It was another entertaining week of Premier League action, as history was made with three clubs moving on to ten games unbeaten to start a season for the first time ever.
Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all won, while Bournemouth and Watford both picked up excellent results of their own, as they both won 3-0.
Keeping tabs on all 20 Premier League teams is the Sport360 Stock Exchange (360SE), our season-long measurement for top-flight sides as we track each club throughout the campaign and take into account their results to assign positions.
We initially used reputation and squad worth to determine the starting price but from Gameweek 2 onward, we’ve examine their output to create a new value.
1. Manchester City: 545 / 551 / +6
A game on which title challenges can gather serious momentum. Manchester City have now come through away games at Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham in their opening ten matches, and remain unbeaten, with seven points from nine in those three games. At Wembley, their usual free-flowing style was halted somewhat by the state of the pitch following the weekend’s NFL fixture, but Pep Guardiola’s side thoroughly deserved their narrow win.
A poignant Riyad Mahrez goal, on a weekend in which his former club Leicester had suffered their darkest day, was enough to win it, and it could have been more, but for a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal. Spurs struggled to create many clear-cut chances, but Guardiola will have been relieved to see Erik Lamela fire over a glorious opportunity late on, as City made it seven clean sheets from their opening ten matches of the campaign. Liverpool ended City’s unbeaten run last season in January, but with a trip to Anfield already navigated safely, it’s difficult to see who is going to stop City this time around.
2. Liverpool: 529 / 535 / +6
Total for 2018/19: +60
While Jurgen Klopp’s side may not have been at their best – despite this now being the Reds’ joint-best start to a Premier League season – this was perhaps the week in which their performances sparked into life. After a 4-0 win in the Champions League, they added another four at home to Cardiff City in a comfortable and convincing victory.
From the moment Mohamed Salah, who added his fourth goal in a week, opened the scoring, the Reds were in control. The only blemish on the performance will have been a failure to keep a seventh clean sheet of the league season against a Cardiff side that offered very little throughout. But, worryingly for the rest of the division, Klopp’s men are edging closer to their frightening best again.
3. Chelsea: 470 / 478 / +8
Total for 2018/19: +48
Maurizio Sarri’s start to life at Chelsea just keeps getting better, with no other Blues boss ever going unbeaten in their first 10 Premier League games. So too does Ross Barkley’s season. Revitalised under his new manager, the playmaker stepped up in the absence of the influential Eden Hazard, along with Willian, to lead the Blues to a fine win away to Burnley.
The pressing, intensity and quality of this Chelsea side under Sarri were all on show, but the defensive display and clean sheet will also have been a big boost, having looked suspect at the back on a number of occasions this season. That’s now five league clean sheets in ten for Chelsea, who continue to keep the pressure on City and Liverpool at the top of the table.
4. Arsenal: 453 / 451 / -2
Total for 2018/19: +21
Arsenal’s winning run in all competitions was going to end at some point, but Unai Emery and his players will be especially frustrated it came to a halt at Crystal Palace. In their last 12 games, the Gunners have scored eight first-half goals and conceded five. In the second-half, they’ve netted 25 and conceded six.
Their slow starts were always going to catch up with them eventually, but having overturned the half-time deficit at Selhurst Park, a second Luka Milivojevic goal from the penalty spot will have left a bitter taste. Arsenal weren’t at their best on Sunday, and Emery will know there’s plenty of work still to be done. Despite the unbeaten run, it doesn’t seem to be all smiles, with both Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang appearing showing frustrations towards Emery after being subbed off in the second half.
5. Manchester United: 444 / 449 / +5
Total for 2018/19: -11
Manchester United picked up an important win at home to Everton
Progress. Arguably Manchester United’s best performance of the season, and yet still signs that there is plenty of work to be done. Anthony Martial, handed his fourth straight start under Jose Mourinho, dazzled and netted a superb goal from distance after Paul Pogba’s fortunate opener. At 2-0, United looked positive, but never comfortable when Everton surged forward in search of a route back into the game.
Another avoidable error from Pogba led to Everton pulling one back late on from the penalty spot, but United were not made to pay for their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal at the other end. Mourinho praised a “complete” performance, and in many ways it was, meaning United rise again, but he will know that there’s a long way to go to silence the critics and doubters surrounding Old Trafford.
6. Tottenham Hotspur: 444 / 442 / -2
Total for 2018/19: +22
On a day that Real Madrid sacked their manager, you wonder whether the best man to take over was sat at Wembley on Monday evening. Los Blancos appear to have an admiration for Mauricio Pochettino, and while his Spurs side were beaten, there is plenty to be impressed by with the job he’s doing in north London.
After 4-1 and 3-1 defeats to Guardiola’s City last season, the Argentinean will believe they’ve closed the gap somewhat after this latest loss. They may well have taken a share of the spoils, had Lamela not wasted his chance late on.
In truth, it was a deserved win for the visitors. But following a shocking summer of recruitment, Pochettino knows both City and Liverpool are on another level, and securing Champions League football again – even if it has been a disastrous European campaign for Spurs so far – will be the main objective. Having made their best start to a Premier League season, you wouldn’t put it past Pochettino to secure a top-four finish once again.
7. Everton: 369 / 369 / 0
Total for 2018/19: -1
After three wins on the spin, Everton were always going to need something special to make it four with a victory at Old Trafford. Despite United impressing, Marco Silva and his players will feel a little hard done by.
Better decision-making in the final third may have seen them take a share of the spoils, but Bernard, Theo Walcott and Seamus Coleman all showed a lack of composure that is required away from home at the big clubs. With Liverpool and Chelsea to come on the road, Silva will look to home games against Newcastle, Brighton and Cardiff to see his side move up the Premier League table.
8. Leicester City: 353 / 353 / 0
Total for 2018/19: +3
Leicester’s game against West Ham pales into insignificance following the tragic events off the pitch after the final whistle. On it, Claude Puel’s men were unfortunate not to come away with the three points against West Ham.
A lapse in concentration allowed the visitors to take the lead, and the Foxes dominated after Mark Noble’s red card, but Lukasz Fabianski stood firm, making an impressive seven saves. Puel’s decision to drop Jamie Vardy from the starting line-up didn’t pay off, but Leicester deserved the slice of fortune that allowed them to equalise through Wilfried Ndidi.
9. West Ham: 352 / 353 / +3
Total for 2018/19: -8
A point on the road, having played with ten men for almost an hour. West Ham can be very pleased with their efforts against Leicester. Noble’s red card made life extremely difficult against the Foxes, who threw everything at Manuel Pellegrini’s side in the second half, and the Hammers will be disappointed it took a deflected strike to finally break through.
They had opportunities to win it too, especially through Angelo Ogbonna late on, but after their torrid start to the campaign, the Hammers are slowly but surely finding their feet again, and they deserve another small increase following this hard-earned point.
10. Bournemouth: 324 / 334 / +10
Total for 2018/19: +54
Callum Wilson could be playing his way into England contention with his form for Bournemouth
Eddie Howe will be delighted with the way his Bournemouth side have started the season. Six wins and sixth in the table with 10 games played, the Cherries have been excellent in the opening months of the campaign. After the frustration of a home draw with south coast rivals Southampton, they bounced back in style with a convincing display at Fulham.
Callum Wilson may well be playing himself into England contention with his early season displays. He won, then converted, a penalty to open the scoring, before adding a second late on with help from another in-form Cherries star in Ryan Fraser. Another high rise for Bournemouth following this win, as they continue to close the gap on West Ham and Leicester.
11. Wolves: 336 / 334 / -2
Total for 2018/19: +36
Are Wolves finally finding out what the Premier League is all about? There still won’t be too much concern at this stage for Nuno Espirito Santo, despite last weekend’s home defeat to Watford being followed by the narrow loss at Brighton. Wolves dominated proceedings, but failed to take their chances, as Ruben Neves and Matt Doherty went close, while Mat Ryan produced a stunning stop to deny Ryan Bennett.
Brighton scored from their only shot on target, which highlights the sort of away display it was from Wolves, but for all their positive play so far this season, they have netted just nine goals in their ten matches.
12. Watford: 294 / 300 / +6
Total for 2018/19: +50
Two goals of the highest individual quality and a lovely training ground set piece. Three valuable points for Watford, who continued their impressive start to the campaign with a comfortable win against Huddersfield. Roberto Pereyra and Gerard Deulofeu both weaved their magic to put the Hornets in control with just 20 minutes played.
Javi Gracia will be delighted with the way his team have responded since losing 4-0 at home to Bournemouth, with this victory over the Terriers coming after a 2-0 win at Wolves. Ben Foster showed why he was recruited in the summer with a string of smart saves, as Watford see their stock rise again, reaching +50 for the season overall.
13. Crystal Palace: 292 / 296 / +4
Total for 2018/19: +6
It was going to take a dogged and determined display from Crystal Palace to halt Arsenal’s winning run. That’s exactly what Roy Hodgson’s side delivered on Sunday, as they caused plenty of problems for the Gunners. Wilfried Zaha’s importance was, as it is almost every game, highlighted once again, as he won the second penalty to earn the draw.
This was a well-deserved point, having fallen behind to a goal that should have been ruled out for handball, but Palace will need more of that persistence and character. The worry for Hodgson will be that his side have failed to score from open play in their opening five home games.
14. Brighton: 285 / 290 / +5
Total for 2018/19: +40
That’s 100 up for Glenn Murray at Brighton, and a second consecutive 1-0 win at home thanks to the veteran striker. Chris Hughton’s side weren’t at their best against Wolves, and had goalkeeper Ryan to thank for a stunning save late on that preserved their lead, but with 14 points on the board already, the Seagulls will be very happy.
Brighton’s home form will be absolutely crucial this season, and with 10 of their points coming at the AMEX Stadium already, they’re on the right track. Hughton will also be delighted with his side’s defensive displays, with Saturday’s win making it three clean sheets in a row.
15. Burnley: 283 / 275 / -8
Total for 2018/19: -15
From the organised, difficult to beat and effective side that produced a memorable Premier League campaign last season, it’s difficult to put your finger on where it has gone horribly wrong for Sean Dyche and Burnley. Allowing an average of 20.9 shots against them per game, the Clarets are struggling defensively, and without Joe Hart, it could well have been more than 21 goals conceded already.
At the other end, Burnley are averaging just 8.5 shots per game (only Brighton have had fewer). Dyche has work to do at both ends of the pitch if he’s to turn Burnley’s fortunes around. Chelsea were a class above at Turf Moor on Sunday, with the hosts unable to cope with the quick, incisive passes and neat interplay. It finished 4-0, but it could so easily have been more.
16. Newcastle United: 280 / 275 / -5
Total for 2018/19: -15
A draw away at a fellow relegation-threatened side may on the surface seem like a positive result. But Newcastle were abject at best in their 0-0 draw with the Saints. Just like Saturday’s opponents, they’ve only netted six times so far this season, and failed to have a shot on target in the draw at St Mary’s. Rafael Benitez’s side sat back and soaked up pressure, but had Southampton taken just one of their 22 efforts at goal, it would have been very difficult to see the Magpies recovering.
It’s now three draws and seven defeats to start the season, as Newcastle continue to plummet in the rankings. Benitez will have left the south coast pleased with his side’s efforts, having set up to frustrate and take a share of the spoils home with them, but that first win looks a long way off.
17. Fulham: 275 / 270 / -5
Total for 2018/19: -20
In his pre-match press conference, Slavisa Jokanovic insisted he wasn’t going to change his attacking approach. There must come a time when he rethinks that tactic. Fulham were picked apart by an in-form Bournemouth, leaving Jokanovic’s side in the relegation zone. 28 goals conceded in 10 games, and with just one win to their name, it’s clearly not working for last season’s Championship play-off winners, despite the summer’s heavy investment.
That’s not to say Fulham didn’t have chances against the Cherries, but they lacked the clinical edge required, especially at the rate the Cottagers are shipping goals at the other end. What can be done to stop them leaking goals? A settled back five may help, but Fulham have plenty of work to do on the training ground if they’re to turn it around.
18. Southampton: 268 / 262 / -6
Total for 2018/19: -8
Last season, Southampton were accused of “sleepwalking to relegation”. This time around, they’re hurtling towards the drop. At home to Newcastle, who have failed to win a game so far this season, Mark Hughes’ side were expected to kick-start their season, but they were again made to pay for a shocking inefficiency in front of goal.
Just one win and six goals in from their opening ten matches is a shocking return for the Saints, who have , United, Tottenham and Arsenal to come in their next seven games. Were there any positives? Hughes will take some satisfaction from a second consecutive clean sheet, having shipped eight without reply in the three games previous.
19. Huddersfield Town: 219 / 211 / -8
Total for 2018/19: -9
It’s not looking good for Huddersfield. Without a win from their opening ten games, they were easily beaten at Watford despite making a bright start. Goals are proving difficult to come by, having scored just four so far this season, and after failing to take a chance when on top during the opening exchanges, they were made to pay.
The ease at which Pereyra and Deulofeu were allowed to waltz through the Huddersfield backline was inexcusable. David Wagner knew the size of the task at hand when the season started, but ten games in, he must be fearing the worst for his beleaguered side.
20. Cardiff City: 208 / 208 / 0
Total for 2018/19: +8
Away at Anfield, against a Liverpool side starting to find their best form again, is not where Cardiff’s season will be defined. Games against the teams around them and at home will be crucial – anything else will simply be a bonus.
As soon as Salah opened the scoring on Saturday, it was damage limitation for the Bluebirds, who did remarkably well to keep it to two before Callum Peterson pulled one back with virtually their only shot of the game. Once Klopp’s men stepped it up again, any chance of a miraculous point were extinguished.
