20 key takeaways from the EPL after matchweek four

The 2026/27 Premier League season began on Friday, August 21, with champions Arsenal hosting newly promoted Coventry City, and the campaign is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, May 30, 2027. The 380-match season comprises 33 weekends and five midweek rounds.

After four matchweeks, the early picture is already taking shape, with Arsenal and Manchester City maintaining perfect starts while seven teams remain unbeaten.

At the other end, five clubs are still searching for their first victory, while Tottenham and Coventry are yet to score.

The next round begins on Friday, September 18, with Brentford hosting Chelsea, before the final fixtures of Matchweek 5 are played on September 20.

That round will be the last before the Premier League’s first international break of the season, which begins on September 21 and runs until October 6. The 16-day window, covering four international matches and combining the traditional September and October windows, is the first of its kind in the current Premier League calendar.

20 talking points from the Premier League so far:

1. Arsenal, Man City perfect after four games

Arsenal and Manchester City are the only two sides with four wins from four, giving both 12 points.

2. Seven teams remain unbeaten

Arsenal, Manchester City, Leeds United, Hull City, Brentford, Liverpool and Everton have yet to lose after four matches.

3. Five teams are still without a win

Bournemouth, Tottenham, Fulham, Aston Villa and Coventry City are yet to record a victory.

4. Brighton have scored 13 goals

Brighton are the division’s highest-scoring side after four matches, with 13 goals.

5. Arsenal have conceded just once

Arsenal have the league’s best defensive record, conceding only one goal in their opening four matches.

6. Leeds rise to third after Newcastle rout

Leeds moved into third place on eight points after beating Newcastle United 4-1 at Elland Road.

7. Hull are unbeaten among the promoted sides

Hull City have won two and drawn two, leaving them fourth on eight points after four games.

8. Brentford, Liverpool and Everton share six points

The three clubs have identical records of one win and three draws.

9. Tottenham and Coventry are yet to score

Both clubs have played four matches without finding the net.

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10. Coventry are bottom without a point

The promoted side have lost all four games, scoring none and conceding 10.

11. Haaland leads the scoring chart

Erling Haaland has four goals. Bruno Fernandes, Alexander Isak, Bukayo Saka, Kevin Schade, Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Marcus Tavernier have three each.

12. Four players lead the assists chart

Cody Gakpo, Daichi Kamada, Evanilson and Joao Pedro have three assists each after four matches.

13. Chelsea have seven points despite conceding nine

Chelsea have two wins, one draw and one defeat, but have already conceded nine goals.

14. Manchester United sit 13th

United have one win, one draw and two defeats, leaving them on four points after four matches. In fact, they are two points above Spurs who are yet to score or win a game.

15. Ipswich have six points despite a negative goal difference

Ipswich have won two and lost two, giving them six points despite scoring seven and conceding 10.

16. Raya and Tzolakis lead the clean-sheet chart

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and Hull goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis have each kept three clean sheets.

17. Five red cards have been shown

Five players have been sent off so far — João Gomes (Aston Villa), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry City), Axel Disasi (Crystal Palace) and Reinildo Mandava (Sunderland) — with Aston Villa, Manchester City, Coventry City, Crystal Palace and Sunderland each having one red card, according to My Football Facts.

18. Bournemouth and Hull lead yellow-card count

Bournemouth and Hull City have picked up the most yellow cards after four matches, with 13 each, followed by Nottingham Forest with 11, Statmuse reported.

19. VAR errors already feature in early-season talking points

Pro Ref admitted an “error of judgment” over Erling Haaland’s winning goal in Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United, with chief refereeing officer Howard Webb saying “tunnel vision” led VAR officials to focus on Haaland’s position while overlooking Enzo Fernández’s potential impact from an offside position.

Reuters reported that the VAR officials involved were subsequently stood down until after the international break.

The Premier League’s own Match Centre has also published Key Match Incidents findings, including a ruling that Newcastle should have been awarded a penalty against Leeds after a challenge on Bruno Guimarães, with VAR judged to have missed the opportunity to intervene, Al Jazeera reported.

20. Chelsea’s clean-sheet drought stretches to 20 league games

Chelsea have gone 20 consecutive Premier League matches without keeping a clean sheet, their longest such run in 65 years, after conceding twice in their 2-2 draw with Hull City.

PUNCH Online reports that the last time Chelsea played a clean sheet in the league was at Stamford Bridge in January 2026 in a 2-0 win over Brentford.