Is Haaland even better than during his treble-winning season? With a brace in the 3-0 victory against Man Utd, the Man City striker surpassed Eric Cantona and Wayne Rooney in the Manchester derby, becoming the second-highest contributor to goals in Manchester derbies (11, including 8 goals and 3 assists). He also reached 90 Premier League goals, averaging 0.89 goals per game.

A few days prior, Haaland made headlines with five goals in Norway's 11-1 win against Moldova in their 2026 World Cup qualifier. This result keeps Norway top of Group I and in a strong position to qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup.

Following the victory at the Etihad, manager Pep Guardiola praised Haaland, suggesting he is in even better form than in the 2022-2023 season, when he broke the Premier League scoring record and won the 2022-2023 Champions League Golden Boot.

Man Utd hit a new low. Since Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, the Red Devils have earned only 31 points in 31 games – the worst record among teams consistently present in the Premier League during the same period.

Amorim also holds the unfortunate record for the lowest win percentage among Man Utd managers since World War II. Among those who have managed Man Utd for at least 20 games in the top flight, only Alfred Albut (20%) and Scott Duncan (24%) have lower win percentages than Amorim (26% with 8 wins in 31 games).

The Red Devils' attack has also significantly declined, failing to score in 13 of 31 games and scoring only 36 goals overall. Amorim has also won only 4 of 26 Premier League matches against non-newly promoted teams. Away from home, Man Utd has won just one of their last 20 games against the "Big Six," conceding 53 goals.

Liverpool's late-game heroics continue. A penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against newly promoted Burnley, giving Liverpool a perfect 12 points. They became the first club in Premier League history to win four consecutive matches thanks to decisive goals scored in the final 10 minutes or later.

Before defeating Burnley, manager Arne Slot's side won their first three games in similar fashion, beating Bournemouth 4-2 (goals from Federico Chiesa in the 88th minute and Salah in the 4th minute of stoppage time), Newcastle 3-2 (Rio Ngumoha in the tenth minute of stoppage time), and Arsenal 1-0 (Dominik Szoboszlai in the 83rd minute).

These results have sparked debate. Some argue that the late goals are a sign of championship mentality, while others suggest they mask flaws in Liverpool's still unconvincing performances.

New signings make their mark at Arsenal. In the summer 2025 transfer window, Arsenal spent over 300 million USD to bring in eight new players. Five of them started against Nottingham Forest, and all performed well.

Martin Zubimendi scored a brace, Viktor Gyokeres added another goal, Eberechi Eze provided an assist, Noni Madueke constantly threatened Nottingham Forest's right flank, and center-back Cristhian Mosquera played solidly in place of William Saliba. After the match, manager Mikel Arteta stated that the new arrivals make his team more unpredictable.

Chelsea's young stars disappoint in rotation test. Manager Enzo Maresca defended his starting lineup selection after a 2-2 draw at Brentford, but Chelsea's youngsters clearly haven't yet inspired confidence as they juggle both the Premier League and Champions League.

Wesley Fofana looked uncomfortable at right-back, while Jorrel Hato on the left still needs time to adjust to the pace of the Premier League. Facundo Buonanotte was substituted at half-time, and the 76 million USD signing from Dortmund, Jamie Gittens, has yet to justify his price tag. Another new signing, Alejandro Garnacho, made a costly error in concentration, allowing Fabio Carvalho to equalize at 2-2.

Woltemade eases Isak concerns at Newcastle. The 105 million USD signing scored the only goal as Newcastle beat Wolves at home. Nick Woltemade became the third German player in Premier League history to score on his debut, following Ilkay Gundogan and Jurgen Klinsmann.

Given his 1.98 m height, a headed goal was perhaps not surprising, but Woltemade's overall performance showed he is more than just a target man. The German forward was involved in most of Newcastle's attacks, winning free-kicks when dropping deep, holding up the ball effectively, and linking up well with Jacob Murphy.

Woltemade quickly won over the fans at St. James’ Park. The nickname "Woltemessi" appeared in the stands, and he received a warm ovation when he left the field late in the second half.

Thomas Frank proud of Tottenham's "steel" defense. "I've focused on that from day one," Thomas Frank readily shared his football philosophy – a rarity in the Premier League, especially at Tottenham, a club known for its attacking flair.

But Frank is a pragmatist, aware of how fragile Tottenham's defense was last season. So, from the moment he took over, the Danish manager immediately prioritized organization and discipline. After just four games, the impact is clear: Tottenham have kept three clean sheets, conceding only once to Bournemouth's Evanilson.

Semenyo inspires Bournemouth's best-ever start. While the team's fourth-place standing, level on points with Arsenal and Tottenham, is a collective effort, Semenyo's individual contribution is undeniable. Against Brighton, he scored a penalty and assisted the other goal in a 2-1 win.

Before the match, Semenyo was the only Premier League player with at least 10 shots and 5 chances created, demonstrating his all-around attacking threat. Since the start of the season, he has been involved in 5 of Bournemouth's 6 goals (3 goals, 2 assists). With his direct style, pace, and trickery, he has become a feared attacker at the Vitality Stadium.

With several key players departing this summer – Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez to Liverpool, Illia Zabarnyi to PSG – Bournemouth's securing of Semenyo with a new contract was perhaps their most important piece of business.

Aston Villa's goal drought continues. In a 0-0 draw at Everton, Aston Villa managed just one shot on target and registered an expected goals (xG) value of 0.31, posing little attacking threat.

Upfront, Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers were isolated, rarely receiving the ball in advantageous positions. The only bright spot was goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Despite being linked with a move to Man Utd all summer, he remained focused, saving dangerous shots from Jack Grealish and Michael Keane.

Aston Villa became the fifth team in Premier League history to fail to score in their opening four matches. This poor start leaves them 19th in the table.

Roefs shines, securing a valuable point for Sunderland. Last season, all three newly promoted teams were immediately relegated. Sunderland are aware of the challenge and have started relatively well.

They made a statement by thrashing West Ham 3-0 in the first game and recently held Crystal Palace to a 0-0 draw. Goalkeeper Robin Roefs was a rock, making six saves and preventing 1.59 expected goals, directly earning his team a point. In a tight relegation battle, every point can be crucial come May.

Hong Duy

Photos: Man City, Reuters, AP, PA