The Dugout Gazette

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Weekend Briefing

Arsenal and Manchester City are setting the early pace after another weekend of narrow margins and useful statements. Arsenal kept their perfect start intact by beating Chelsea 2-1, while City made it three wins from three with a 1-0 result against Coventry City, a match that also brought Erling Haaland's 300th club goal.

Liverpool are up and running too. A 2-0 win at Ipswich Town was driven by an Alexander Isak brace, with Cody Gakpo helping give their attack a different shape. Hull City continue to catch the eye at the other end of the pitch, taking a third straight clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa to move onto seven points.

Elsewhere, Everton hit late to deny Manchester United in a 2-2 draw, Crystal Palace came from behind to beat Fulham 3-2, and Tottenham Hotspur are still waiting for their first league goal after another blank in a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest.

Results Board

Premier League

  • Manchester City 1-0 Coventry City
  • Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace
  • Newcastle United 2-2 Bournemouth
  • Brentford 1-1 Sunderland
  • Brighton 1-1 Leeds United
  • Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
  • Hull City 0-0 Aston Villa
  • Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool
  • Everton 2-2 Manchester United
  • Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea

Championship

  • Burnley 1-2 Bristol City
  • Lincoln City 1-1 Southampton
  • Millwall 4-0 Bolton Wanderers
  • Portsmouth 2-0 Cardiff City
  • Preston North End 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
  • Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Middlesbrough
  • Sheffield United 1-3 Norwich City
  • Stoke City 4-0 Charlton Athletic
  • Swansea City 0-0 Wrexham
  • West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Watford
  • West Ham United 3-0 Derby County
  • Birmingham City 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

League One

  • Peterborough United 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday
  • Wigan Athletic 0-4 Stockport County
  • Barnsley 1-5 Stevenage
  • Bradford City 1-0 Mansfield Town
  • Burton Albion 2-2 Cambridge United
  • Doncaster Rovers 2-3 Plymouth Argyle
  • Huddersfield Town 1-1 Notts County
  • Leicester City 0-4 Oxford United
  • Luton Town 1-1 Leyton Orient
  • Reading 3-1 Blackpool
  • Wycombe Wanderers 3-3 MK Dons

League Two

  • Bristol Rovers 1-0 Rotherham United
  • Accrington Stanley 3-2 Crawley Town
  • Cheltenham Town 2-2 Grimsby Town
  • Chesterfield 3-3 Barnet
  • Crewe Alexandra 1-1 York City
  • Exeter City 0-0 Walsall
  • Northampton Town 1-0 Newport County
  • Rochdale 1-4 Gillingham
  • Swindon Town 3-1 Colchester United
  • Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Oldham Athletic
  • Fleetwood Town 2-0 Shrewsbury Town
  • Salford City 1-0 Port Vale

From the Touchline

Arsenal's 2-1 win over Chelsea was another sign of a side that can ride difficult spells and still come through with control. They were tested, but they stayed on course and preserved a perfect return from their opening three matches.

Manchester City were not spectacular against Coventry City, but that is part of the point. They kept the game tight, found the winner, and kept their flawless start going. Haaland reaching 300 club goals only reinforced how quickly City can turn a narrow game their way.

Liverpool's win at Ipswich felt important for more than the points. Isak's two goals gave them the cutting edge they had been missing, while Gakpo's two assists suggested a partnership that offers a different attacking look if it continues to develop.

Hull City's seven-point start has been built on defensive discipline. Another clean sheet means they are proving hard to break down, and that platform is giving them a chance to stay in games even when chances are limited.

Everton's late 2-2 draw with Manchester United said plenty about both teams. Everton showed persistence to rescue a point, while United again looked vulnerable when asked to protect a lead late in the game.

Crystal Palace deserved credit for their comeback at Fulham. Going behind away from home and still winning 3-2 is a strong response. For Fulham, the concern is simple: conceding three at home and still leaving empty-handed.

In the Championship, Stoke City and Millwall produced the most emphatic scorelines of the weekend with matching 4-0 wins. Burnley's 2-1 home defeat to Bristol City adds to a difficult start, while Middlesbrough's 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers kept them moving near the top and brought another early positive from Lankshear.

League One had a clear headline too. Sheffield Wednesday's 2-1 win at Peterborough United sent them top, Oxford United's 4-0 win at Leicester City was one of the sharpest away performances of the day, and Stevenage's 5-1 victory at Barnsley was impossible to ignore.

In League Two, Bristol Rovers stayed in front with a fourth straight win. Swindon Town came from behind to beat Colchester United 3-1 through a Drinan hat-trick, and Gillingham's 4-1 win at Rochdale was one of the division's strongest away results.

Table and Form Notes

These are early-season positions, not firm conclusions, but the table is already giving us a few clear signals.

  • Manchester City and Arsenal are the only Premier League teams on nine points.
  • Hull City are third on seven points and have not conceded a goal.
  • Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have not scored in their opening three league games.
  • Fulham and Coventry City remain pointless.

In the Championship, Swansea City lead on 11 points, with Middlesbrough second on 10.

In League One, Sheffield Wednesday lead on 12 points, with Huddersfield Town second.

In League Two, Bristol Rovers are top on 12 points, with Swindon Town second on 10.

It is still far too early to lock in big judgments, but fast starts and slow starts are beginning to shape the conversation.

Fantasy Desk

Attention now turns to FPL Gameweek 4. The deadline is Saturday 12 September 2026 at 13:30 UK time, subject to confirmation in the official FPL game.

Verified Gameweek 4 fixtures:

  • Chelsea v Hull City
  • Liverpool v Fulham
  • Sunderland v Arsenal
  • Coventry City v Brighton
  • Manchester United v Manchester City
  • Aston Villa v Newcastle United
  • Bournemouth v Brentford
  • Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest
  • Leeds United v Everton
  • Tottenham Hotspur v Ipswich Town

For captaincy, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer stand out as the leading fixture-based home options against Hull City. Haaland remains the premium alternative, even with the tougher away trip to Manchester United.

Arsenal assets remain firmly relevant after the perfect start, with Bukayo Saka a clear watchlist option ahead of the trip to Sunderland.

Liverpool are worth a close look after finally getting going. Isak is worth monitoring after his two-goal return at Ipswich, and Gakpo's two assists add extra attacking interest if that combination keeps its place.

As ever after the international break, the smart move is patience.

  • Check official team news.
  • Check confirmed line-ups before transfers and captaincy calls.
  • Be especially careful with early moves during the break.

Final Whistle

Arsenal and Manchester City are setting the early Premier League pace, and Liverpool now have some attacking momentum after Ipswich, but they need to build on it straight away. Manchester United, meanwhile, have to solve their late-game control problem before the derby.

Hull City's clean-sheet run now heads into a much tougher Chelsea test, while Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol Rovers are setting the early EFL pace in their divisions. One fixture still sits outside the weekend picture: Bromley v AFC Wimbledon is a Monday game, so it remains upcoming rather than part of this round-up.

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