In the first five matches of the Premier League season, an early order has emerged, and the teams that have impressed and disappointed are beginning to separate. Manchester City and Brighton have been praised for their performances and their goals, while Tottenham have been singled out for their struggles after a summer of spending. Brentford have been highly impressive, and Newcastle’s form has been a mixed bag under new manager Matthias Jaissle.
The table, which places Brentford at the top and Tottenham at the bottom, reflects the change that has shaped the early weeks. Brighton and Manchester City have been praised for their play and their goals, while Spurs have been singled out for their problems after a summer of spending.
Brentford and Brighton at the Top
Brentford have put together a highly impressive run, rolling past Spurs and Chelsea without fuss during their unbeaten start. Now the question is whether they can sustain that form and make a push for a place in Europe.
Brighton are the kings of entertainment. They have hit 16 goals in five top-flight games, including three against champions Arsenal. the BBC’s ranking describes them as a joy to watch.
Manchester City have been the team to watch so far. They have claimed all five of their league matches, with a win at Manchester United even after being reduced to 10 men. Erling Haaland leads the scoring, and City supporters will surely be expecting a serious challenge for the league title.
Hull and Leeds Hold the Middle
Hull City have notched eight points from their first five games, a strong start that includes a victory over Manchester United as well as draws against Aston Villa and Chelsea. Leeds United are also fifth in the league, undefeated with the joint-best defensive record. They demonstrated their capabilities with a remarkable 4-1 win over Newcastle.
Everton and Crystal Palace have been assessed individually.
David Moyes has turned Everton into a hard side to break down, even after the club had a transfer window that failed to go as planned. The ranking notes that more is expected from Andoni Iraola’s team. Fulham have drawn well against Liverpool and Manchester United, yet they remain without a win. Their upcoming fixtures against Ipswich, Hull, Coventry and Crystal Palace offer hope when they return from the international break.
Tottenham at the Bottom
Tottenham have been the most criticised team in this early stage. After spending more than £300m in the summer, they have been poor, failing to score in their opening four league matches. Supporters will be demanding an instant improvement after the international break.
Since Jaissle took charge, Newcastle have put in a patchy run of results. They showed promise in a draw against Liverpool, won with ease at Tottenham, yet also performed poorly in a defeat at Leeds. They bounced back strongly to beat Hull.
Crystal Palace have only picked up one win so far, with three defeats to their name. Coventry City, by contrast, have six points to show for their troubles, all from late winners against Sunderland and Crystal Palace.
The Stragglers
Sunderland have drawn criticism for a poor start to the campaign. Fans who saw the club finish seventh in 2025-26 will have hoped for a more promising beginning to this season. The Black Cats put in good performances against Arsenal and Manchester City, though they came away from both matches having lost.
The City Ground has been Nottingham Forest’s biggest problem. They still have not scored there, and one point from three matches is all they have managed at home. Their better results are away, where they drew at Liverpool and won at Aston Villa.
Chelsea have dropped two out of their last three games. They were picked apart by Brentford, and the question is whether they are really heading down the right path. Brentford’s demolition of Chelsea was part of their highly impressive unbeaten run, and the ranking notes that Can they keep it up and challenge for Europe?
The ranking points out that Arsenal’s title defence has gotten off to a strong start, only for them to be completely undone by Brighton. They avoided an own goal at Sunderland, but their form has fallen short of their best.
The International Break
A three-week pause separates Premier League fixtures, with no matches scheduled until 10 October. Teams will have an opportunity to regroup, though the early string of results will remain untouched until play resumes.
Readers have been invited to weigh in on the early season form in the comments at the bottom of the page, where the paper has encouraged them to post their own opinions.
Key Facts
- Manchester City: Five league games, five victories, Erling Haaland top scorer
- Brighton: 16 goals in five top-flight games, including three against Arsenal
- Brentford: Unbeaten start, beat Spurs and Chelsea
- Tottenham: Failing to score in their opening four league matches after spending more than £300m in the summer
- Everton and Crystal Palace: Both assessed individually, with Crystal Palace given a score of 5
- The next league fixture is 10 October, after a three-week international break
A three-week break will not settle the momentum, and the teams at the top and the bottom will have to prove their early form was not just luck, even if the early shape of the season is clear. The ranking is only a snapshot.
Source material: “'Far from their best' to 'a joy to watch' – ranking Premier League teams' start to season,” the BBC.
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