Premier League dey take near three-week break as we enter four-game international window. So wetin we don learn from opening five matches of season? BBC Sport take look.
Premier League champions Arsenal bin look fairly unstoppable in opening weeks. A win over Brighton on Saturday for give Gunners club-record equalling eighth consecutive win in all competitions to start season. But e all end with 3-0 loss at Amex Stadium on Saturday. Gunners never lose league game by more than one goal, let alone three, since October 2024. Na their heaviest defeat in league since May 2023 when dem lose 3-0 to same opposition. Boss Mikel Arteta tok say dat no go take away wetin team don do and wetin boys don do in last six or seven weeks since coming back from World Cup. He say wetin dem do, way dem compete and amount games dem win bin remarkable, but na big lesson for all of us to understand wetin e take to win at this level.
Many wonder if Manchester City go experience post-Pep Guardiola slump when legendary boss leave after decade. Things no start too well under Enzo Maresca, with Community Shield defeat by Arsenal. But dem don win all five games in Premier League, and seven in row in all competitions, after Sunday entertaining 5-3 win over Sunderland. Dat take dem three points clear of Arsenal. Maresca tok say for press conference before game, he talk say he expect very tough game. He add say dem also concede two or three goals but dem don learn plenty in these eight weeks and e good.
Brighton and Brentford, two clubs wey never win major trophy, continue to impress this season. Fabian Hurzeler Brighton enjoy that 3-0 win over Arsenal to see dem sit third for table, only two points behind Gunners. Brighton don win for home against reigning Premier League champions in each of last three seasons. Star player Pascal Gross laugh and say no when BBC Sport ask am if Albion dey title race. But stranger things don happen. Meanwhile, just one point below dem for table na Keith Andrews Brentford. Many tip Bees to struggle after departure of Thomas Frank last summer but if anything dem improve under their former set-piece coach Andrews. Their start to season, unbeaten after five games and fourth for table, dey show he no be one-season wonder as manager. Dem go into break on back of their most impressive result, 3-0 home win over Chelsea.
Leeds, impressing again under boss Daniel Farke, also dey on nine points and in potential Champions League place. Andoni Iraola Liverpool and Everton just dey below dem on goal difference.
Seven years apart, United do same thing twice hoping for different results, appointing club legend wey last manage for Britain for Championship after good start as caretaker boss. In 2019 na Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and this time na Michael Carrick. But this season, after Carrick get summer to work on him team, Red Devils only win once for league. Their five points after five league games na their joint fewest at this stage of Premier League season. Dem go into international break on back of 1-1 draw against Fulham, and even need late deflected Matheus Cunha strike to stop Cottagers winning their first game all season. After Lisandro Martinez own goal wey give Fulham lead, ex-United captain Gary Neville tok for Sky Sports say he don watch Manchester United since age five and dat na worst 15 minutes he ever see. He call am absolutely pathetic and say he never see such lack of effort. United owners go get almost three weeks to stew on this before dem host fellow underachievers Tottenham on 10 October.
In 2024 and 2025, three promoted teams go straight back down, mostly with really low points tallies. But dat streak end last year when Sunderland finish seventh to qualify for Europe and Leeds come 14th. Only Burnley go down. Early weeks of this season show say we fit dey in for similar situation. Hull City dey eighth after five games, with their 2-1 loss to Newcastle their first defeat. Ipswich dey 11th. Coventry, after losing first four games without scoring, beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 and only sit for drop zone on goal difference.
Tottenham finish 17th last two seasons, their lowest two finishes since dem dey second tier in 1977-78. Expectations raise after summer of big spending, with Spurs splash out £302m as well as making two high-profile loan signings. Defence and midfield especially get overhaul, with new wingers too. But dem remain with one senior striker Dominic Solanke, wey only score 12 Premier League goals in over two years at club. TNT pundit and ex-England international Joe Cole tok say he feel dem overpay for every player dem buy this summer and you no fit rule dem out from being in and around relegation battle. Saturday 3-2 loss against Aston Villa see dem sit 19th going into break, despite scoring their first two league goals of campaign. Manager Roberto de Zerbi tok say dem get to put on pitch something more than wetin dem dey put. He say football na tactical but na blood, na fighting, na first one on ball, and dem go suffer until next game.
Many bin keen to see wetin Xabi Alonso go do at Chelsea this season. The Spaniard rememberably lead Bayer Leverkusen to historic unbeaten German double in 2023-24. And dem make big changes to squad this summer, with £117m attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers and new first-choice keeper Emiliano Martinez both come in from Aston Villa. There don be 22 goals in their five league games, more coming against dem than for dem, and dem sit 10th. And dat no even count 6-3 win over Leeds in Carabao Cup. Hugely entertaining for neutrals, but perhaps not for Chelsea fans or management.
Premier League need little time to show early colours. Five rounds in, surprises dey stack up. Manchester City make perfect start, Arsenal suffer sudden stumble, and defensive crisis grip Chelsea. Manchester United look nothing like side dem dey try become, and Tottenham Hotspur dey languish at foot of table. City may have sweep full marks, but some big clubs already dey pay for early mistakes.
