Ahead of the latest weekend of European soccer, we pick out the must-watch matches from around the continent. We have the Manchester derby, two big-spending teams looking to get their first wins of the season, Jose Mourinho and the ultimate surprise package looking for the biggest victory in their history.
We are across the Premier League, Ligue 1, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Women's Super League as we preview the weekend's action.
Is this Maresca's biggest test yet?
Manchester United vs. Manchester City
Premier League, Matchday 4
Kickoff: Sunday, 11.30 a.m. / 4.30 p.m. BST
Manchester City are bubbling nicely under new manager Enzo Maresca. Three wins from three in the league and a victory on the road in the Champions League midweek is a nice, immediate return after spending £326 million on a brand-new midfield.
This weekend will bring Maresca his first Manchester derby: a match where emotions can render form and reason obsolete -- then again, City's star striker, Erling Haaland, will have something to say about that. City's wins in the Premier League saw them leave it late to beat Bournemouth, hammer Crystal Palace and then battle through wastefulness and the odd dab of fortune to beat Coventry 1-0.
Haaland has been central to all, as has playmaker Rayan Cherki. But building an understanding in midfield are their new-look triumvirate of Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernández. It cost a fortune, but they are already showing their worth (Bouaddi, especially, was outstanding against FC Porto in the Champions League this week.) But how will that midfield withstand their biggest test yet?
United's season has started in underwhelming fashion: a loss to Hull, a big win over Ipswich and then a draw with Everton in which they conceded a 96th minute equalizer. They've also had two days' fewer rest, after playing Sabah in their Champions League opener on Thursday evening.
United need a statement win to kickstart their season, City will be looking for a result as further proof of the ease at which they're settling into life under Maresca.
MY PREDICTION: Man United 1-2 Man City. Form says City should win. United will need to put in their best performance of the season to stop them, but will I expect them to fall short.
Can Elversberg achieve the ultimate 'David vs. Goliath' upset?
Elversberg vs. Bayern Munich
Bundesliga, Matchday 3
Kickoff: Sunday, 11.30 a.m. / 5.30 p.m. CEST
The money Elversberg have spent on transfers in their entire history totals about €12 million. That's about a quarter of what defending champions Bayern Munich spent to bring in Nathaniel Brown in the summer from Eintracht Frankfurt.
You'd imagine the two sides will be at the opposite ends of the Bundesliga, but after two games, Elversberg are two points ahead of Bayern.
Elversberg are the best story in European soccer so far this season. They opened with a remarkable 3-2 victory over 2024 Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, and backed it up with a 4-3 win on the road over Borussia Monchengladbach last time out, complete with a 92nd-minute winner from winger Maurice Krattenmacher. It is a remarkable start and the best thing? They're doing it "the Elversberg way," so says the club's technical director Dr. Josef Welzmüller.
But Bayern are a different proposition. They started the season with a commanding 5-1 win over Stuttgart, but then came unstuck at Schalke, drawing 0-0. Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius put in a performance for the ages to frustrate a much-rotated Bayern side, with striker Harry Kane introduced in the second half. Bayern will head to Elversberg as overwhelming favourites, but the hosts will fancy their chances of pulling off yet another monumental victory. Bayern played Thursday evening against BodÚ/Glimt, while Elversberg have enjoyed an entire week to plot their masterplan.
MY PREDICTION: Elversberg 3-3 Bayern Munich. Without meaning to sit on the fence, you can see this ending a draw. Elversberg will stick with their all-out attacking style and should score at least one, while Thursday's Champions League match will still be heavy in Bayern's legs. This will finish 3-3.
Can Chelsea kick-start their season?
Manchester United vs. Chelsea
Women's Super League, Matchday 2
Kickoff: Sunday, 7 a.m. ET / 12 p.m. BST
Both teams will wish they could play their opening game again. Manchester United were dismal on the road at the big-spending London City Lionesses, while Chelsea fluffed their lines at home to Aston Villa, drawing 1-1.
United are getting used to life under new boss Eva Olid, but they made a poor start in Bromley. They managed just one shot on target, which came in the 99th minute in the form of a consolation goal from midfielder Simi Awujo after being comprehensively outplayed by London City as Alexia Putellas' crew won 2-1. There's plenty for United to work on.
United playmaker Ella Toone had just seven touches of the ball against London City, which goes some way to explaining how they mustered so little a threat in front of goal. United also looked uncertain at the back and should have lost by more. Olid feels it's a mental block holding United back, but regardless, her promises of attacking football seem a world off materialising.
Over at Chelsea, they saw plenty of departures over the summer and started the new campaign with that draw at Stamford Bridge to Villa. Forward Lauren James scored a typically eye-catching goal, but Chelsea had 34 shots on goal, with just eight on target. They were far too wasteful. Chelsea secured the League Cup last season, but are desperate to regain their WSL crown in what is a squad far more in Sonia Bompastor's image than the two previous seasons. Defender Katie McCabe said post-match Chelsea won't panic after dropping points in their opener, but they will be desperate to bounce back this weekend.
PREDICTION: Manchester United 1-2 Chelsea. Chelsea will have too much for United, but I expect to see an improved showing from Olid's team.
Will Mourinho's Madrid find some momentum?
Real Madrid vs. Rayo Vallecano
LaLiga, Matchday 4
Kickoff: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET / 9 p.m. CEST
After losing 1-0 to Real Betis last weekend -- the first defeat of Jose Mourinho's return to Real Madrid -- they snuck past Inter Milan midweek. However, the 2-1 scoreline didn't tell the whole story: Inter were on top in the first half but still went into the break 2-0 down due to self-inflicted mistakes. Inter got the consolation late on to make things a little nervier for Madrid than they'd have wanted, but Real Madrid -- without Arda Güler and Bernardo Silva -- still came away with the victory.
That match saw Yan Diomande feature on the bench. It's been a slow start in Madrid for the new £120 million signing as he finds his feet. This could be a good occasion for him to stretch his legs, but Real Madrid will be demanding a statement performance after the last round defeat to Real Betis. Kylian Mbappé was back to his usual self against Inter after a tricky match with Betis in which he missed a penalty.
Mbappé and Thibaut Courtois -- along with Güler -- have been Madrid's standout players so far this season, but you sense it needs a far more collective showing in the all-Madrid affair this weekend to illustrate proof of progress in the Mourinho era.
Rayo Vallecano -- last season's Conference League finalists -- have started their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Alaves, a 5-2 defeat to Barcelona and then a 3-2 victory over Racing Santander where they came back from a goal down twice to win. Rayo finished that match with nine men after both Fran Pérez and Jorge de Frutos were sent off, but had Sergio Camello's two goals to thank for helping them to their victory. With Atlético Madrid looming on the horizon on Sept. 20, the onus is on Madrid to find some momentum.
PREDICTION: Real Madrid 3-0 Rayo Vallecano. Mourinho's side will have too much for their neighbours.
Does PSG's wait for a win end here?
Brest vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Ligue 1, Matchday 4
Kickoff: Sunday, 2.45 p.m. ET / 8.45 p.m. CEST
It's an intriguing weekend in Ligue 1. Keep an eye on the outcome in Paris, which will stage a third vs. second clash between Liam Rosenior's Paris FC and Paulo Fonseca's Lyon. AS Monaco are also worth watching as the only team with three wins from three travel to BlueCo's Strasbourg on Saturday, but PSG's fortunes will be where the focus is this weekend.
Though they got a comfortable 6-1 victory versus Slovan Bratislava, they have been underwhelming domestically, having already surrendered the Trophée des Champions to Lens. In Ligue 1, they have played three matches, drawing twice and losing last weekend, 2-1 at home to Monaco. It's been their worst start to a Ligue 1 season under manager Luis Enrique, and he's spent his week telling his players to forget what they've done in the past, and focus on delivering in the present.
A trip to Brest won't be an easy task. They're undefeated in the league this season with two draws and a win but PSG, complete with their 10 Ballon d'Or nominees and that morale-boosting waltz in midweek, will look to get their season finally off and running come Sunday.
PREDICTION: Brest 2-2 PSG. The wait for PSG's first league win of the season will continue for another week.
Can Spurs start to prove the summer wasn't a disaster?
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Everton
Premier League, Matchday 4
Kickoff: Saturday, 12.30 p.m. ET / 5.30 p.m. BST
After a summer outlay in the region of £330 million, Tottenham are yet to score in the Premier League this season -- one of three teams in the England's top tier with such a record. It's far from ideal, and the pressure is mounting on Spurs to pick up some form and show signs of life that it won't be yet another season spent scrapping at the foot of the table.
Memories of Mauricio Pochettino's reign came back to the fore this week as he told assembled media Chelsea should've had their 2017 Premier League title stripped from their grasp and handed to Spurs. Those days feel like they are from another century.
Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi said his forwards need to make better decisions after their 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest, and it's been another week of unwanted distractions, with the news that on-loan winger Mykhailo Mudryk faces months on the sideline through injury.
Life hasn't been easy for Everton, either. Manager David Moyes is doing an admirable job with a streamlined squad after missing out on United States striker Folarin Balogun on transfer deadline day. Fans are unimpressed with their summer's activity in the transfer market, but one signing did make an early impact, with midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles scoring that late equaliser against Manchester United.
PREDICTION: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Everton. This match is between two highly taut sides, but Spurs have to come good eventually.
Italy
Lazio vs. AC Milan
Serie A, Matchday 4
Kickoff: Saturday, 12 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CEST
Before we get to this match between faultless Lazio and AC Milan, spare a thought for Fiorentina's week. After just three matches and a summer transfer spend of €164 million, they dismissed manager Fabio Grosso this week, replacing him with their former coach Paolo Vanoli. Expectations are high at La Viola, and they're not risking anything after that summer of largesse -- a return of zero points, one goal and nine conceded is not what they planned. They travel to Venezia, who are also yet to pick up a point, where both sides will be scrapping for something (anything) and it should be a proper arm-wrestle in The Floating City.
But back to Lazio. There are three teams with a perfect start to the season in Italy: AS Roma, Internazionale and Lazio are all three from three. Roma travel to Torino on Monday while Inter host Udinese. So it's Lazio's match against AC Milan that should be at the forefront of Serie A's focus this weekend.
Lazio started their season with a 1-0 win at Bologna, then defeated Genoa 1-0 and edged past Udinese 2-1 last week. It's all been by the slimmest possible margins, but Milan will provide an altogether sterner test. One man who'll be looking forward to that challenge is Lazio manager Gennaro Gattuso, himself a Milan legend and former manager. He's got the best out of Davide Frattesi this season, but Gattuso said after the Udinese win that he is yet to fully enjoy their impressive start to the campaign as he's forever on edge, waiting for the next complicated situation.
Ruben Amorim's AC Milan team have defeated Torino, Venezia and drawn with Juventus. They've gone through a summer of wholescale change in their squad, with familiar faces departing, and Amorim is still fine-tuning his team, especially in attack where it hasn't clicked yet.
Amorim is still looking for a long-term answer to the No.10 conundrum. They struggled to create chances against Juventus last weekend and will need things to click if they're to get anything off Lazio.
PREDICTION: Lazio 2-1 AC Milan. Lazio will go four from four with AC Milan experiencing more uncertainty up front.
Can Wrexham cause a Championship upset?
West Ham United vs. Wrexham
Championship, Matchday 7
Kickoff: Friday, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST
After a slightly shaky start to life in the Championship with a draw at Burnley and loss at home to Charlton, West Ham are slowly finding their rhythm. Winger Jarrod Bowen, of course, is at the forefront of everything they're doing well, and wins over Wolves and Derby have them second in the Championship.
Wrexham's season hasn't started as well. They lie in 14th with four frustrating draws from six matches. A win over Millwall in matchday five looked to have kick-started their season, but then came the 1-1 draw at home to Burnley on Tuesday. Manager Phil Parkinson called for calm after that latest draw with Wrexham struggling to turn attacking possession and glimpses of opportunity into clearcut chances and goals. That's been the story of their season so far.
Elsewhere this weekend, Swansea-Burnley should be entertaining with Vitor Matos' side playing some wondrous football down in south Wales while Southampton's match against the impressive Bristol City is also worth keeping an eye on. And there's also the match between table-topping West Brom and fourth-placed QPR. The Championship always delivers.
PREDICTION: West Ham 2-0 Wrexham. Bowen will inspire West Ham to more points at home.
