Analysis from opening weekend of Premier League season

theScore provides key takeaways and analysis from the opening round of the 2025-26 Premier League season. You'll find thoughts on every match as we raise the curtain on another campaign.

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Sunday

The more things change ...

There was a lot to like about Manchester United's performance despite their loss to Arsenal. Bryan Mbeumo looked lively; Matheus Cunha bulldozed his way through defenders on multiple occasions with his tenacious ball carrying; Patrick Dorgu was inches away from scoring twice in the first half; the Red Devils eventually faded in the second stanza, but they dictated the opening period. Ruben Amorim has positives to take back to the post-match debrief.

His goalkeeping situation, however, isn't one of them. Sound familiar? Amorim opted to leave Andre Onana out of his squad, confirming before the match that the much-maligned netminder was dropped despite being fit. It's hard to blame him after all the glaring mistakes Onana has made since joining the club. His replacement, Altay Bayindir, didn't fare much better. The Turkish goalkeeper was at fault for the only goal of Sunday's match, desperately arguing for a foul after he meekly flapped at a corner kick with little conviction. Manchester United conceded 15 goals from set pieces last season, and while there's more to those woes than just goalkeeping errors, the continued struggles between the sticks don't inspire any confidence.

Man United rebuilt their forward line at a massive expense this summer, but their inability to address their weakness in goal (thus far) is pretty inexplicable. Gianluigi Donnarumma is sitting right there, waiting for a new club. Are United seriously going to sit on their hands and let rivals Manchester City sign him?

Quiet debuts for big-money strikers

There was hope that the weekend's high-profile fixture would feature a gripping head-to-head battle between summer additions Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, marquee strikers signed by Arsenal and Manchester United, respectively, for nearly €160 million combined. For different reasons, neither big-money acquisition made much of an impact. Sesko, still getting to grips with his new team and system, started on the bench and played roughly 30 minutes after being introduced. He was eager to please and showed off his aerial ability as well as some good hold-up play, but didn't get a proper scoring opportunity on his debut.

Gyokeres, meanwhile, struggled to get involved in the game much at all. He had no shot attempts and didn't create any chances as Arsenal looked disjointed in the attacking phase. Among the players who started for both sides, only Gabriel Martinelli had fewer touches than Gyokeres. The Swede's most memorable contribution was a cross from the right side of the box that cleared everyone and sailed all the way to the other side of the pitch, much to the amusement of the Old Trafford crowd.

Arsenal will play much better than they did Sunday, but it's worth remembering Mikel Arteta is a conservative coach who would much rather grind out wins than have his team engage in a back-and-forth track meet. That's not to say that Gyokeres will have to feed on scraps, but there will be an adjustment period coming from Portugal, where he was taking over four shots per 90 minutes last season and enjoying lots of open space to exploit. We're a very long way from hitting the panic button - it's just one game - but perhaps we all have to readjust our expectations slightly.

Palmer on the fringes

Chelsea, naturally, have been very active in the transfer market this summer, but none of their business and shiny new signings change the fact that the Blues' most influential and important player remains Cole Palmer. As he goes, they go. That was clear once again on Sunday. Chelsea toiled against Crystal Palace, unable to get their No. 10 into the game. Palmer had only six touches inside the opposing penalty area, and he didn't record a shot on target. As a team, the hosts only hit the target with three efforts, and two of those came in stoppage time as they threw more caution to the wind in search of a winner.

Palmer stole the show in the Club World Cup final, ripping Paris Saint-Germain apart with the eyes of many singularly focused on that match. He doesn't have to score two goals every time he steps on the pitch, of course, but he does need to be central to Chelsea's attacking play if Enzo Maresca's team is going to make the leap from top-four contender to true title challenger. That's only going to become more difficult as more and more teams focus their defensive plan around stopping the 23-year-old when they see Chelsea coming up on the calendar. That's the next stage of his development as a superstar. Palmer endured a difficult 16-game goal drought last season and needs to get on the board early to avoid a similar storyline developing.

Eze's final act?

Eberechi Eze is reportedly pushing for a move to Tottenham before the transfer window closes, but, unlike some of his Premier League peers, he showed professionalism and commitment to his current squad Sunday, lining up for Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge and delivering a typically inventive and engaged performance. He nearly marked with with a goal, but his blistering free-kick from just outside the penalty area was eventually ruled out because of an infringement by captain Marc Guehi, who was too close to the defensive wall when the shot was struck.

That took away what would've been a potentially memorable final act for Eze after five years at Palace. The Englishman's applause toward the traveling supporters after the final whistle had a whiff of a farewell about it.

No stopping Chris Wood

Only three players - Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, and Erling Haaland - scored more goals in the Premier League last season than Wood. Decent company, that. The New Zealand international picked up right where he left off, scoring twice Sunday and continuing his incredible run of finding the net with his first shot of the campaign; Wood has now turned his first effort into a goal in each of the last three seasons.

At 33, the big striker has seemingly found the elixir of youth after toiling away for several years before turning into a scoring machine at the City Ground. Since Nuno Espirito Santo's first game as Nottingham Forest boss in December 2023, Wood and Salah are the only players in the Premier League to score 30 non-penalty goals. Again, rarefied air. With Forest investing heavily this summer in creative playmakers who can provide quality service, Wood has a great chance to eclipse the 20 league tallies he recorded last year.

Brutal start for Brentford

Newcastle have given them a run for their money here, but Brentford have endured arguably the most challenging summer of any Premier League club. The Bees lost their coach (Thomas Frank), captain (Christian Norgaard), and best player (Bryan Mbeumo), while Yoane Wissa, who was second to Mbeumo in scoring last year, is absent from the squad as he tries to push through a transfer to St. James' Park. New boss Keith Andrews, an internal hire who stepped up to replace Frank, has a huge job on his hands.

He's off to an inauspicious start. Excluding newly promoted teams, Brentford became the first team since 2017 to be trailing by at least three goals at halftime of their opening Premier League match of a campaign. They were susceptible in every phase of play against Nottingham Forest, and carried very little threat before a consolation goal from the penalty spot. Relegation alarm bells are already ringing.

Saturday

Reijnders destined for huge Man City role

Manchester City were less proactive and effective in the transfer market during Txiki Begiristain's final couple of years as sporting director. High-achieving players slowed in their 30s and their successors either weren't there at all or weren't good enough. The man who replaced Begiristain, Hugo Viana, is trying to address that, with Tijjani Reijnders' Ilkay Gundogan-esque contributions being one notable example.

Reijnders can be the needle and thread that stitches together a possession-based team. He occupies similar positions to Saturday's unused substitute Gundogan, and his smoothness with the ball and appreciation of tactics could make him one of the key executors of Pep Guardiola's game plans. Reijnders' best Gundogan impression was his imaginative chipped ball ahead of Rico Lewis before Erling Haaland's opener, but the dribble that preceded his pass hinted that he could be a slicker mover than the German in his peak. And while an on-form Gundogan regularly pops up with goals and provides chances due to his intelligent movement and timing, Reijnders offers more thrust when he detects space. The Dutchman sprinted forward when there was a turnover in the center circle before his goal and carried the team upfield before his assist for Haaland.

Reijnders is the second City player to get at least one goal and one assist on his Premier League debut since Sergio Aguero in 2011.

Richarlison rejuvenated

Just a few weeks ago, it seemed like a guarantee that Richarlison would leave Tottenham this summer. The enigmatic Brazilian was a nonfactor last season. He played only 504 Premier League minutes, starting four times and registering four goals in the process. After one match of the new campaign, he's halfway to matching that scoring tally. Richarlison, picked over Dominic Solanke just as he was in the Super Cup, scored two excellent goals in Spurs' win, including a sensational scissor kick. His hold-up play was solid, and he used his physicality to unsettle the Burnley backline. Both tallies were assisted by Mohammed Kudus, who already looks like a fan favorite.

Tottenham should score plenty under Thomas Frank, especially if they can add either Eberechi Eze or Savinho (or both) to this group. The real test will be whether they can improve defensively. Burnley are maybe the worst measuring stick in the league in that regard. Next week's meeting with Manchester City will be much more informative for Spurs.

Where will Burnley's goals come from?

Burnley's outstanding 100-point Championship campaign, and subsequent promotion back to the Premier League, was built on their defense. They conceded only 16 goals in 46 matches last year. That's obviously not sustainable with the jump up to the top tier, so Scott Parker needs to offset some of that with more goals at the other end. Therein lies the problem: Who's going to score them?

Opening the season away against Europa League holders Tottenham was a tall order, but the early evidence validated the concerns about the Clarets going into the season. While they created some promising openings, the likes of Lyle Foster, Jaidon Anthony, and Hannibal Mejbri lacked any kind of scoring instinct inside the box when they got there. Burnley's great hope is that new signing Armando Broja will fix that problem, but we're talking about a player with eight Premier League goals to his name in the past four seasons combined. It's going to be a long year for the Clarets.

An early relegation six-pointer?

Sunderland matched the celebratory mood at the Stadium of Light with an encouraging victory over West Ham. Regis Le Bris felt like a hipster appointment when he was brought in last summer after failing to prevent Lorient's relegation to Ligue 2, but his reputation for attractive soccer and nurturing youngsters was enhanced during last season's promotion. The regard for Le Bris' work could now skyrocket in the top tier. Sunderland's aggressive offseason recruitment drive has added extremely watchable individuals to Le Bris' squad - most notably, ex-Brighton & Hove Albion winger Simon Adingra - but it was fitting that the Black Cats' goals were scored by three stars of last season: Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard, and Wilson Isidor.

A big question ahead of this season was whether all three promoted sides would immediately drop back down for the third straight campaign. Sunderland submitted a convincing argument that it won't happen again - and so did West Ham. The Irons, playing in their 14th consecutive Premier League season, followed a concerning summer of business with a pitiful display. On this viewing, West Ham are in serious trouble.

Muniz underlines his quality

The fans even serenaded him while he sat on the bench during the first half. Rodrigo Muniz has been subject of reported interest from Atalanta for some time and is apparently in favor of a move to Italy, but the forward's popularity among Fulham supporters endures. And it's completely understandable: He's a physical and committed player capable of defending from the front, repeatedly winning aerial duels, and cramming goals into his limited minutes. Muniz scored eight times last season, including goals against all six English clubs competing in the Champions League this term, despite starting just eight Premier League matches.

Muniz punished Brighton's failure to double their lead with an equalizer just as the clock ticked onto 96 minutes. It wasn't a classic goal by any means, but the substitute's anticipation, willingness to battle, and ability to slap the ball home at crucial moments were evident. He'll be a valuable asset wherever he's playing after September's international break.

Isak's absence looms large

This one isn't rocket science. Disgruntled striker Alexander Isak was left out of Newcastle's squad for Saturday's match as he continues to push for a transfer to Liverpool. The Magpies missed him dearly. Eddie Howe, who's saying all the right things but must be deeply frustrated by the situation, started three wingers up front at Villa Park, with Anthony Gordon acting as the de facto striker between Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga. Newcastle dominated play - they outshot the hosts 16-3 overall and generated 1.47 expected goals - but lacked finishing touch inside the penalty area, with both Elanga and Gordon spurning chances. Even playing against 10 men after Ezri Konsa was sent off in the 66th minute, Newcastle struggled; they had just one shot on target after the red card.

Isak scored 23 Premier League goals last season, second only to Mohamed Salah. That production isn't easily replaceable. Finding another forward with a similar skill set will be almost impossible in the transfer market; Yoane Wissa, strongly linked with a transfer, would be a nice addition, but he's another predominantly wide forward. The best outcome would be for the Swede and Newcastle to repair their fractured relationship.

Friday

Slot still seeking balance

Liverpool are a wicked, relentless attacking team. Even if they don't land Isak - who they might not need if Federico Chiesa can stay healthy and contribute - the Reds are going to score lots of goals this season. They're also going to concede plenty. We saw it during preseason, and those suspicions manifested in the Premier League opener. Liverpool lined up with at least six attack-minded players at Anfield - seven if you include nominal "defender" Jeremie Frimpong - and their performance reflected that.

Bournemouth punished them twice on the counter, exploiting enormous space behind the full-back for the first goal and a chasm in central midfield for the second. The return of Ryan Gravenberch from suspension will help address some of that, but not all of it. Ibrahima Konate, who looked sluggish and indecisive against the Cherries, will need to be at his best all season with the sheer amount of open space he's being asked to cover on his own.

If anything, Friday's emotional curtain-raiser could convince Liverpool to expedite a move for Marc Guehi. But this appears to be a stylistic issue more than a personnel problem. Slot needs to decide quickly if he's willing to sacrifice some attacking aggression for more defensive solidity. Otherwise, Liverpool will spend much of the season trying to outscore their defensive frailties.

Semenyo stands tall

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola challenged Antoine Semenyo to be a leader for his team following a summer in which the attacker signed a new contract. Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur were all linked with the Ghanaian, but he committed his future to the Cherries to end transfer speculation. Now, Semenyo is stepping up - and in much more testing ways than his boss had envisioned.

The opening match of the season was delayed during the first half after Semenyo reported to the referee that he was a victim of racist abuse. Some players would've understandably been distraught and distracted by such vile treatment, but Semenyo responded by producing two quality second-half goals after rapid Bournemouth breakaways. It was a display of unfathomable strength from a supremely talented player and, of course, a leader.