What has changed since August’s opening Premier League games?

MARK PAIN/ALAMY LIVE NEWSThe feelgood factor arrives at Spurs as Richarlison is swarmed after his opening-day scissor kick. It did not last

24 Jan 2026

THE GUARDIAN / Sport

This weekend’s match-ups are the same as the first round but plenty of managers, players and optimism levels are not. Sachin Nakrani and David Hills reassess the story

Aston Villa 0 

Newcastle 0

Then

Aston Villa 

Mood not great given the previous campaign had ended with them being pipped to Champions League qualification by their opening-day opponents.

Newcastle 

Alexander Isak was refusing to play as part of an attempt to force a move to Liverpool. Attempts to lure Yoane Wissa from Brentford were also proving difficult.

Now

Aston Villa 

Firmly ensconced in third on the back of 11 successive wins at Villa Park, a run brought to an end by Everton last weekend. Morgan Rogers has delivered eyecatching displays.

Newcastle 

Eighth – very good home form but very poor away form. Nick Woltemade – Isak’s replacement – has blown hot and cold, as has Wissa following his eventual arrival and recovery from injury.

***

Brighton 1 

Fulham 1

Then

Brighton 

£70m spent on eight new additions, while a host of players also departed, including João Pedro to Chelsea for £60m.

Fulham 

Transfer dealings had been incredibly quiet, with the only addition the 34-year-old reserve goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte from Montpellier.

Now

Brighton 

12th feels right for a team whose form has been mixed.

Fulham 

One place and one point ahead of Brighton, which also feels right given their mix of results.

***

Chelsea 0 

Crystal Palace 0

Then

Chelsea 

Enzo Maresca’s side started the season as officially the best team on the planet having won Fifa’s Club World Cup.

Crystal Palace 

Oliver Glasner’s side began the campaign as FA Cup winners and also beat Liverpool to the Community Shield. Eberechi Eze was widely expected to be on his way to Tottenham.

Chelsea 

Managed by Liam Rosenior after Maresca was sacked on New Year’s Day following a falling-out with the club’s hierarchy.

Crystal Palace 

In a state of turmoil. Eze joined Arsenal shortly after the season started with Marc Guéhi also moving, to Manchester City this week; two blows that led to Glasner accusing the Palace board of “abandoning” the team as he confirmed he will leave the club this summer.

***

Leeds 1 

Everton 0

Then

Leeds 

Excitement for Daniel Farke’s side after promotion back to the Premier League and a summer of notable spending. Eight new players had arrived at the club, including Dominic Calvert-lewin on a free transfer.

Everton 

A first summer under new owner, The Friedkin Group, meant Everton were also notable spenders in the market, yet it was a loan deal that had supporters most excited: Jack Grealish’s arrival from Manchester City.

Now

Leeds 

In 16th and very much looking up after a turnaround in performances and results sparked by a change of system – from 4-1-4-1 to 3-5-2 – by Farke.

Everton 

Slap-bang in mid-table having displayed curious form throughout the campaign – woeful home losses and excellent away wins sprinkled alongside frustrating and/or dull draws.

***

Liverpool 4 

Bournemouth 2

Then

Liverpool 

The sudden death of Diogo Jota in early July meant the Premier League champions were in a state of mourning. Excitement about a new season had been tempered, albeit with an eye-catching summer outlay, headlined by the £116m arrival of Florian Wirtz and expected to soon include Isak.

Bournemouth 

An excellent 2024-25 campaign led to the south-coast club’s best and brightest talents being slowly but surely picked off by bigger clubs. Dean Huijsen, Illia Zabarnyi and Milos Kerkez all departed in the off-season.

Now

Liverpool 

Nowhere close to defending their title after a collapse in which Arne Slot’s side lost nine out of 12 games in all competitions. The Dutchman has stemmed the bleeding but his side have shown little cohesion amid a series of setbacks, including a serious injury to Isak and an outburst by Mohamed Salah. Nonetheless, they sit fourth.

Bournemouth 

In 15th amid a season that has been relentlessly difficult. That is little surprise given the loss of key players, with Antoine Semenyo the latest to depart in a £62.5m move to Manchester City.

***

Man Utd 0 

Arsenal 1

Then

Manchester United 

Ruben Amorim’s first full campaign in charge at Old Trafford promised much after a summer in which three new attackers had been signed – Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. However, the lack of any midfield arrivals alongside lingering concerns about the head coach’s rigid tactical approach meant supporters were also somewhat apprehensive.

Arsenal 

The arrival of six new players, including Viktor Gyökeres to fill the void at centre-forward, meant Mikel Arteta’s squad looked well equipped to challenge for the title once again, and even go one better than second.

Now

Manchester United 

With Michael Carrick again in interim charge after a falling-out between Amorim and United’s hierarchy made the Portuguese’s position untenable. Carrick started with a bang with victory in the Manchester derby.

Arsenal 

Dreaming of a first title since 2004 after finding themselves seven points clear with less than half the season remaining. There has also been talk of a quadruple, which while highly unlikely cannot be ruled out given the various strengths of Arteta’s side, most notably in defence and at set pieces.

***

Nottm Forest 3 

Brentford 1

Then

Nottingham Forest 

Fans were anxious when Anthony Elanga was sold but the owner, Evangelos Marinakis, convinced Morgan Gibbs-White to stay, secured a controversial elevation to the Europa League, and added new faces including the £36m Bologna winger Dan Ndoye.

Brentford 

Thomas Frank, Mbuemo, Christian Nørgaard and Mark Flekken all gone, Wissa on strike, and the set-piece coach promoted to manager. Most were tipping a struggle for Keith Andrews and his side. The return from longterm injury of Igor Thiago was one source of positivity, at least.

Now

Nottingham Forest 

Nuno Espírito Santo was sacked after three games for going public on his testy relationship with Marinakis. The owner then hired Ange Postecoglou, sacked him a month later, and turned to Sean Dyche instead. Forest sit 17th, five points above the relegation places.

Brentford 

Seventh. Thiago is second behind Erling Haaland in the top scorers list, and the new signings Jordan Henderson and Caoimhín Kelleher are excelling.

***

Sunderland 3 

West Ham 0

Then

Sunderland 

No lack of ambition, with £132m spent on 11 signings. The departed Jobe Bellingham was a loss, though, and doubters wondered whether Régis Le Bris could blend so many new faces into a cohesive top-flight unit.

West Ham 

Graham Potter’s first full season after replacing Julen Lopetegui. Potter brought in a sports psychologist and signs looked fairly positive, despite Mohammed Kudus going to Spurs.

Now

Sunderland 

The Black Cats sit ninth, three points off Liverpool in fourth, having beaten Chelsea away and Newcastle at home, and held Arsenal. Noah Sadiki and Nordi Mukiele have excelled, with Granit Xhaka outstanding in the middle.

West Ham 

Potter lasted until September, with his side 19th. His replacement, Nuno, has them 18th, including a run of 10 games without a win, and no clean sheets in any of his 17 league games so far. A 2-1 win at Spurs last time out showed spirit, but the mood remains toxic.

***

Tottenham 3 

Burnley 0

Then

Tottenham 

Not even the Europa League trophy could save Ange Postecoglou from the sack after his 17th-place finish. Daniel Levy picked Thomas Frank to replace him. Son Heung-min left for the US, but Kudus, Mathys Tel and João Palhinha arrived, with reports of a deal close for Palace’s Eze, too.

Burnley 

After a four-season run of yo-yoing, the target was simple: stick it out. The club’s big strength in the promotion season was the defence but the key components James Trafford and CJ Egan-riley departed, as did the captain, Josh Brownhill. Scott Parker added Kyle Walker and Axel Tuanzebe.

Now

Tottenham 

The positivity did not last. Eze signed for Arsenal and Frank’s injury-hit side have now won only twice in the last 13. But could their 2-0 Champions League win against Borussia Dortmund be a turning point?

Burnley 

19th, on a 13-game winless run, with Armando Broja having scored once. A fine point won at Anfield last time out showed spirit. Eight points from the last safe spot, but not buried yet.

***

Wolves 0 

Man City 4

Then

Wolves 

Vítor Pereira approached his first full season in bullish mood. But losing Cunha, Rayan Aït-nouri and Nélson Semedo left the squad looking depleted. Hopes were high for new arrival Jhon Arias.

Manchester City 

Pep Guardiola overhauled his staff and reshaped the squad with signings including Aït-nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and the goalkeeper Trafford. Plenty of focus, too, on managing Rodri’s comeback.

Now

Wolves 

Eight defeats in their first 10 league games, with Pereira sacked in November. Rob Edwards, the new manager, then lost the next eight. But they have rallied somewhat since, including a stirring 3-0 win over their relegation rivals West Ham.

Manchester City 

By the end of November they were second. But 2026 has been bruising: no league wins in four, defeat in a Manchester derby, and a 3-1 humiliation at Bodø/glimt. Rodri has laboured; Haaland likewise of late.