Seven matchweeks into the 2022/23 Premier League season, and despite it still being in its embryonic stage, with the top two of last campaign’s yet to go head to head so far, we are getting a glimpse of what could unfold in the next few months in English football’s top tier.
So, with players heading off for international duty, here are five things we have learnt till matchweek 7.
#1 Arsenal among the Premier League title contenders
Sunday’s 3-0 win over Brentford away will have given Arsenal a lot of satisfaction, given they not only managed to return to the summit of the Premier League but also responded emphatically to the 3-1 defeat against Manchester United—their first loss of the new season.
It is the sixth win that Mikel Arteta’s side have secured from their opening seven league games with Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Bournemouth, Fulham and Aston Villa having also been put to bed. With Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea not playing last weekend, the north Londoners had a chance to widen the gap between themselves and their traditional top-four rivals.
It is still very early days—and the proof will be in the pudding when Arsenal take on Tottenham and Liverpool in the coming weeks—but it must have done a heaven of good for the Arteta-managed side’s confidence and belief to head into the international break top of the standings.
#2 Leicester City in big crisis
The new season might be seven weeks old, but Leicester City are in big trouble, especially after their 6-2 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.
Leicester City are the only Premier League side without a win, and their highlight of the season so far has come in the form of a 2-2 draw with Brentford on the opening weekend, with manager Brendan Rodgers struggling to get the best out of his players.
With six straight defeats in seven games and the club reeling at the bottom of the table, Rodgers is walking a tightrope and it remains to be seen whether or not he survives the international break.
#3 Unstoppable Erling Haaland
Everyone associated with Manchester City, the fans and the pundits alike are delighted with the start Erling Haaland has made in the Premier League—with 11 goals in his first seven games, including two hat-tricks.
Erling Haaland is quite the physical specimen, and that mixed with his endless technical ability and impeccable footballing IQ, has already made him one of the world’s best strikers. He has instantly hit the ground running for Manchester City and has scored goals for fun, whilst single-handedly bulldozing defences like crumpled paper.
The Norwegian continued his rich vein of form at the weekend with a fine strike in City’s 3-0 win over Wolves at the Molineux. It will be intriguing to see how Haaland fares in the Manchester derby after the international break, but so far he has proven to be an unstoppable force in the Premier League.
#4 Fulham for Europe?
Marco Silva has been doing a great job with Fulham following their promotion to the top flight this season. The Cottagers lie sixth on the table after their seven games—just a point below fifth-placed Manchester United.
Playing in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Aleksandar Mitrovic has stepped up to the plate and been the club’s standout performer. With six goals in seven games, Mitrovic is among the top scorers in the division. Players like Bobby Decordova-Reid, Kenny Tete and Bernd Leno have put in some notable displays, while summer signings Andreas Pereira and Joao Palhinha have added skill and industry to their midfield.
There is still a long way to go for their dream European qualification, but confidence will be high within the Fulham camp knowing they sit sixth in the table.
#5 Man United project taking shape under Ten Hag
Manchester United appointed Erik ten Hag as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s permanent successor back in April, ahead of him taking the reins in the summer. After a false start to the new season, losing back-to-back games against Brighton and Brentford, Ten Hag has slowly started to turn the club’s fortunes around.
The Red Devils have won their last four Premier League games, beating Liverpool and Arsenal in the process. Ten Hag has brought in new ideas and a distinct style of play, whilst building confidence and fighting spirit within the squad.
Man United resume their Premier League campaign against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on October 2, which will be the toughest test yet for Ten Hag and his squad. Regardless of what the outcome will be at the Etihad Stadium, Ten Hag’s project at Old Trafford is definitely taking shape.
