After a dramatic transfer deadline day, the first sacking of the season and Erling Haaland’s five-goal flurry for Norway on Tuesday night, excitement is brimming for the return of the Premier League this weekend.
For the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Sunderland, Saturday’s Premier League return presents an opportunity to build on a successful first few weeks of the season, while others – such as Fulham, Wolves and Aston Villa – will be keen for a fresh start.
And while many nations entertained us during the international break, with Norway thrashing Moldova 11-1 and England finally winning comprehensively under Thomas Tuchel with a 5-0 triumph over Serbia, most fans will be delighted to have the thrill and unpredictability of the Premier League back once Saturday rolls around.
But which storylines are we most excited to see play out ahead of the Premier League’s eagerly-anticipated return? Daily Mail Sport takes a look…
Isak’s first Liverpool bow
It’s the saga that dominated the summer transfer window, so there really is no better place to start than Alexander Isak’s British record transfer to Liverpool.
The Swede refused to train or play at Newcastle in an effort to force through a summer move to Anfield, which finally came to fruition on deadline day as the two clubs agreed to a £125million transfer.
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Soon after signing on the dotted line, Isak went away on international duty with Sweden and saw his first action of the new season by coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute against Kosovo.
Given the hefty fee and bitter nature of his Newcastle exit, Isak will be under heaps of pressure to hit the ground running at reigning champions Liverpool, who face Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday.
Whether he is thrown in immediately by Arne Slot remains to be seen, with Isak lacking a full preseason as a result of his strike and fellow No 9 Hugo Ekitike impressing at the top of the pitch so far this campaign.
On the other hand, Burnley presents an ideal opportunity for Isak to get some minutes before a tantalising Merseyside derby at Anfield the following weekend.
Either way, he’ll certainly be under the microscope.
Ange is back, mate
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis wielded his axe to produce the first sacking of the season over the international break, as Nuno Espirito Santo was dismissed despite guiding the club into Europe last campaign.
From the outside, it appears harsh on the Portuguese, who has only endured a mixed bag of results with one win, one draw and one defeat in the opening three games.
But Marinakis had bigger ideas and swiftly appointed former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou off the back of his Europa League triumph last term, opting for a drastic change of approach in terms of philosophy and style.
An all-out-attack manager with an entertaining personality in terms of his relationship with the media, Postecoglou adds great value to the Premier League and all eyes will be on him when Forest kick off the weekend against Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday.
Of course, given he was responsible for Spurs winning their first major trophy since 2008 last season, Postecoglou is bound to receive a frosty reception from Arsenal’s home support.
Chris Wood scoring the opener and Postecoglou cupping his ears to the North Bank Stand? Stranger things have happened…
A Manchester derby with PLENTY on the line
All is not well in Manchester as far as City and United are concerned.
Pressure continues to ramp up on Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim after a challenging start to the season, which has seen United lose to Arsenal, draw to struggling Fulham and only narrowly beat Burnley – as well as crash out to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup on penalties.
And yet somehow, they are above local rivals Manchester City in the Premier League table, with the former perennial champions winning just once across their opening three games.
Guardiola will take confidence in Haaland scoring five past Moldova on Tuesday and also by 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri taking further steps towards a return to full fitness.
Meanwhile, United’s £62.5m summer signing Matheus Cunha looks set to be unavailable after hobbling off with injury during the late 3-2 win against Burnley.
With Ederson and Andre Onana securing deadline day moves away from City and United respectively, the goalkeeping situation is another storyline fans are eager to watch unfold.
Will Gianluigi Donnarumma and Senne Lammens immediately come into the fold? Or will James Trafford and Altay Bayindir be given another chance after erroneous performances of late?
Both will feel it’s an excellent time to face the other. And that usually brings fireworks.
Life after Isak for Eddie Howe
Eddie Howe will undoubtedly be delighted to see the back of the Alexander Isak transfer saga, given the negative impact it has had on his squad.
Despite he and his players vowing the two are not related, Newcastle sit above the relegation zone on goal difference alone after two draws and a defeat – but now, crucially, the chaos has come to an end.
Isak’s move to Anfield saw two strikers come to St James’ Park in his place – the Premier League-proven Yoane Wissa and Germany international Nick Woltemade.
While some Newcastle fans have humourously claimed that Howe will opt for a little-and-large strike duo rivalling the iconic former Portsmouth duo of Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe, it seems likely only one will lead the line for the Magpies when they take on Wolves on Saturday.
Given Wissa, like Isak, is lacking match sharpness after going on strike to force a move out of Brentford, it would appear more likely that the 6ft 6in German giant start up front against Vitor Pereira’s side.
With the Magpies scoring just twice in three matches so far, the task is simple for whoever starts at St James’ Park.
Keep an eye on Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen too if he is deemed fit to start. It would be rather ironic if the Norwegian, who Newcastle pursued before being told he is not for sale, strikes the killer blow.
Return of the Jack
Few players needed a move more than Jack Grealish this summer – and the form he’s shown so far for Everton since leaving Manchester City has endorsed that narrative.
Despite being a central part of Guardiola’s Treble-winning team, the England midfielder fell down the pecking order last season and looked devoid of confidence whenever he was given a rare opportunity off the substitutes’ bench.
At Aston Villa, Grealish was one of the most exciting talents in the Premier League, but his flair and individualism struggled to adapt to Guardiola’s system-focused philosophy and led to him becoming no more than a bit-part player.
Now, after completing his loan switch to Everton, Grealish looks like a man reborn and is beginning to rediscover his inventiveness and creativity – just in time to face his old club at Villa Park this weekend.
Villa, who have started the season disastrously and are yet to score a single goal, have strengthened themselves in attack with the arrivals of Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on loan.
Sancho, like Grealish, will be eager to relaunch his career after ill-fated spells at Manchester United and Chelsea, while Elliott will want to continue his love affair with the Liverpool fans by hurting their bitter Merseyside rivals.
Kudus set for frosty Hammers return
Mohammed Kudus has swiftly become an integral part of Thomas Frank’s Tottenham after completing his £55m move from West Ham this summer.
And while he’s made a habit of getting fans off their feet at the start of the season, the Ghanaian may find he provokes a different reaction when he returns to the Hammers on Saturday afternoon.
During their opening weekend defeat against newly-promoted Sunderland, a group of angry West Ham fans waved a flag reading ‘Judus’, a combination of his name and the biblical traitor Judas, after becoming furious at the player for pushing through a transfer to their London rivals.
While some may be sympathetic towards Kudus for his desire to play Champions League football, it is very unlikely he will escape the London Stadium at the weekend without a few boos hurled in his direction.
Expect a little extra needle in this one.
And that’s not all!
As if the Premier League’s return isn’t enough to get excited about, the Champions League is back as of next midweek.
After a fortnight without any club football, fans are now able to enjoy the Manchester derby on Sunday evening safe in the knowledge that there’s of the beautiful game to watch just a few days later.
And let’s not diminish the impact of European competitions on the Premier League too. The extra games often force managers to tweak their systems and rotate personnel, giving other players an opportunity to impress in the spotlight.
In terms of the English teams to watch out for, Arsenal travel to Athletic Bilbao, Chelsea take on Bayern Munich, Liverpool play Atletico Madrid, Newcastle host Barcelona and Man City face Napoli in five tantalising Champions League meetings.
Clear out that diary!
