Premier League: City surge, rivals stumble
Shafaq News- London
Manchester City opened a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester United all dropped points in Matchweek 5, while Liverpool extended their unbeaten start.
City maintained their perfect league record with a 5-3 win over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium. Antoine Semenyo scored twice, while Enzo Fernández, Rayan Cherki, and Erling Haaland also found the net. Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick, but City held on for a fifth straight league victory and moved three points clear of Arsenal. Haaland’s late goal also meant he has now scored against all 25 Premier League clubs he has faced.
Enzo Fernandez scores his first @ManCity goal in style ✨ #MCFC https://t.co/TYfJLjveTL
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) September 20, 2026
Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season in a 3-0 loss at Brighton, their heaviest defeat in three years. Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas, and Chema Andres scored as the defending champions’ four-match winning start came to an abrupt end.
Liverpool earned their second league win of the season with a 1-0 victory at Bournemouth, extending their unbeaten start to five matches. Alexander Isak scored the decisive goal in the 57th minute, his fourth league goal of the campaign, as Andoni Iraola’s side moved to two wins and three draws despite another subdued attacking display.
Chelsea’s difficult run deepened with a 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Friday. Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago, and Fabio Carvalho scored after halftime as Chelsea extended their winless league run to three matches and their streak without a clean sheet to 21 Premier League games.
Tottenham remained without a league win after losing 3-2 at home to Aston Villa. Villa raced into a 3-0 lead through Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson, and Emi Buendia before late goals from Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke reduced the deficit. Spurs have taken only two points from five matches, their worst Premier League start since 2008.
Manchester United also failed to win, drawing 1-1 at Fulham after Matheus Cunha’s deflected 89th-minute equalizer rescued a point. Fulham had gone ahead through a Lisandro Martinez own goal in the 63rd minute, leaving Michael Carrick’s side with just one league victory from five matches.
Among the other notable results, Everton beat Ipswich Town 1-0, Newcastle United defeated Hull City 2-1, and Coventry City earned their first Premier League victory in 25 years with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. Leeds United and Crystal Palace drew 0-0.
City enter the international break with five wins from five, while Arsenal remain second after their first setback. Liverpool remain unbeaten, while Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester United head into the break after difficult starts.
