Matchday 4 of the Premier League 2025-26 season saw plenty of high-octane drama unfold at the weekend. The league resumed after a short international break. Liverpool continue to lead the standings after a 1-0 win over Burnley.
Manchester City dominated Manchester United 3-0 to end their two-game losing streak in some style. Tottenham returned to winning ways with a 3-0 win over West Ham. Arsenal also beat Nottingham Forest 3-0. However, Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw against Brentford.
Key Match Summaries
The marquee fixture of this week didn’t disappoint as Manchester City comfortably outclassed Manchester United. Erling Haaland scored a brace after Phil Foden broke the deadlock in the first half. Surprisingly, the Red Devils had more possession than City but could only muster up two shots on target.
Defending champions Liverpool edged Burnley 1-0 thanks to a very late penalty from Mohamed Salah. The Reds have won four league games in a row, and they are the only unbeaten team so far, alongside Chelsea and Crystal Palace.
Arsenal were the first team in action this week, and Mikel Arteta’s side prevailed 3-0 over Nottingham. Martin Zubimendi scored two goals while Viktor Gyokeres also got his name on the scoresheet.
Chelsea played out a 2-2 draw with Brentford despite trailing 0-1 at the break. Kevin Schade scored early before Cole Palmer levelled the scoreline. Moises Caicedo scored in the 85th minute, but the joy was short-lived as Fabio Carvalho scored in added time.
Tottenham piled more misery on West Ham boss Graham Potter. The Hammers lost their third match of the season after Pape Matar Sarr scored shortly after the break. Tomas Soucek was sent off later, and Lucas Bergvall, as well as Micky van de Ven, completed the demolition.
High-flying Bournemouth continued their stellar form as they beat Brighton 2-1. Alex Scott put the Cherries ahead in the first half before Kaoru Mitoma equalised for his side. Antoine Semenyo scored a penalty to give Andoni Iraola’s their third win in a row.
Crystal Palace played out a 0-0 draw with Sunderland. Everton were also held to a 0-0 stalemate by Aston Villa. Fulham defeated Leeds United 1-0 thanks to a dramatic late own goal from Gabriel Gudmundsson.
Newcastle United picked up their first win of the season thanks to their new signing Nick Woltemade.
Standout Players and Performances
The highest-rated player this week according to SofaScore’s ratings was Erling Haaland (9.4), thanks to his brace. Sunderland’s Robin Roefs (9.2) made six saves and was his team’s player of the match. Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi (9.2) scored a brace, while Eberechi Eze (8.5) and Noni Madueke (8.5) also shone brightly.
Fulham skipper Joachim Andersen (8.5) made a staggering 8 clearances. Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk (8.3) made 4 clearances and won all 8 of his aerial duels.
League Table & Impact
After matchday 4, Liverpool continue to sit pretty at the top of the table. Arsenal are level on 9 points with Spurs and Bournemouth, but they occupy second place thanks to their superior goal difference. Chelsea are in fifth place with 8 points, while Everton are in sixth place, tied on 7 points with Sunderland.
Man City rose to 8th place after beating Man United, level on points with Crystal Palace. Newcastle round off the top ten. West Ham have dropped into the relegation berths, having just 3 points, while Aston Villa are second-bottom.
Wolves have lost four games in a row, and they have no points so far this season.
Injuries and Suspension Updates
West Ham’s Tomas Soucek and Burnley’s Lesley Ugochukwu will miss next week’s action after they received red cards.
Christian Norgaard and William Saliba could return to action for Arsenal in the upcoming weeks. Curtis Jones is the only injury absentee for Liverpool. City could have John Stones back for next week, while they have six long-term absentees.
United have four players out injured, while Dominik Solanke could be fit for Spurs before the end of the month, but they have five players sidelined with injuries.
Looking Ahead
Matchday 5 begins with a high-octane Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton.
The last match of the week will see Arsenal host Manchester City in a reunion of Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta. Manchester United will take on Chelsea in the third highly anticipated contest this upcoming weekend. Spurs will travel to Brighton, while Burnley will host Nottingham Forest.
Wolves hope to end their four-match losing streak against Leeds, while West Ham will take on Palace. Fulham will lock horns with Brentford, and Sunderland will host Aston Villa. Newcastle will travel to Bournemouth.