The early stages of the 2026/27 Premier League have already produced a handful of intriguing narratives. Are Manchester City genuine title challengers?
Is Manchester United repeating past mistakes? Why does a heavily‑financed Tottenham still appear without a clear spine? After just five fixtures, Sky Sports' panel of writers weigh in on the most compelling storylines that have emerged.
Enzo Maresca was asked after his side's 5-3 thriller against Sunderland whether he believed Manchester City were title contenders. His diplomatic reply – "too early to tell" – reflects the reality that five games constitute a tiny sample. Yet I feel comfortable taking a firmer stance: City are very much in the mix.
Maresca has, so far, forced his dynamic, attacking side to earn every point, a blend of deliberate tactics and fortunate moments. He benefits from the presence of Erling Haaland and from a club willing to splash £320 million on an entirely new midfield.
The squad is brimming with players who love to entertain and are hungry for silverware. Notably, the goal‑scoring burden is spreading; both Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki are matching Haaland in goal involvements, indicating a more balanced attack. Momentum is on City’s side after a run of seven consecutive wins across all competitions. Inevitably, there will be lapses – the defence can be caught out, Haaland will experience a dip in form, and injuries to explosive talents such as Jeremy Doku are likely.
The Premier League has become a more demanding arena, and City are no longer the simple possession‑based outfit they once were under Pep Guardiola. Still, the team should improve with time, and Maresca now has three weeks to fine‑tune the areas that still need work.
Assuming injuries are kept to a minimum, City are poised to challenge Arsenal for the top spot. (Laura Hunter) When Tottenham splashed £334 million this summer, expectations surged.
Only Chelsea and Manchester City spent more, placing Spurs among the league’s biggest spenders. Yet the dream of an immediate return to the summit was always a steep climb, especially after a wholesale overhaul of the playing staff.
Five games in, Spurs sit at the foot of the table with just two goals and an equal number of points – a performance far below the club’s aspirations. Roberto De Zerbi’s biggest worry is that the problems run deeper than early‑season growing pains.
"In my 14 years as a coach, I have never seen a side as fragile and inconsistent as this one," he lamented after a 3-2 loss to Aston Villa. Despite the heavy outlay, a clear spine is missing.
It has been nearly two years – 47 matches – since Tottenham last kept a clean sheet and then turned it into a win. Their new stadium has hosted more Beyoncé concerts than home victories in that span.
The £85 million investment in Savio and a further £60 million earmarked for Omar Marmoush have yet to translate into a better expected‑goals‑per‑shot metric; the team recorded the league’s worst xG per shot and managed only two consolation goals in the Villa defeat. There are flashes of quality, and a three‑week training block could help talents like James Maddison find rhythm.
Yet, after committing the biggest spend in their history, the lingering concern that many areas remain under‑addressed is a problem fans did not anticipate so early. (Ron Walker) Manchester United enjoyed the easiest opening schedule of the season, yet five points from five games feels like a step back a year.
Michael Carrick’s tenure began with a high‑octane win over City, but the current side looks like a shadow of that early iteration – constantly out‑run and out‑fought. The summer’s midfield reinforcements have not solved the defensive frailties; United have conceded less than two goals in a Premier League match only once. The attacking overhaul of summer 2025 initially suggested a threat, but injuries to Amad Diallo and Benjamin Sesko have taken a toll, and Marcus Rashford’s return has yet to produce tangible results. Adding to the turmoil, 15‑year‑old JJ Gabriel is reportedly being courted by other European giants, with his representatives seeking a move because United appear to be falling behind their continental rivals.
Carrick, once part of Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s backroom staff under similar pressure, now faces the same scrutiny five years later. The pattern repeats: an interim hero is handed the keys to Old Trafford only to be judged harshly. When will this cycle finally break?
Until then, Carrick must avoid handing a former club their first league win after the international break when United host bottom‑placed Tottenham. A loss could leave the season’s direction in serious doubt. (Callum Bishop) Arsenal entered the campaign as favourites, partly because no rival seemed capable of challenging their crown.
However, a 3‑0 defeat to Brighton, combined with Manchester City’s flawless start, has forced a reassessment. Only five games have been played, so it is premature to declare whether the Gunners are truly superior to the previous season’s champions. Their defensive signing Ezri Konsa has mostly acted as depth, covering for the injured William Saliba rather than improving the back line. Bruno Guimarães, another marquee acquisition, impressed against Sunderland but delivered a muted performance at Brighton, raising questions about whether he is an upgrade over Myles Lewis‑Skelly, who appears more adept at handling a high‑pressing opponent.
Lewis‑Skelly has started every Premier League game in midfield that Arsenal have won, underscoring his importance. Meanwhile, Christos Tzolis, while a solid purchase, has yet to find the net for the Gunners.
The goal output previously supplied by Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli remains missing. Beyond those three players, Arsenal’s squad resembles the title‑winning side of last season. Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka have rediscovered early‑season form that eluded them previously, but the post‑break fixtures will truly test whether Arsenal have progressed enough to defend their title.
(Sam Blitz) Liverpool’s 1‑0 win at Bournemouth extended Andoni Iraola’s unbeaten run to twelve games, counting pre‑season friendlies – the longest start for a Liverpool manager since Joe Fagan in September 1983. Do not let the statistics fool you into thinking the Reds are back on a dominant trajectory. While they have avoided defeat, they have needed late goals to salvage points against lower‑table sides Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
Their defence, despite three consecutive clean sheets – a feat not achieved since September 2024 – still appears vulnerable, especially on set‑pieces. Midfield cohesion remains elusive as the new playmaker, Florian Wirtz, who cost £116.5 million, has yet to make a decisive impact, his performances drawing criticism from pundits such as Jamie Carragher.
Iraola has enjoyed a relatively gentle opening schedule, but the real test will arrive after the international break when Liverpool face league leaders Manchester City, a resurgent Brighton side, and a challenging away match at high‑flying Brentford. If the Reds navigate those hurdles without injury, a genuine revival under Iraola could be on the cards. (Rich Morgan) Chelsea’s start can be summed up as mixed: they sit mid‑table, their attack dazzles, but their defence is porous under Xabi Alonso’s 3‑4‑3 system. The front line, dubbed the ‘JP Morgan’ trio, is delivering – Morgan Rogers, after a £117 million move, has already contributed three goals and an assist, earning an England recall, while Joao Pedro matches that tally and has re‑entered Brazil’s squad.
Entertaining matches have been the norm: 3‑2, 4‑3 and 6‑3 victories showcase their offensive firepower. Yet a 2‑2 draw with Hull City and a 3‑0 loss at Brentford have exposed defensive frailties, even with experienced goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez between the sticks. Conceding a set‑piece goal for the fourth time this season has taken their total to 23, the joint‑worst in the league. The appointment of set‑piece specialist Austin MacPhee from Aston Villa has yet to bear fruit.
Midfield control has also suffered. Last season’s engine room of Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández is missing – Caicedo is sidelined with injury and Fernández left on deadline day. In their place, untested duo Romeo Lavia and Reece James have been forced into central roles.
Ironically, Chelsea’s two worst results came in the games where they held more possession (against Brentford and Hull), with only 26 % of the ball in a 4‑3 win over Brighton. Alonso’s immediate priority is securing Champions League qualification and a deep cup run to compensate for the lack of European football last season. If the defensive issues are sorted, the attacking talent could propel Chelsea back into the title conversation, though they currently sit seven points adrift.
(David Richardson) Aston Villa’s start raised alarm bells, but a 3‑2 win over Tottenham before the break suggests their rebuilding project may be gaining traction. Unai Emery’s side struggled to score until a 2‑1 defeat at Nottingham Forest on September 12, making the victory at Spurs their sole win in the opening five fixtures.
The summer saw the departure of several key players – Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Emiliano Martínez, Ollie Watkins, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne. Yet the performance against Tottenham highlighted emerging talent: Johan Manzambi announced himself with a goal and an assist on his first start, Zion Suzuki impressed with his shot‑stopping and distribution, and Nicolas Jackson displayed the finishing flair that could flourish under Emery’s guidance. The rebuilding pieces, including Ibrahim Mbaye and Alejandro Garnacho, are beginning to click, easing the tension that accompanied a poor early run.
Emery, who handled a similar slow start last season, now has the platform to progress. (Patrick Rowe) Few could have predicted that Brighton and Brentford would sit third and fourth after the international break, yet their form suggests they are the surprise packages of the campaign. Both clubs excel at finding marginal gains, forming what some have dubbed the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ of the league – two‑thirds of the teams that consistently challenge the financial elite. Brentford’s 3‑0 victory over Chelsea ended an 88‑year wait for a home win against the Blues and kept them unbeaten in their first five top‑flight games (W2 D3).
Brighton matched that scoreline against reigning champions Arsenal, limiting the Gunners to just two shots on target while converting three of their five attempts. Fabian Hurzeler’s side have already netted 16 goals, the most in the division, and boast a +11 goal difference, underscoring their efficiency. Their success is no accident; both clubs have been out‑smarting larger rivals for several seasons and may finally be setting the league alight this year.
(Dan Long) Promoted sides are typically earmarked for relegation battles, but after five games only one sits in the bottom three. Hull City have surprised many with just one loss and an opening‑week win over Manchester United.
Ipswich Town sit above Aston Villa and Tottenham after two victories, while Frank Lampard’s Coventry City, despite an 18th‑place goal‑difference position, have shown resilience. Predicting long‑term form after such a short sample is difficult, yet attention is also turning to established clubs facing tough seasons. Tottenham remain at the bottom despite their massive spending, Fulham have struggled under Álvaro Arbeola, and Crystal Palace, once tipped for relegation, now hover just above the danger zone. Villa’s poor start mirrors last season’s, yet they finished in the top four, offering hope that Emery can guide them upward.
Bournemouth sit just above Coventry, with Marco Rose yet to secure a win as manager, though they began their inaugural European campaign positively. The opening fixtures have provided ample food for thought, and the relegation battle promises to remain tight as the season progresses. (Charlotte Marsh) Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1 million!
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