Five rounds into the new Premier League season, Manchester City are already setting the pace. Enzo Maresca has made a perfect start after replacing Pep Guardiola, Brighton have scored more goals than any other team and Tottenham sit bottom of the table without a victory.
It is still early, but the first month has already given us several surprises, some impressive new signings and a few expensive disappointments.
Manchester City lead the way
Replacing Guardiola was never going to be easy, but Maresca could hardly have asked for a better start. City have won all five league matches, scoring 13 goals and collecting the maximum 15 points.
They opened the season with a late 2–1 victory over Bournemouth before beating Crystal Palace, Coventry, Manchester United and Sunderland. Their most recent league match ended in a wild 5–3 victory over Sunderland.
Erling Haaland already has five league goals, while Antoine Semenyo has provided three assists. Elliot Anderson has also settled quickly after arriving from Nottingham Forest in a club-record deal.
City have changed several important parts of the team following Guardiola’s departure, but their ability to control matches and create chances remains.
The biggest uncertainty is away from the pitch. City are appealing after being found guilty of breaking Premier League financial regulations. No sporting punishment has been decided, and the case could continue for several months. For now, Maresca and his players have continued winning despite the situation surrounding the club.
Brighton have been the biggest surprise
Brighton sit third with ten points, but their attacking numbers are even more impressive. They have scored 16 goals in five matches, three more than Manchester City.
Their 5–0 victory over Coventry was one of the most dominant performances of the season. Lewis Dunk scored a brilliant long-range effort in that match, which was later named the Premier League Goal of the Month for September.
Brighton also completed a clean sweep of the September awards, winning Player, Manager and Goal of the Month. It has been an outstanding start for a team that lost several important players during the summer.
Pascal Groß has been one of the main reasons for their success. The midfielder has recorded three goals and three assists while creating more chances than any other Premier League player.
The promoted teams are competing
Leeds and Hull have both made excellent starts after returning to the Premier League.
Leeds remain unbeaten after five matches and sit fifth with nine points. They have conceded only three goals, giving them one of the strongest defensive records in the division.
Hull are eighth with eight points after winning two of their opening five matches. The club signed 18 players during the summer, but the new squad has settled far more quickly than many expected.
Coventry have found life more difficult. They have three points and have scored only once, while ten goals have gone in at the other end.
Tottenham are already in trouble
Nobody expected Tottenham to be bottom after five matches.
Spurs spent heavily during the summer, bringing in Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson. The early results have been terrible.
They are still waiting for their first victory and have scored only two goals. Four of their five league matches have ended without a Tottenham goal, leaving Roberto De Zerbi under immediate pressure.
Manchester United have also started slowly. Michael Carrick’s team sit 12th with five points after winning only once. Aston Villa are another early disappointment, collecting four points while scoring only four goals.
AdvertisementBest signing: Elliot Anderson
Several new arrivals have started well, but Elliot Anderson has made the strongest early case.
Manchester City broke their transfer record to sign the midfielder from Nottingham Forest. He arrived with excellent Premier League numbers after winning possession and more duels than any other player in the division last season.
Anderson has quickly become part of Maresca’s midfield and has helped City win all five matches. He brings energy, ball-winning ability and the confidence to carry possession forward.
City lost several experienced players during the summer, including Bernardo Silva, but Anderson already looks capable of becoming an important part of their next team.
Other signings who have impressed
Morgan Rogers joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for a club-record £117 million. That fee brings enormous expectations, but he has already become part of Xabi Alonso’s preferred attack alongside Cole Palmer and João Pedro.
Chelsea’s results have been inconsistent, but Rogers gives them power, pace and the ability to play in several attacking positions.
Jeremy Jacquet has also made a strong start at Liverpool. The young defender arrived for £55 million and has helped his new team concede only four goals in five matches.
Harry Wilson may prove to be one of the smartest deals of the summer. Leeds signed him on a free transfer, and his experience has helped the promoted side make an unbeaten start.
Worst signing so far: Sandro Tonali
Calling any transfer a failure after five matches is harsh, but Sandro Tonali has made the most disappointing start.
Tottenham paid around £100 million to sign him from Newcastle. He was supposed to transform their midfield, but Spurs are bottom of the table and still searching for their first victory.
Tonali is not responsible for every problem at the club. Tottenham have struggled in both penalty areas, and several of their other summer signings have also failed to make an immediate impact.
However, a player signed for such a large fee is expected to influence matches. So far, Tottenham’s midfield has looked slow and short of ideas.
Mateus Fernandes is another expensive signing under pressure. Spurs paid around £85 million for the former West Ham midfielder, leaving the club with almost £200 million invested in two central midfielders during the same window.
Andrey Santos has also struggled to make the expected difference at Manchester United following his £50 million move from Chelsea.
Best goal: Anthony Elanga against Tottenham
Lewis Dunk’s strike against Coventry was named September’s best goal, but our pick for the best goal of the season so far is Anthony Elanga’s effort against Tottenham.
Elanga collected the ball outside the penalty area before producing a powerful strike that gave the goalkeeper no chance. The goal won the official Premier League award for August and was one of the highlights of Newcastle’s opening month.
Dunk’s long-range goal deserves to be part of the conversation, while the opening five rounds have also produced several excellent team goals. Elanga’s combination of technique, power and distance gives him the edge.
Premier League table after five matches
| Pos. | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 15 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 12 |
| 3 | Brighton | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 5 | +11 | 10 |
| 4 | Brentford | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 9 |
| 5 | Leeds United | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 9 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 9 |
| 7 | Everton | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 9 |
| 8 | Hull City | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 8 |
| 9 | Newcastle United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 7 |
| 11 | Ipswich Town | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 6 |
| 12 | Manchester United | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| 13 | Nottingham Forest | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 5 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 4 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | -5 | 4 |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 4 |
| 17 | Bournemouth | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 3 |
| 18 | Coventry City | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 | -9 | 3 |
| 19 | Fulham | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 2 |
| 20 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 2 |
The table is based on the official Premier League standings after five matches.
What happens next?
Manchester City have made the perfect start, but Arsenal are only three points behind and Brighton have shown that they can compete near the top.
The next few weeks should tell us whether Leeds and Hull can continue their strong starts. Tottenham, Manchester United and Aston Villa need results quickly before the pressure becomes even greater.
Five matches are not enough to decide which transfers will succeed or fail. They are enough, however, to show which teams look ready and which still have plenty of work to do.