The second weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season delivered plenty of goals, drama and early signs of how the campaign could unfold, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Hull City among the teams making the strongest starts.
Manchester City opened the weekend in emphatic fashion on Friday, beating Crystal Palace 4-1 at Selhurst Park. Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland both scored twice as City maintained their perfect start and moved to the top of the Premier League table on goal difference.
Saturday brought more talking points. Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Nottingham Forest at Anfield, with the Reds coming from behind after Forest had taken control of the game. Alexander Isak and Victor Muñoz were on target for Liverpool, leaving Andoni Iraola still searching for his first Premier League victory as Forest manager.
At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Newcastle United defeated Tottenham 2-0, with Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa scoring after the break. The result left Tottenham without a point or a goal from their opening two league matches, putting early pressure on Roberto De Zerbi and his squad.
Bournemouth and Everton played out a 1-1 draw, with James Tarkowski scoring a stoppage-time equaliser to rescue a point for Everton after Alex Scott had given Bournemouth the lead. Meanwhile, newly promoted Hull City continued their impressive return to the top flight by beating Coventry City 1-0, making it two victories from two matches.
Sunday was dominated by two high-scoring encounters. Manchester United produced a remarkable 5-2 comeback victory over Ipswich Town at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes scoring a hat-trick. United fell behind early but responded strongly to secure their first league victory of the campaign.
Looking for the latest sports odds and markets? Check them out here.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea edged Brighton 4-3 in another seven-goal thriller. Roméo Lavia, Pedro Neto and João Pedro helped Chelsea establish a commanding lead before Brighton fought back, but Cole Palmer eventually settled the contest with a late winner. The victory maintained Chelsea’s perfect start under Xabi Alonso.
Leeds United and Brentford shared the points in a 1-1 draw, while Sunderland secured their first victory of the campaign with a 1-0 win over Fulham.
After the weekend’s action, Manchester City lead the Premier League on six points and a +4 goal difference, ahead of Hull City and Chelsea, who also have maximum points. Brentford, Newcastle United, Everton and Leeds United are among the teams on four points, while Arsenal have three points from one match ahead of their Monday fixture against Aston Villa.
Liverpool’s two draws leave the defending champions on two points, while Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest have one point each. At the other end, Fulham, Aston Villa, Coventry City, Crystal Palace and Tottenham are still searching for their first points, with Tottenham particularly under pressure after two consecutive defeats.
With only two rounds completed for most clubs, the Premier League table remains extremely early and could change rapidly. However, Manchester City’s perfect start, Chelsea’s attacking form, Hull City’s impressive return and Manchester United’s response to their opening defeat have already provided plenty for football fans to watch as the 2026/27 season gathers momentum.
For Zambian football fans, the early Premier League action promises another season of intense competition, with the battle for the title, European places and survival already beginning to take shape.
