EPL Weekly Wrap Gameweek 4

If I told you Manchester City would have a man sent off after 23 minutes at Old Trafford and still win, you’d probably have believed me. That’s where we are with this title race. Both Arsenal and City now have 12 points from four games, and nobody else is within touching distance. Below them, Coventry’s nightmare continued with a 5-0 hammering. Aston Villa lost again. Tottenham are still looking for a win. Here’s a breakdown of all the Premier League news you may have missed this past week.

Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute at Old Trafford after kicking out at Bruno Fernandes. Instead of crumbling, Manchester City soaked up United’s pressure for 37 minutes before Erling Haaland found the net in the 60th minute to win it 1-0.

I thought United would overwhelm them. They had 54% possession and 16 shots to City’s seven. But City defended in a compact block, and when Haaland’s goal was challenged for an Enzo Fernandez offside in the box, VAR allowed it to stand. PGMOL’s verdict was that Fernandez didn’t play the ball, even though he was directly in the path of the cross. Michael Carrick was furious. I get why.

United have now lost two of their opening four and are 13th on four points. Given how they finished last season, that’s a worry.

Arsenal were far less dramatic but equally effective. Bruno Guimaraes came off the bench at half-time and hammered his first Arsenal goal off the underside of the bar from 23 yards in the 58th minute. David Raya had saved a penalty from Enzo Le Fee just minutes earlier. Bukayo Saka added a stoppage-time penalty after Reinildo Mandava brought him down and was sent off. It finished 2-0, and Arsenal now have nine consecutive Premier League victories, a streak they haven’t managed since 2003-04.

Liverpool were held 0-0 by Fulham at Anfield, a result that leaves them seventh on six points and unable to generate any real momentum under Andoni Iraola. If you’re following football expert tips this season, you’ll know as well as I do that the Reds are impossible to read right now. One week they look sharp, the next they can’t break down a team that had scored zero goals all season.

Hull City are third in the Premier League after four rounds. Anyone who says they saw that coming is lying to you. 

Mohamed Belloumi scored twice in six first-half minutes to overturn Morgan Rogers’ opener. Joao Pedro equalised for Chelsea on 66 minutes, but the 2-2 result was impressive from a promoted club. Eight points from four games, and they haven’t lost yet.

Brighton produced the weekend’s most emphatic performance at the other end of the table. Charalampos Kostoulas broke the deadlock against Coventry before the break, and after Taiwo Awoniyi was sent off early in the second half, it became a procession. Four more goals followed after the break in a 5-0 rout, with Lewis Dunk’s thunderbolt from distance the pick of the bunch. Brighton are fourth on seven points now, and they look a real threat this season.

Ipswich won a wild one at Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace led through Anan Khalaili, but after Axel Disasi was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Jack Clarke, Ipswich scored twice through Emersonn and Leif Davis. Jorgen Strand Larsen pulled Palace level, only for Zian Flemming to bundle home in the 90th minute. 3-2 to the visitors, and their first away win in the league since April 2025.

Aston Villa are 19th on one point from four games. I wouldn’t have called that in a million years. 

Igor Jesus scored an 88th-minute winner for Nottingham Forest at Villa Park, just 14 minutes after Alysson had equalised Liam Delap’s second-half opener. Villa had Pau Torres and Ian Maatsen forced off injured, finishing with 10 men after using all their subs. It was Forest’s first win at Villa Park since 1994.

Coventry are bottom with zero points and zero goals from four matches. Coventry were competitive in the first half against Brighton - there were 21 shots from both teams before the break. But the red card killed whatever chance they had. I don’t want to write them off four games in, but a goal difference of minus 10 is brutal for a promoted club.

Tottenham drew 0-0 with Everton and are 17th on two points. Bournemouth also drew, 2-2 with Brentford, after Djordje Petrovic’s dreadful pass allowed Kevin Schade to lob in an equaliser. Bournemouth have dropped points from winning positions in all four league matches this season.

For viewers using NZ betting sites ahead of Gameweek 5, Saturday’s action includes Brighton hosting Arsenal at 2am NZT and Newcastle visiting Hull at the same time. If you’re looking for free bets on the early games, Tottenham face Aston Villa at 11:30pm NZT on Saturday evening.