The third week of the Premier League season takes place this weekend. What are some things we learned about a few Premier League teams during the first two weeks of the season?

What Have We Learned in the First Two Weeks of the Premier League Season?

Only two games of each team’s Premier League season have been completed. While each team has only played 180 minutes in the league so far this season, important lessons have still been learned about a few teams in the Premier League.

The third week of the Premier League season will begin with the end of the transfer window less than two weeks away. Here are some key storylines from the first few weekends in the Premier League.

Arsenal Could Have a Phenomenal Season

Arsenal missed the Champions League by two points last season, and during the summer the club completed several signings to ensure they could return to the Champions League next year. So far, Arsenal’s summer has translated into success during the season, only they and Manchester City have won both of their first two games in the Premier League.

Gabriel Jesus was the most important player Arsenal signed this summer, and he has been the team’s best player so far this season. He was one of the main reasons Arsenal won their first game against Crystal Palace, despite the fact that he didn’t score, and he scored two of the team’s four goals against Leicester City last week.

Jesus played 28 Premier League games for Manchester City last season, averaging 67 minutes per appearance, and left Manchester this summer for Arsenal because of the opportunity to be one of the most important players in the Arsenal squad. He has taken advantage of the opportunity, and the Arsenal offense has been fantastic to start the season due to how well he, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka are playing together.

In addition, left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, who also joined Arsenal after leaving Manchester City this summer, and William Saliba, who returned to Arsenal this summer after a loan at Marseille, have helped Arsenal’s defense have a solid start to the season. So far, Arsenal has only allowed two goals this season, both against Leicester, although one of those was an own-goal credited to Saliba.

Arsenal began the season expecting to finish in the top four this season. Two wins in their first two games have put them second in the league, and they are already two points ahead of Tottenham and Chelsea, four points ahead of Liverpool, and six points ahead of Manchester United.

Manchester City Will Be Difficult To Beat Despite Summer Departures

Manchester City made two of the most significant transfer signings in the Premier League this summer; Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips. However, several players also departed the club, including Jesus, Zinchenko, and Raheem Sterling.

Despite the changes during the transfer window, Manchester City has had an excellent start to the season. They are one of only two teams that haven’t allowed a goal yet this season, and their six goals are tied for most in the league.

Haaland has already scored twice, with both goals being scored in City’s first game of the season against West Ham United. Last week, Manchester City defeated Bournemouth 4-0 with Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, and Phillip Foden all scoring. Manchester City had possession for 67% of the game and had 19 shots compared to just three for Bournemouth.

Liverpool, expected to be Manchester City’s primary competition for the Premier League title, only has two points so far this season after back-to-back draws. The start of the season has shown how difficult it will be for another team to win the Premier League title this year.

Newcastle United Will Try To Compete To Qualify For European Competition This Season

Manchester City’s opponents this weekend, Newcastle United, are the other Premier League team that has yet to allow a goal this season. Newcastle finished last season in 11th place, but this year the team will hope to compete to qualify for European competition.

Nick Pope, who signed with Newcastle this summer, has started both games as the team’s goalkeeper. Center-back Sven Botman, who joined the team this summer after playing for Lille in France for two seasons, started Newcastle’s second game of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion. Both players have contributed to Newcastle’s excellent start to the season defensively.

On the other hand, Newcastle has only scored two goals so far this season, both against Nottingham Forest in the first game of the year. Despite that, Newcastle could still compete to finish in the top half of the table, and potentially to qualify for the UEFA Conference or Europa League.

When Newcastle United plays Manchester City they will have an opportunity to prove how much they have improved from last season. If they win, or even draw, it would show that Newcastle United has the potential to play in European competition next year.