EPL After Matchweek 4: 20 Key Talking Points As Arsenal, Man City Set Early Pace

Photo Credit: Punch Newspapers / Premier League
EPL After Matchweek 4: 20 Key Talking Points As Arsenal, Man City Set Early Pace
The 2026/27 Premier League season kicked off on Friday, August 21, with champions Arsenal hosting newly-promoted Coventry City. The 380-game season, spread across 33 weekends and five midweek rounds, will run until Sunday, May 30, 2027.

After four games, the early storylines are emerging. Arsenal and Manchester City are the only teams with a perfect record, while seven clubs are still unbeaten. At the bottom, five teams are still chasing their first win, with Tottenham and Coventry yet to score a goal.

Matchweek 5 starts on Friday, September 18 with Brentford vs Chelsea, before wrapping up on September 20. It will be the final round before the Premier League’s first-ever 16-day international break from September 21 to October 6.

20 Key Takeaways So Far:

1. Perfect Start For Arsenal & City: Arsenal and Manchester City are the only sides on 12 points after winning all four opening matches.

2. Seven Unbeaten Teams: Arsenal, Man City, Leeds United, Hull City, Brentford, Liverpool and Everton are yet to lose.

3. Five Winless Clubs: Bournemouth, Tottenham, Fulham, Aston Villa and Coventry City are still looking for their first win.

4. Brighton Lead The Goals Chart: Brighton are the league’s top scorers with 13 goals in four games.

5. Arsenal’s Mean Defence: The Gunners have the best defensive record, conceding just once.

6. Leeds Up To Third: Leeds thrashed Newcastle United 4-1 at Elland Road to climb to third on 8 points.

7. Hull Impress Among Promoted Sides: Of the promoted teams, Hull City have been the standout – unbeaten with two wins and two draws to sit 4th on 8 points.

8. Mid-Table Logjam: Brentford, Liverpool and Everton all have identical records – one win and three draws for 6 points.

9. Spurs and Coventry Goalless: Tottenham and Coventry are the only two teams yet to find the net after four matches.

10. Coventry Rooted To Bottom: The Sky Blues sit bottom with zero points, zero goals scored and 10 conceded.

11. Haaland Top Scorer: Erling Haaland leads the Golden Boot race with 4 goals. Bruno Fernandes, Alexander Isak, Bukayo Saka, Kevin Schade, Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Marcus Tavernier all have 3 each.

12. Assist Leaders: Cody Gakpo, Daichi Kamada, Evanilson and Joao Pedro jointly lead the assists chart with 3 each.

13. Chelsea’s Mixed Start: Chelsea have 7 points (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss) but have already shipped 9 goals.

14. Man Utd In 13th: Manchester United have managed just 4 points from one win, one draw and two defeats, sitting two points above a goalless Tottenham.

15. Ipswich’s Strange Record: Ipswich have 6 points despite a negative goal difference, scoring 7 and conceding 10.

16. Raya & Tzolakis Lead Clean Sheets: Arsenal’s David Raya and Hull’s Kostas Tzolakis have kept 3 clean sheets each – the most so far.

17. Five Red Cards: Five dismissals so far: João Gomes (Aston Villa), Phil Foden (Man City), Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry), Axel Disasi (Crystal Palace) and Reinildo Mandava (Sunderland).

18. Most Booked Teams: Bournemouth and Hull City have picked up the most yellow cards with 13 each, followed by Nottingham Forest with 11.

19. VAR Controversies Already: PGMOL admitted an “error of judgment” for allowing Erling Haaland’s winner in Man City’s 1-0 win over Man United, after VAR missed Enzo Fernández’s offside interference. The officials involved have been stood down until after the break. Separately, the Premier League’s Match Centre ruled that Newcastle should have had a penalty against Leeds for a foul on Bruno Guimarães.

20. Chelsea’s Historic Drought: Chelsea have now gone 20 straight Premier League games without a clean sheet – their longest run in 65 years – after a 2-2 draw with Hull. Their last league shutout was a 2-0 win over Brentford at Stamford Bridge in January 2026.
Source: Punch Nigeria –