A significant sporting change is unfolding at Aston Villa after a poor start to the season. After no wins from five games left them in the relegation zone in the early weeks, the club looks set to alter the structure that holds sporting power at Villa Park. Reports indicate Monchi will leave his role as president of football operations, with an agreement on a successor already reported to be in place.

The Athletic first reported Monchi’s imminent departure. The Spaniard is a revered recruiter, credited with building multiple Sevilla sides across two spells that dominated the Europa League. He joined Villa in 2023 at Unai Emery’s request and played a role in helping the club qualify for the Champions League for the first time in decades and subsequently reach the quarter-finals.

The squad has shown signs of stagnation, a situation no doubt hindered by PSR limitations and the need to stay compliant that drew the ire of frustrated fans all summer. In response, Villa have moved quickly to avoid leaving a gap at the top of the sporting hierarchy.

A later report from The Athletic named Roberto Olabe as the man lined up to succeed Monchi, saying Villa have hammered out a deal with the Spaniard known for his work with Real Sociedad. Olabe, 57, left the San Sebastian club at the end of last season.

Over the past seven years Olabe was involved in the buying and selling of players such as Alexander Isak, Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, while Martin Ødegaard also passed through in a crucial period of his career. He is additionally credited with work overseeing sporting strategy at Independiente del Valle at a time when Moisés Caicedo, Piero Hincapié and others were produced by the Ecuadorian club.

Club officials are reported to be moving to implement the change quickly. For now, Aston Villa face the immediate challenge of reversing early-season results while the club’s sporting leadership is reconfigured.

Gameweek 5 arrives with little respite for clubs and a compact schedule that could reshape early-season narratives. Several clear storylines emerge, from late finishes and goal droughts to managerial pressure and assertions of title intent.

Liverpool’s habit of scoring decisive late goals has become a defining trait this term. All five of their matches in all competitions have featured decisive strikes from the 83rd minute onwards, and the Reds’ recent fixtures suggest another Merseyside derby at Goodison Park could again produce late drama. James Tarkowski’s 98th-minute equaliser last season and past late efforts by Gary McAllister, Sadio Mané and Divock Origi underline the fixture’s capacity for last-gasp moments.

Wolverhampton Wanderers remain the only Premier League side without a point and face newly-promoted Leeds United at Molineux in a match the Old Gold will view as a must-win. Jørgen Strand Larsen is expected to miss out again, leaving Wolves with the problem of replacing his goalscoring output, though home advantage offers hope of a first league point.

Tottenham Hotspur have started well under Thomas Frank, following three wins from four in the Premier League with an important Champions League victory over Villarreal. Their trip to Brighton will test Tottenham’s top-four credentials; last season Spurs lost both meetings with the Seagulls and have suffered four defeats in seven meetings.

Alejandro Garnacho is still being eased into life at Chelsea and is likely to feature in Chelsea’s trip to Manchester United, the club he left over the summer for £40 million. Garnacho “will be desperate to silence his former followers” if given the chance, though a hostile reception is expected at Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim, the United head coach, will be focused on a response after a subdued display against Manchester City and remains under pressure following a recent defeat to Chelsea.

Aston Villa head to Sunderland still searching for a Premier League goal after two goalless draws and two defeats. Harvey Elliott scored in the Carabao Cup midweek, but Villa must end their league drought. Finally, Arsenal host Manchester City, a fixture that carries title implications after Arsenal’s earlier criticism for a negative approach at Anfield and Dominik Szoboszlai’s fine free kick that punished them in Gameweek 3.

The Premier League returns on Saturday, Sept. 13 after the September international break, and Gameweek 4 could bring a series of first appearances for players who arrived on deadline day. With many newcomers away for World Cup qualifiers and international friendlies immediately after signing, this weekend offers fans an early chance to see them in club colours.

At Liverpool, Alexander Isak is the most high-profile candidate for a league debut. Isak came on for Sweden during the international break in an upset loss to Kosovo. His preseason was disrupted by a standoff with his former club, but manager Arne Slot has suggested the striker is part of a long-term plan and that Liverpool will manage his introduction. Hugo Ekitiké and Cody Gakpo are also in the squad and could influence selection.

Aston Villa completed two deadline arrivals and Unai Emery will be keen to get both Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on the pitch quickly. Sancho left Manchester United after being peripheral to Ruben Amorim’s plans at United this summer and now has an opportunity to impress his new manager. Elliott departs Liverpool as a Premier League champion and could have extra motivation to prove himself.

Manchester City reshaped the goalkeeper department with the arrivals of Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford and Marcus Bettinelli after Éderson moved to Fenerbahçe. Trafford’s difficult outing against Tottenham Hotspur during the window may have influenced City’s business. Donnarumma could be in line to stake a claim for the number one role, with the Manchester derby a possible debut stage.

Newcastle lost Alexander Isak and brought in Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa late in the window. Wissa scored 19 goals for Brentford last season while Woltemade netted 12 in the Bundesliga for VfB Stuttgart. Eddie Howe also added Anthony Elanga earlier in the summer, giving the club multiple attacking options.

Tottenham Hotspur reshaped their attack with Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons. Kolo Muani can provide cover amid Dominic Solanke’s injury concerns and Simons is expected to play a creative role while James Maddison is set to miss a considerable period.

Below is a brief club-player list mentioned in this piece:
Arsenal: Piero Hincapié
Bournemouth: Veljko Milosavljević
Brentford: Reiss Nelson
Brighton & Hove Albion: Charalampos Kostoulas
Burnley: Florentino Luís
Chelsea: Alejandro Garnacho
Crystal Palace: Christantus Uche
Everton: Tyler Dibling
Fulham: Kevin
Manchester United: Senne Lammens
Nottingham Forest: Oleksandr Zinchenko
Sunderland: Lutsharel Geertruida
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Tolu Arokodare