After a Champions League opening matchday packed with goals and emotion, the major leagues take centre stage again. This weekend, several fixtures pit title contenders against each other, while some teams are already under pressure. All times below are given in GMT.
🔥 Manchester United – Manchester City: Old Trafford under tension
Sunday 13 September – 15:30 GMT
This is the clash of the weekend. Manchester United host Manchester City for the 199th Manchester derby.
City arrive with a perfect start to the season: three wins in three matchdays and a European win in Porto. United, meanwhile, picked up only four points from their first three Premier League matches before settling their nerves with a comfortable 4-0 win over Sabah in the Champions League.
Benjamin Šeško is also full of confidence after scoring against Everton and then Sabah. Michael Carrick will nonetheless have to deal with reduced recovery time after the European fixture.
What's at stake: United can revive their season with a prestige win, while City want to maintain their perfect record.
🔴 Sunderland – Arsenal: the Gunners must keep up the pace
Saturday 12 September – 19:00 GMT
Arsenal travel to the Stadium of Light with a clear objective: to continue their perfect start to the season.
The Gunners have won their first three league matches and have just beaten Napoli 1-0 in the Champions League. But the schedule gives them no respite: this trip comes just days after their European fixture. Kick-off has in fact been moved to 20:00 UK time.
Sunderland, promoted and already capable of causing problems for big clubs, want to take advantage of the situation.
What's at stake: Arsenal can consolidate their place among the leaders, but Sunderland dream of another big result.
🔴 Liverpool – Fulham: the Reds must pick up the pace
Saturday 12 September – 14:00 GMT
Liverpool return to Anfield after their European win over Atlético Madrid.
The Reds have won only one of their first three Premier League matches, with two draws. They therefore need to quickly find winning momentum so as not to let Manchester City and Arsenal pull away.
Fulham arrive with the ambition of making life difficult for the English champions.
What's at stake: Liverpool must turn their European momentum into domestic results.
⚪ Real Madrid – Rayo Vallecano: Mourinho wants to push forward again
Saturday 12 September – 19:00 GMT
Real Madrid return to the Santiago Bernabéu after their 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League.
But in the league, the Madrid side are coming off a defeat to Betis and are already three points behind Barcelona. Rayo Vallecano therefore arrive at the worst possible time for a Real side that needs to get back on track.
What's at stake: not letting Barcelona pull away so early in the season.
🔵 Levante – FC Barcelona: the leaders want to continue the show
Sunday 13 September – 14:15 GMT
Barça are currently the team to beat in Spain.
Four matches, four wins, and above all 17 goals scored to just 2 conceded. The demonstration against Feyenoord in the Champions League, with a 5-1 win, further reinforced this impression of attacking power.
Levante will therefore need to produce an almost perfect performance to slow the Catalans down.
What's at stake: Barcelona can maintain their perfect record and keep the pressure on Real Madrid.
🔵 Real Sociedad – Atlético Madrid: already a turning point?
Sunday 13 September – 19:00 GMT
This is probably one of the most important matches of the weekend in Spain.
Real Sociedad host an Atlético Madrid side that needs to quickly close in on the top of the table. For the Colchoneros, another slip-up could already create a worrying gap with Barça and the leading teams.
What's at stake: Atlético already have a lot riding on the race for the top spots.
🇮🇹 Lazio – Milan: duel between two contenders
Saturday 12 September – 16:00 GMT
A top-of-the-table clash in Serie A.
Lazio and Milan have both made an excellent start to the league season: three wins in three matchdays. Lazio even boast the better defence of the two, with just one goal conceded, while Milan also have a very solid record.
Both teams currently sit on nine and seven points, respectively.
What's at stake: staying in touch with Roma and Inter, who have also won their first three matches.
🟡 Le Mans – Lens: the Sang et Or must manage the euphoria
Sunday 13 September – 15:15 GMT
After their incredible 3-2 win in Prague against Slavia, Lens return to Ligue 1.
The challenge is a particular one: how to digest such a spectacular European night before immediately plunging back into league action?
Lens have three points after three matchdays and will want to use this European momentum to climb the table. Le Mans, for their part, have yet to win and will look to take advantage of their visitors' fatigue.
What's at stake: confirming the European heroics and not losing ground in the league.
🔵 Brest – PSG: the champions must respond
Sunday 13 September – 18:45 GMT
PSG are experiencing an unusual start to the Ligue 1 season: just two points after three matchdays.
The French champions, however, got their European campaign off to a perfect start with a spectacular 6-1 win over Slovan Bratislava. Brest therefore represent a new test for a Paris side that must now convert their European form into domestic results.
Brest, unbeaten after three matchdays, currently sit seventh with five points.
What's at stake: PSG must finally get their league season going.
📅 The weekend's big fixtures
🇬🇧 England
Saturday 12 September
- 14:00 GMT — Liverpool 🆚 Fulham
- 16:30 GMT — Tottenham 🆚 Everton
- 19:00 GMT — Sunderland 🆚 Arsenal
Sunday 13 September
- 15:30 GMT — Manchester United 🆚 Manchester City
🇪🇸 Spain
Saturday 12 September
- 19:00 GMT — Real Madrid 🆚 Rayo Vallecano
Sunday 13 September
- 14:15 GMT — Levante 🆚 Barcelona
- 19:00 GMT — Real Sociedad 🆚 Atlético Madrid
🇮🇹 Italy
Saturday 12 September
- 16:00 GMT — Lazio 🆚 Milan
🇫🇷 France
Sunday 13 September
- 15:15 GMT — Le Mans 🆚 Lens
- 18:45 GMT — Brest 🆚 PSG
Nine fixtures, four leagues, and above all a Sunday that promises to be particularly busy. The Manchester derby will of course be the fixture not to be missed.
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