Arsenal set for Chelsea test while Tottenham look to get season up and running

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/chelsea-4fGZN2oK/?mid=Glagw7N6"]Defending champions Arsenal and Xabi Alonso's Chelsea[/a] are among four sides to have won their first two league games this season, along with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a] and newly-promoted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hull-city/S66R0t75/"]Hull[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/nottingham-UsushcZr/tottenham-UDg08Ohm/?mid=rLM64qM5"]Spurs are bottom of the table as they prepare to face Nottingham Forest[/a], while new [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ipswich-thqhB2MB/liverpool-lId4TMwf/?mid=CIuslOyP"]Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola is still seeking his first win.[/a][/p][p][i][b]AFP Sport[/b][/i] looks at three talking points ahead of the action:[/p][infobox id="934d1c7c-ca90-4474-8cdf-14b5e732a1fd" /][h2]Arsenal steel vs Chelsea flair[/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] have started their Premier League title defence as they finished last season - looking impenetrable.[/p][p]Last week's 1-0 win at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a], following their opening 3-0 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/coventry/GOvB22xg/"]Coventry[/a], was a sixth clean sheet in seven league matches.[/p][p]Another bonus for manager Mikel Arteta is the form of England winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saka-bukayo/08NLEo06/"]Bukayo Saka[/a], who has scored twice already following an injury-disrupted 2025/26 campaign.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] have launched the Xabi Alonso era with three wins in all competitions, looking dangerous in attack but vulnerable at the back.[/p][p][b]The club's new attacking trio of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-pedro/CAmJERl2/"]Joao Pedro[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/palmer-cole/h8agbDt7/"]Cole Palmer[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rogers-morgan/lp4jm80n/"]Morgan Rogers[/a] have scored five of the team's seven league goals in victories against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a].[/b][/p][p]But former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayer-leverkusen/4jcj2zMd/"]Bayer Leverkusen[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] boss Alonso will be keen to tighten up his team's defence, which has conceded five goals in those games.[/p][p]Recent history is against Chelsea, who are winless in nine Premier League games against Arsenal ahead of Sunday's clash at the Emirates.[/p][image alt="Premier League top eight" id="bbfb1d40-a9b1-4fb7-8b65-a923ef8ce8e8" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="90cf4ebf-d4e9-4d72-ae2b-679b1e90e5f1" original-width="2160" original-height="2702" /][h2]Spurs' struggles[/h2][p]Roberto De Zerbi is certain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham[/a] will avoid another embarrassing relegation battle despite a calamitous start to the season.[/p][p]The north London club, who have finished a lowly 17th in successive campaigns, lost their opener against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brentford/xYe7DwID/"]Brentford[/a] 3-0 before a 2-0 defeat by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle[/a].[/p][p][b]The club spent more than £350 million ($473 million) in the summer transfer window in an attempted reset, with a clutch of high-profile arrivals including [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tonali-sandro/fmQVO5TQ/"]Sandro Tonali[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-mateus/rFdshPHI/"]Mateus Fernandes[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/savio/EDUNVLJ0/"]Savio[/a].[/b][/p][p]But there is scant evidence that things are improving as they prepare to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Nottingham Forest[/a] at the City Ground on Saturday - a team that beat them twice last season.[/p][p]De Zerbi, who arrived in late March, remains upbeat despite his team's woes.[/p][p][b]"After two defeats, maybe somebody can think it's the same story, the same as the last two seasons," [/b]he said.[/p][p][b]"I have no doubt it's not like this. I think I can't change my opinion after two defeats. I have a big, big confidence in the qualities of my players."[/b][/p][embed guid="c418c5de-1166-4d11-a23d-569eca9c9f43" url="https://x.com/SpursOfficial/status/2095451740481175607" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Liverpool's Iraola eyes fresh start[/h2][p]New [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] boss Andoni Iraola is still seeking lift-off after frustrating draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.[/p][p][b]France forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barcola-bradley/lhGD3RgS/"]Bradley Barcola[/a] is in line to make his debut at newly-promoted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ipswich/thqhB2MB/"]Ipswich[/a] on Friday after his arrival from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a] this week for a fee of up to £124 million.[/b][/p][p]The winger is the latest addition to an expensively assembled Liverpool attack that also includes [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isak-alexander/p41IV42c/"]Alexander Isak[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wirtz-florian/0Q5gjImi/"]Florian Wirtz[/a] and the currently injured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ekitike-hugo/ltVXPlJU/"]Hugo Ekitike[/a].[/p][p]But four goals conceded in two matches suggest problems in other areas.[/p][p][b]"It does not look like a balanced squad," [/b]former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports.[b] "Liverpool are short in the full-back areas and probably a midfield player as well."[/b][/p][p]Iraola welcomed the end of the summer transfer window earlier this week.[/p][p][b]"Once the market is closed, we know who we are,"[/b] he said on Thursday. [b]"I think we have a lot of talent in this group of players.[/b][/p][p][b]"Now we have to perform, we have to do our job and we have to start from tomorrow."[/b][/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/england/premier-league/"]Follow the Premier League here with Flashscore[/a][/h2]