Martin Ødegaard’s claim that “all of the teams are good” has already been tested by three weeks of Premier League football, and matchday three offered more evidence that quality in this division is abundant, but perfection remains elusive.

Across the round, several teams produced encouraging spells without turning them into clean, controlled wins. Some were left to regret missed chances, others survived by narrower margins than expected, and a few drifted into the familiar territory of being competitive without quite being convincing.

At one end of the scale, Liverpool were pushed hard by Ipswich, with Gary O’Neil admitting: “I hate having to talk about good performances when you don’t get points because you need to maximize them,” while Ipswich could not consistently threaten a side that still looked vulnerable at times.

Aston Villa’s visit to the MKM Stadium was harder to explain. Unai Emery insisted the match had gone exactly as intended, although the performance raised obvious questions about how a game plan can survive without even a shot on target.

Chelsea began sharply, with Morgan Rogers’s second-minute volley setting the tone after a set-piece routine, but Arsenal gradually took control. Chelsea created almost nothing after the interval, while Martin Ødegaard’s winner underlined the difference between a bright start and a complete performance.

Elsewhere, Hull’s seven points from three games drew a playful Champions League reference from Sergej Jakirović, while Tottenham remained stubbornly in the middle ground. Roberto De Zerbi’s side were held to a goalless draw that suited neither heaven nor hell.

There were also reminders that strong starts can unravel quickly. Bournemouth led 2-0 at St. James’s Park before another late setback, while Everton earned a point thanks to Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s 96th-minute strike and Manchester United were undone by Everton’s set-piece threat after a flat first half.

Elsewhere, Brighton “woke up too late,” Nottingham Forest were left frustrated by a disallowed goal, Brentford needed a triple half-time change to find a response, and Leeds experienced a textbook game of two halves. Sunderland, meanwhile, secured a different outcome from the same spot and the same goalkeeper, when Enzo Le Fée produced a far better penalty than he had before.

For Manchester City, Erling Haaland again provided the decisive edge, as Coventry’s resistance made the result far less straightforward than expected.

Premier League spending climbed beyond the $4 billion mark for the second straight summer in 2026, with total outlay across the division reaching $4.75 billion (£3.5 billion). That figure tops the roughly $4.1 billion (£3.1 billion) spent on new signings in 2025 and confirms another aggressive market across the league.

The final day of the window supplied the biggest individual headline, as Manchester City completed a $168.8 million (£125 million) joint-British transfer record move for Enzo Fernández. Activity at Aston Villa and Newcastle United also contributed to the increase, taking the league to levels not seen before.

Manchester City finished as the biggest spenders on $609.1 million (£458m). Chelsea were second with $470.7 million (£349m), followed by Tottenham Hotspur on $423.9 million (£302m). Newcastle United spent $362.2 million (£268m), Aston Villa $347.4 million (£256m), Liverpool $306.2 million (£198m) and Arsenal $262.8 million (£194m). Ipswich Town’s total came to $255.3 million (£171m).

Further down the list, Brighton & Hove Albion recorded $208.4 million (£154.5m), Hull City $203.2 million (£150.5m), and Manchester United $200.4 million (£148m). Coventry City stood at $171.8 million (£126m), Nottingham Forest at $159.9 million (£117.5m), and Brentford at $143.8 million (£106m). Everton, Fulham and Leeds United all finished above $100 million, while Crystal Palace and Bournemouth were below that threshold.

Sunderland were the lowest spenders at $88.7 million (£65.7m). The totals were compiled by Transfermarkt.com and last updated on Sept. 2 at 6:00 a.m. ET, with fees converted at the prevailing rate.

Manchester City’s Enzo Maresca-led rebuild finished above $600 million overall, with Fernández and Ndiaye joined by Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Allan. Chelsea, after a miserable 2025-26 season, were the second biggest spenders and made Morgan Rogers their key addition, with the Aston Villa player arriving for a club record $159.6 million. Chelsea were one of 11 Premier League clubs to break their transfer record this summer.

Tottenham also broke their transfer record twice, signing Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali for a combined $252 million. Ipswich Town’s $255.3 million left them eighth, while Sunderland ended bottom despite signing Malick Fofana from Lyon on Deadline Day.

September’s arrival closes the opening month of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign, and the first set of monthly awards has a familiar look to it.

Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White was the last player to claim the prize, doing so in April, while Pep Guardiola picked up the managerial honour for the final time as Manchester City boss.

Among the player nominees, Arsenal full-back Riccardo Calafiori stands out not only for his role in two clean sheets, but also for his work at the other end. The marauding left back, who scored in the Community Shield win over Manchester City, has already produced two assists from two appearances.

Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki has matched that assist tally, while also adding two goals in just 109 minutes. His early contribution has made him a central figure in the Enzo Maresca era.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has taken a different route, with three goals from two matches and one assist. Every one of his goal contributions came in the 5-2 win over Ipswich Town.

Chelsea are represented by Cole Palmer and João Pedro. Palmer has two goals and an assist, while Pedro’s return is even stronger, with two goals and two assists after an impressive start under Xabi Alonso.

Brentford’s Mamadou Sangaré has also impressed quickly. The former Lens man made a major impression in his first two appearances, including an assist in the 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Hull City goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis has likewise caught the eye. Signed for a club-record fee in August, he has kept two clean sheets and did so despite facing 21 shots in the win over Man Utd.

Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa completes the shortlist after a lively start under Matthias Jaissle. Deployed both as an attacking midfielder and a striker, he has already recorded a goal and an assist.

The manager nominees are drawn from the four teams that have started perfectly. Mikel Arteta has kept Arsenal defensively disciplined, with opponents restricted to just one shot on target.

Xabi Alonso has also begun with two wins from two at Chelsea, whose seven goals match Brighton & Hove Albion’s total from the opening pair of matches. Palmer and Pedro have been central to that start, alongside new signing Morgan Rogers in attack.