Five matches into the Premier League season, the top flight has paused for a three-week international break, with no league games until 10 October. Every club’s start has now been assessed and scored, and the marks range from a perfect nine for Manchester City to a two for a Tottenham Hotspur side still waiting to get going.
Manchester City have made the strongest possible beginning: five league games, five victories. Their standout result came at Manchester United, where they won despite being reduced to 10 men midway through the first half. Erling Haaland is already the division’s leading scorer, and City supporters will expect a genuine push for the title from here.
Brighton share the highest mark after establishing themselves as the season’s great entertainers, hitting 16 goals in five top-flight games, including three in their dismantling of champions Arsenal. Brentford sit just behind them, having demolished both Tottenham and Chelsea without fuss during an unbeaten start that raises the question of whether they can sustain a challenge for European football. Hull City also earned an eight, taking eight points from a demanding opening five fixtures that included a win over Manchester United and draws with Aston Villa and Chelsea.
Arsenal had looked solid in defence of their title until Brighton ripped them apart, having also survived a penalty scare at Sunderland. Leeds United matched Arsenal’s mark: they sit fifth, are unbeaten and share the joint-best defensive record in the league, with a superb 4-1 win over Newcastle United the clearest sign of what they are capable of.
A large group of clubs were rated six. Aston Villa are showing signs of moving in the right direction after losing so many key players during the transfer window. Bournemouth would be near the top of the table if matches lasted 80 minutes, but must cut out conceding so late. Chelsea made a strong start under Xabi Alonso yet have lost two of their past three and were picked apart by Brentford, leaving real doubt over whether they are moving in the right direction. Coventry City drew sighs of relief from the away end at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, and the question now is whether Frank Lampard’s side kick on from that win. Everton, despite a transfer window to forget, have been made hard to beat by David Moyes. Liverpool are unbeaten but have been far from their best, keeping three clean sheets in their past three games, although more is expected of Andoni Iraola’s side. Newcastle United have had a mixed bag under new manager Matthias Jaissle, impressing in a draw against Liverpool and winning comfortably at Tottenham, but also turning in a terrible performance in defeat at Leeds before responding well to beat Hull.
Five clubs were marked five. Crystal Palace have room for improvement after one win and three defeats. Fulham have managed decent draws against Liverpool and Manchester United but need a win, with Ipswich away, Hull at home, Coventry away and Crystal Palace at home offering hope after the break. Ipswich Town have been defensively vulnerable, yet two late winners, against Sunderland and Crystal Palace, earned them six points and demonstrated their fighting spirit. Nottingham Forest’s best results have come on the road, drawing at Liverpool and winning at Aston Villa, while their home form is a huge worry: no goals scored and only one point from three matches at the City Ground. Sunderland finished seventh in 2025-26 and their supporters would have wanted a better start; the Black Cats gave good accounts of themselves against Arsenal and Manchester City but lost both matches.
At the other end of the ratings, Manchester United were given a four. They produced disappointing performances in losing at Hull and drawing at a Fulham side who were bottom of the league, their only win so far came against Ipswich, and a late equaliser at Everton denied them another victory. Tottenham Hotspur received the lowest mark of all after spending more than £300m in the summer: they have been poor and failed to score in their opening four league matches, and supporters will demand an instant improvement once the international break ends.