham Hotspur on $423.9 million (£302m). Newcastle United spent $362.2 million (£268m), Aston Villa $347.4 million (£256m), Liverpool $306.2 million (£198m) and Arsenal $262.8 million (£194m). Ipswich Town’s total came to $255.3 million (£171m).

Further down the list, Brighton & Hove Albion recorded $208.4 million (£154.5m), Hull City $203.2 million (£150.5m), and Manchester United $200.4 million (£148m). Coventry City stood at $171.8 million (£126m), Nottingham Forest at $159.9 million (£117.5m), and Brentford at $143.8 million (£106m). Everton, Fulham and Leeds United all finished above $100 million, while Crystal Palace and Bournemouth were below that threshold.

Sunderland were the lowest spenders at $88.7 million (£65.7m). The totals were compiled by Transfermarkt.com and last updated on Sept. 2 at 6:00 a.m. ET, with fees converted at the prevailing rate.

Manchester City’s Enzo Maresca-led rebuild finished above $600 million overall, with Fernández and Ndiaye joined by Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Allan. Chelsea, after a miserable 2025-26 season, were the second biggest spenders and made Morgan Rogers their key addition, with the Aston Villa player arriving for a club record $159.6 million. Chelsea were one of 11 Premier League clubs to break their transfer record this summer.

Tottenham also broke their transfer record twice, signing Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali for a combined $252 million. Ipswich Town’s $255.3 million left them eighth, while Sunderland ended bottom despite signing Malick Fofana from Lyon on Deadline Day.

The 2026 World Cup changed the market for several U.S. men’s national team players. Strong performances on the biggest stage helped open doors across Europe, while others used the summer to secure fresh opportunities after productive domestic seasons. From MLS exits to moves inside Europe’s top leagues, the window produced a mix of progress, promise and one Deadline Day saga that never quite became a transfer.

Sebastian Berhalter was among the clearest beneficiaries. He was not a regular starter under Pochettino this summer, but he still logged five World Cup appearances, finishing with a goal and an assist. That followed a career-best 21 goal contributions for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2025, and he backed it up again in 2026 with seven goals and four assists in 18 matches. Middlesbrough moved quickly, paying $2 million in July for the midfielder’s signature. The switch to England’s second tier gives him a major step up from MLS and a possible pathway toward the Premier League.

Gio Reyna needed a reset, and he got one. After managing only 20 appearances for Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2025-26, he went to the World Cup and delivered five appearances, capped by a standout goal against Paraguay. That was enough for Strasbourg to hand him a five-year deal. Reyna has already shown encouraging signs, setting up the only goal in a preseason match against Newcastle United before making his Ligue 1 debut off the bench. He then earned a start against Lens and helped Strasbourg take three points. For a player who needs rhythm, that kind of continuity matters.

Zavier Gozo’s move carried a different kind of weight. The 19-year-old left Real Salt Lake for Crystal Palace on a five-year contract, scored for the club’s U-21s against Arsenal’s youth side, and then made his Premier League debut six days later in a 4-1 loss to Manchester City. The numbers were modest, but the age profile and upside remain obvious.

Folarin Balogun did not move in the end, but his Deadline Day story was impossible to ignore. A permanent switch from Monaco to Everton fell apart after a failed medical, a brief pivot toward Joshua Zirkzee, renewed contact over Balogun, and Monaco pulling back from a separate sale involving Lamine Camara. In the end, Balogun stayed put.