We start on Friday evening when Chelsea entertain Luton Town at Stamford Bridge. Luton’s game against Burnley was postponed last weekend so they will have had a long time to reflect on their 4-1 thumping by Brighton in their first game of the season back on Matchday 1.

Meanwhile Chelsea won’t be feeling too pleased with themselves after their 1-0 loss to West Ham on Matchday 2. Mauricio Pochettino has already publicly stated that he wants his team to be at it straight away with no time for excuses about ‘settling in’ so he will be looking to get their first three points on the board on Friday night. His positive words are to be admired but the reality is that there have been so many comings and goings at Chelsea in recent times it was always going to take a while for everyone at the club to adjust to their new roles and responsibilities. I believe they’ve done some brilliant work in the transfer window,and I expect Chelsea, without the burden of European football, to have an excellent season. I’m going for a comprehensive 4-0 home win for Chelsea in this one.

On Saturday, I’m going for Tottenham to beat Bournemouth 3-1 in the lunchtime kick off. In the four o’clock matches, I fancy Arsenal to build on their squeaky 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Monday night with amore comfortable 3-1 win at home to Fulham, CrystalPalace to suffer another 1-0 loss, this time away at an impressiveBrentford, Everton to beatWolves 1-0 in what I expect to be a turgid affair between the bottom two clubs and ManchesterUnited to beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 at Old Trafford. That just leavesBrighton versus West Ham United in the late kick off on Saturday and I reckon this could be a very entertaining match for the neutrals with The Seagulls just edging the Hammers with a 2-1 home win.

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On Sunday I fancy Aston Villa to build on their comprehensive win over Everton last weekend with another three points against Burnley. Burnley had the weekend off due to their game being postponed against Luton Town and I expect their manager Vincent Kompany to have used that time well with his newly promoted side. Despite the Clarets having no points and near the foot of the table, I do fancy them to do well this season. I just think that facing Manchester City in their first match and then a rejuvenated AstonVilla in their second, equates to a very difficult set of early season fixtures. I’m sure that Burnley will soon start picking up the points they need to avoid a relegation scrap, but I don’t see that starting this weekend. 3-1 to Villa for me in this one.

Also on Sunday, we have Sheffield United versus Manchester City. Sheffield United seem to me to be a club that expect togo straight back down and despite Manchester City having several key players out injured, I still can’t see anything other than a comprehensive 3-0 away win for Pep Guardiola’s men.

The final game of Matchday 3 sees two of my old clubs going head-to-head at St James Park. Newcastle started the season brilliantly with a 5-1 drubbing of Aston Villa and then only lost out narrowly to Manchester City on Matchday 2. I have said before that this Newcastle side looks the real deal and whilst I have some concerns about how they will cope with the additional burden of playing in the Champions League, that’s not an issue for them as yet.

Liverpool did well to win from a goal down against Bournemouth last Saturday, but I don’t think we’ll see the best of Liverpool for a few more games yet. On that basis, I reckon the Toon Army will have plenty to celebrate on Sunday evening and I’m going for an entertaining 2-1 win to United.