# Five games in: which Premier League teams are thriving

> After five matches, some teams are already impressing while others face mounting pressure before the international break.
- Title: Five games in: which Premier League teams are thriving
- Summary: After five matches, some teams are already impressing while others face mounting pressure before the international break. Brighton and Manchester City are…
- Keywords: premier league, 2026-27 season, manchester city, brighton, tottenham hotspur, arsenal, manchester united, team performance, five matches, news, world, Five
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cq70d74g4d8go
- Published: 2026-09-21T06:51:48.637+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: premier league, 2026-27 season, manchester city, brighton, tottenham hotspur, arsenal, manchester united, team performance, five matches, news, world
## Brighton are the entertainers
Brighton have scored 16 goals in five games, including three against champions Arsenal, and are described as a joy to watch. They earned a rating of 9 out of 10.

> A joy to watch.
## Manchester City maintain perfection
Manchester City have won all five league games, including a victory at Manchester United while down to 10 men. Erling Haaland is already the top scorer. They earned a rating of 9 out of 10.
## Brentford impress with unbeaten run
Brentford have demolished both Spurs and Chelsea without fuss and remain unbeaten. They earned a rating of 8 out of 10 and could challenge for Europe.

> Can they keep it up and challenge for Europe?
## Tottenham's spending hasn't paid off
Despite spending over 300 million pounds in the summer, Tottenham have been poor and failed to score in their opening four league matches. They earned a rating of just 2 out of 10.
## Manchester United struggling early
Manchester United have lost at Hull and drawn at bottom-placed Fulham, with their only win coming against Ipswich. They earned a rating of just 4 out of 10.
## Hull and Leeds make strong starts
Hull have earned eight points from a tough opening five fixtures, including beating Manchester United. Leeds are fifth, unbeaten, with the joint-best defensive record and a superb 4-1 win over Newcastle.
## Arsenal stumble after solid start
Arsenal's title defence began solidly but they were ripped apart by Brighton after surviving a penalty scare at Sunderland. They earned a rating of 7 out of 10.
## Key takeaway

Brighton and Manchester City are the standout performers so far, while Tottenham's expensive summer has yielded disappointing results.