The Premier League heads into a two-week-long break after four weeks of breathless action, with Liverpool leading the pack and boasting a perfect record, while Chelsea and surprise Watford press on their heels with their own perfect starts to the season. Defending champion Manchester City’s lone draw at Wolves kept them fourth in the table, with Spurs, Arsenal, and Manchester United all in the top 10 despite suffering one or more defeats in the starting few weeks of the season.
At the other end of the table, West Ham’s summer transfer business doesn’t seem to have helped them find any cohesion as they languish at the bottom of the table with zero points, but championship newcomers Wolves, Fulham, and Cardiff have all impressed in their first few games, and look to have enough strength in them to fight to stay in the Premier League.
The week started with the early Saturday kickoff between table trendsetters Liverpool and Leicester at the latter’s home turf, and while a new goalkeeper had impressed so far for Liverpool, he cost his team a goal through terrible footwork. Regardless, Jurgen Klopp’s men had enough in them to see off the Foxes. It is the first time Liverpool have won their first four games of a Premier League campaign.
4/38 #PL pic.twitter.com/Kxdz1XyIja
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 2, 2018
The nominations are in and it’s time to have your say
VOTE for your @EASPORTSFIFA Player of the Month for August ?? https://t.co/IvpH2abF8c pic.twitter.com/7q9PMmLJwV
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 2, 2018
In the following games, Mitrovic’s sensational goal-scoring form for Fulham was not enough to help them secure all three points against a fighting Brighton, but Chelsea struck late twice through Pedro and Hazard to continue new coach Sarri’s perfect start to his first Premier League campaign. Chelsea have looked as dangerous as Liverpool, if not more, in the first few weeks of the season, and appear set to contend for the title, alongside champions Manchester City, who bounced back from their draw at Wolves the week before to win against Newcastle at the Etihad.
Southampton registered their first win of the season against a fledgling Crystal Palace, who seem to have not found their feet yet in the new season. Everton and Huddersfield played out a draw in the last game on Saturday, and while Bournemouth and Leicester are both in the top half of the table, it is Everton who must hope to contend for the top six places in the Premier League considering the signings they have made over the summer.
Sunday’s three games saw Arsenal coach Unai Emery register his second win on the trot after a nightmarish opening two weeks with Aubameyang and Lacazette helping the Gunners defeat a spirited Cardiff, while Manchester United also recovered from the hounding at Brighton last week to defeat Burnley at Turf Moor. Both Arsenal and Manchester United clawed their way back to the top half of the Premier League and could be set for a three-horse race with Tottenham Hotspur for the last Champions League place after the latter blew away a lead to lose at Watford, who have remained the surprise team in the league this season and have a perfect start to their credit.
