Premier League Matchday 7: Ranking the Performances of All 20 Teams

This past weekend in the Premier League featured memorable moments and some tough performances. Chelsea kept their first clean sheet in the top flight since January, Dejan Kulusevski finally appeared for Tottenham after 526 days, Manchester United had what was called a “fresh start,” and Enzo Maresca set a record by winning his first seven league games as a new manager. Manchester City’s ongoing legal saga continues to loom, but the matches themselves gave us plenty to analyze.

How We Ranked the Teams

• Performance: We judged how each team played during the game itself, not just based on final scores.
• Expectations: Teams that defied odds with their displays earned extra credit.
• Venue: Winning away is harder, so away results received a bonus.

Team Rankings and Summaries

• 20. Sunderland (0-2 Loss vs. Bournemouth)Sunderland struggled to juggle European and league commitments. Kevin Danso’s early red card worsened their situation, but mistakes were mounting before that. Nordi Mukiele admitted the team might have become arrogant, which hurt them badly.
• 19. Crystal Palace (0-5 Loss vs. Brighton)A day to forget for Crystal Palace. Pierre Sage said it best, calling the feeling after the game “shame.” The heavy defeat was a low point for the team.
• 18. Hull City (0-1 Loss vs. Fulham)Hull was dominated in every aspect by Fulham. Manager Sergej Jakirović described the gap between the teams as "men against boys," reflecting how outplayed they were despite the narrow scoreline.
• 17. Newcastle United (0-1 Loss vs. Aston Villa)Newcastle’s chaotic approach failed against Villa’s composed play. Despite spending heavily on forwards, Newcastle relied on Dan Burn as a late striker option. Matthias Jaissle bluntly said the team was "not smart enough."
• 16. Coventry City (1-3 Loss vs. Tottenham)Frank Lampard’s Coventry lost ground at Tottenham despite a strong start and finish. The victory ended Coventry's hopes of grabbing points on a rare bright night for Spurs.
• 15. Everton (0-2 Loss vs. Chelsea)David Moyes praised Harrison Armstrong’s tough tackle, but Everton’s second half was weak, conceding two soft goals and managing only two shots. That tackle was the highlight in an otherwise poor display.
• 14. Brentford (1-2 Loss vs. Liverpool)The match was decided by a controversial red card shown to Yehor Yarmoliuk for a mild head brush. Brentford fought hard but couldn't overcome the disadvantage.
• 13. Ipswich Town (2-3 Loss vs. Manchester City)Ipswich set out to challenge Man City and succeeded in making them uncomfortable, though they couldn’t secure any points. Dara O’Shea reflected on how they managed to "blood Manchester City’s nose."
• 12. Leeds United (1-1 Draw vs. Manchester United)Leeds felt disappointed despite earning a draw against United. They played cautiously early on and didn’t take full advantage of the weaker visitors. Even this version of Man Utd can't be given a big lead and still lose.
• 11. Manchester United (1-1 Draw vs. Leeds United)United showed improvement after their Champions League win but still looked outmatched at Elland Road. Michael Carrick’s tactical setup involved assigning each player specific tasks to counter Leeds. It wasn’t pretty, but it earned a point.
• 10. Arsenal (1-0 Win vs. Nottingham Forest)Arsenal struggled to start matches strongly, yet their substitutes helped secure narrow victories, including this one. Mikel Arteta praised the squad’s depth and emotional management, but fans may want to see better early performance.
• 9. Nottingham Forest (0-1 Loss vs. Arsenal)Forest shut down Arsenal’s key players effectively but lacked finishing touch. Their keeper had little work until a cruel double deflection allowed Arsenal’s goal. Forest has now gone over eight hours without scoring at home.
• 8. Liverpool (2-1 Win vs. Brentford)Liverpool benefited from Brentford’s red card but still showed strengths. Alexander Isak scored again, Jérémy Jacquet defended solidly, and Florian Wirtz was creative in midfield.
• 7. Aston Villa (1-0 Win vs. Newcastle)Villa’s calm away victory was highlighted by Johan Manzambi scoring against the club that missed out on signing him. This goal proved decisive at St James' Park.
• 6. Manchester City (3-2 Win vs. Ipswich)Despite off-field distractions, City continues an impressive start under Enzo Maresca. Erling Haaland’s relentless scoring helps keep the team ahead, even when the defense looks shaky.
• 5. Tottenham Hotspur (3-1 Win vs. Coventry)Tottenham’s win brought back memories of better times with Dejan Kulusevski playing and James Maddison scoring. After many changes and heavy spending, Spurs finally look closer to their old form.
• 4. Bournemouth (2-0 Win vs. Sunderland)Bournemouth dominated Sunderland completely, taking 29 shots and controlling most of the game. Marco Rose credited the team’s strong mentality for the overwhelming victory.
• 3. Chelsea (2-0 Win vs. Everton)Chelsea managed a gritty win in a rough game marked by a serious injury to Emiliano Martínez. Xabi Alonso appreciated the result and the team's first clean sheet in 24 attempts this season.
• 2. Fulham (1-0 Win vs. Hull)Fulham earned their first Premier League win under Álvaro Arbeloa, who was under pressure after a poor start. The victory validated his methods and lifted the team’s spirits.
• 1. Brighton & Hove Albion (5-0 Win vs. Crystal Palace)Brighton celebrated a remarkable 5-0 triumph over their rivals Palace, scoring some of the best goals seen this season. Fabian Hürzeler urged humility but enjoyed seeing the fans happy after a fantastic performance.