Brighton & Hove Albion
United face selection doubts as Maguire and Mount miss training ahead of Brighton
Amorim: ‘The squad is fine.’ Maguire and Mount are doubts for Saturday’s trip to Brighton afternoon.
Manchester United could be without both centre back Harry Maguire and midfielder Mason Mount for Saturday’s visit of Brighton & Hove Albion, manager Ruben Amorim has confirmed. Maguire suffered a knock in training that has left him a major doubt for the game. He was the hero last time out with a late winner against Liverpool.
Amorim addressed the issue at his pre-match press briefing. “The squad is fine,” Amorim began. “We have some doubts, we had some issues during the week, with Harry Maguire and Mason Mount. Knocks, but nothing serious.
“Licha [Martínez] is out, but the rest is ready for the game. I think it’s always going to be like always, but it’s going to be a very difficult game. It’s a difficult team. They are fun to watch, really good with build-up, really strong with transitions in every aspect of the game and are doing well with set-pieces.”
Maguire is playing for his United future as he approaches the final six months of his contract at Old Trafford. Reports have claimed both parties are keen on an extension and Maguire is thought to be prepared to accept a pay cut to try and get a deal over the line. Amorim refused to be drawn on the negotiations.
“We are really happy with Harry,” he deflected. “It is not the time to talk about that again because that gives the idea that we are thinking so far away. We are really happy with Harry. He is really important for us, but we need to focus on the next game.
“I think it was good for him to play with the three centre backs. I think he feels more comfortable.
“He doesn’t need to go to the side so much. Sometimes, you help some players with the way you play. Sometimes, it is the opposite with some players. I am really pleased. I think he is not young, but he can learn a lot. He can improve. I think he can be so much better with the ball because he has that quality.
“He needs to show that. Nowadays, with the set-pieces that you see, the amount of men that you put in the box, every cross from the opponent, everyone is playing the pass.
“He is a massive player for us, so I’m really happy, but he needs to continue and that game [vs. Liverpool] is in the past. The goal is in the past, let’s move into the future.”
Arsenal
One key issue facing each Premier League side after five matches
Five games in, the Premier League is already revealing title doubts, transition pains and early surprises.
The first five matchdays of the 2026/27 Premier League season have already given shape to a campaign that promised uncertainty from the outset. With the table still settling and another international break leaving a long pause before Matchday 6, there is time to take stock of what has emerged so far.
Arsenal’s title defence has already met resistance after a heavy defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. Before that trip, they looked close to untouchable, but the champions have not yet shown enough to pull clear of their rivals. Bruno Guimarães has added quality, though injury has delayed his rhythm, while Christos Tzolis has stepped in as a serviceable replacement for Leandro Trossard. Even so, Arsenal’s attack was found wanting in their toughest test to date, with concerns lingering over the goalscoring burden on Bukayo Saka and the lack of a set-piece breakthrough.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, are navigating a period of change after rebuilding their core in the summer. Their first league win of the season offered encouragement, with Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson and João Gomes all making useful contributions. Bournemouth have begun slowly under Marco Rose, but there is little panic as they balance league form with European demands after an opening win at Real Sociedad. Brentford continue to look like a difficult assignment at home, built on physicality and a set-piece threat that has already caused problems for visiting sides.
Brighton’s pressing game has been a feature of the early weeks, while Chelsea’s start under Xabi Alonso has raised serious questions about their structure without the ball. Coventry City finally recorded a first Premier League win in more than 25 years, though goals remain a concern. Everton’s window left them thin on options, Fulham are showing signs of adjustment under Álvaro Arbeloa, and Hull City have been one of the early surprises, even if history offers a warning.
Elsewhere, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur all have distinct questions to answer as the season develops.
Bournemouth
Premier League table comparison after five games: where 2026/27 stands against 2025/26
City lead the early table, while Spurs, Bournemouth, Fulham and Palace have all started below last season.
The opening stretch of the 2026/27 Premier League season has lasted longer than usual because of a change in the international calendar, but five games is still only enough to reveal early patterns rather than a settled table. The 20 clubs remain closely packed, and a single result can still reshape the picture quickly.
There is history behind treating this stage with caution. Last season, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United were the bottom two after five matches, while Bournemouth and Sunderland turned strong starts into European qualification. This year, the early evidence is already pointing in a few different directions.
Manchester City are the only side to have preserved a 100% record. Their 5-3 win over Sunderland, combined with Arsenal’s defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion, sends them into the break top of the table on 15 points, matching Liverpool’s total from the same stage last season. City are also in a much stronger position than they were in 2025/26, when they sat ninth and were eight points worse off.
Brentford and Brighton have made the sharpest gains. Both are five points better off than they were at this point last season, with Brentford rising 13 places and Brighton 11. Keith Andrews’ side were among those tipped for trouble before the campaign, yet they are now being mentioned as a possible European contender. They are one of five unbeaten teams.
Leeds United have also carried their momentum forward, while Newcastle United, Everton and Aston Villa have improved on their starts from last year. Nottingham Forest have the same points total as they did after five games last season, but they are two places higher.
At the other end, Tottenham sit bottom with two points and did not score their first league goals of the season until Aston Villa were already 3-0 up. Bournemouth are still without a first league win under Marco Rose, a clear fall from the fourth place they held after five matches last season.
Fulham and Crystal Palace have also gone backwards, with both lower in the table after managerial changes.
Arsenal
Why the Premier League has another three-week wait for its return
The Premier League is paused for three weeks as international football takes over until October 10.
The first chapter of the 2026/27 Premier League season has already been completed, but there will be no league football for the next two weekends. An international break has taken over, and the domestic calendar will remain on hold until October 10.
That pause comes after a strong start from Arsenal, whose perfect record drew talk of a potentially one-sided title race. Yet Brighton & Hove Albion halted that run before the break, a result that offered a reminder that the leaders are not beyond reach.
For now, though, attention shifts away from club football and back to national teams. This is the first time sides have come together since the 2026 World Cup, and the next couple of weeks will be filled with fixtures that should keep supporters occupied.
The Premier League’s return is set for Matchday 6, when Arsenal open the weekend at Emirates Stadium against Leeds United. It will mark the restart of a schedule that has been interrupted by an extended pause created by the international calendar.
That calendar was changed by the FIFA Council in 2023, leaving only three international breaks this season. September and October have effectively been combined into one longer window, with further breaks still due in November and March.
The stoppage is not limited to England’s top flight. Club football across Europe has also been paused until the second weekend of October, while the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League begins to take centre stage.
Teams will play four times during this window, and several matches stand out. League A includes a rematch of the Euro 2024 final between England and Spain on Sept. 26, Germany against the Netherlands on Sept. 24, France at home to Italy on Oct. 2, and Portugal facing Norway on Oct. 4.
