The latest Premier League winners and losers roundup highlights Brighton’s impressive form, Chelsea’s growing maturity and mounting pressure on several managers.
While the Seagulls continue to impress, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest are struggling to find consistency, raising serious questions about their seasons.
Premier League Winners
Brighton: A Remarkable Run Continues
Brighton are enjoying an outstanding spell, with their recent success putting them among the Premier League’s most impressive teams. Their last eight league victories have all come with clean sheets, producing an extraordinary aggregate score of 27-0.
Their goal difference after seven games ranks among the best in Premier League history, while their goalscoring record places them joint fourth at this stage of a campaign.
Brighton have also thrashed their fiercest league rivals, progressed in the Carabao Cup and established themselves as leading contenders in the UEFA Conference League.
Manager Fabian Hurzeler is encouraging supporters to enjoy the moment rather than worry about the league table.
“enjoy a beer or something else and enjoy wearing the Seagulls’ colours”.
The players are certainly giving their supporters plenty to celebrate, and their excellent performances suggest this is more than just a temporary run of form.
Olivier Boscagli: A Moment of Quality
Olivier Boscagli delivered an excellent assist for Diego Gomez’s tap-in, showcasing his vision and accuracy. His contribution helped create a decisive moment and demonstrated the quality he can offer in the final third.
Alvaro Arbeloa: Signs of Improvement
Alvaro Arbeloa finally secured his first victory of the season, offering some relief after a difficult start.
The result also provided evidence that he can organise a disciplined performance and make effective decisions from the touchline.
Fulham have repeatedly dropped points late in matches this season, conceding goals in or after the 75th minute against Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Ipswich.
Against Hull, however, Arbeloa resisted the temptation to make unnecessary changes despite the hosts introducing their fifth substitute while Fulham had yet to make one.
“When teams change things, it’s because things aren’t going the way they planned,”
Arbeloa said afterwards, before adding:
“we didn’t feel the need to change things”
Fulham maintained control through Tom Cairney’s influence in midfield rather than making changes simply to match their opponents.
Arbeloa eventually gave Cesar Palacios some late minutes, but the victory could prove important for rebuilding confidence and strengthening his position.
Enzo Maresca: Man City
He is the first manager in history to win his first seven Premier League games with a club. Only Liverpool (eight in 2019/20) and Chelsea (nine in 2005/06) have had longer winning starts to a season. At that pace, 38 wins would mean 114 points.
Chelsea: A Positive Step Forward
Chelsea produced a disciplined performance to secure an important away victory against Everton. The result delivered their first clean sheet since January and their first Premier League win without a goal or assist from Joao Pedro since December, also against Everton.
The Blues also continued their impressive record of scoring in the opening minute of a half for the third time under Xabi Alonso.
Chelsea’s biggest improvement was their composure. They defended resolutely, competed physically and managed the game intelligently rather than relying entirely on attacking quality.
“Sometimes it is not about playing nice. It is about playing well. We needed a result like this. We needed to show that we can win in this way.”
Alonso’s assessment reflected the importance of finding different ways to win.
Chelsea have also shown signs of improving their discipline. After finishing bottom of the fair play table in two of the previous three campaigns, they are currently closer to the middle of the standings.
Their 13 yellow cards are fewer than those received by most teams, while several clubs with lower totals have already had players sent off.
Last season, Chelsea repeatedly struggled with discipline, prompting Liam Rosenior to highlight the squad’s problems publicly.
This time, Jordan Henderson’s influence appeared valuable. Moises Caicedo looked ready to confront Jack Grealish early in the match, but Henderson intervened, tapped him on the chest and encouraged him to walk away.
Chelsea have often allowed frustration to undermine their performances in recent seasons. Their ability to remain composed against Everton suggests that important lessons are finally being learned.
Jeremy Jacquet: A Crucial Defensive Contribution
Jeremy Jacquet impressed with several outstanding defensive interventions against Brentford, but his most important contribution helped Liverpool secure the victory.
After Liverpool scored just before half-time, Brentford faced an uphill battle to recover. Yehor Yarmoliuk walked into a well-timed Jacquet trap, giving Liverpool an opening that Rio Ngumoha and his team-mates eventually exploited.
Manchester United: Small Signs of Progress
Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at Elland Road offered some encouragement, although the result was hardly surprising given their recent performances.
Michael Carrick described the match as something that “felt like a bit of a fresh start today”.
There were improvements, but United still have plenty of work to do. Their recent struggles have highlighted weaknesses that cannot be resolved through a single performance.
Noussair Mazraoui’s versatility remains a positive, particularly when United come under pressure. The defender’s ability to operate in different positions could prove valuable as Carrick looks to improve the team.
Premier League Losers
Crystal Palace: Paying the Price for Poor Planning
Crystal Palace are discovering the consequences of losing key figures without adequately replacing their influence.
Pierre Sage, Jaydee Canvot, Chris Richards and Matt Hobbs face a difficult challenge in filling the gaps left by Oliver Glasner, Marc Guehi, Maxence Lacroix and Dougie Freedman.
Their defeat away to Brighton exposed the difference between a club with a clear succession plan and one struggling to rebuild its foundations.
Palace have a less experienced managerial situation, a squad that appears ill-equipped for the challenge and uncertainty surrounding their recruitment strategy.
Following their FA Cup triumph and European success, the club had an opportunity to build something more sustainable. Instead, they risk slipping back towards the lower reaches of the Premier League.
Brighton’s progress makes Palace’s problems even more painful. Their rivals have demonstrated the value of planning ahead and maintaining a clear footballing identity.Palace must find solutions quickly if they are to avoid a prolonged struggle.
Sunderland: Warning Signs Emerge
Sunderland are facing growing questions after another disappointing performance, with Nordi Mukiele suggesting the team may have become too confident following last season’s success.
He admitted that Sunderland perhaps “became arrogant”.
Regis Le Bris was similarly critical, saying they “were not Sunderland” against Bournemouth.
The statistics make uncomfortable reading. No team has lost more Premier League matches in 2026, while Tottenham are the only ever-present side to have scored fewer goals during that period.
Sunderland’s position in the relegation battle is far from secure. With the season still developing, they cannot afford to assume that last season’s achievements will protect them from trouble.
If complacency has crept into the squad, Le Bris must address it before the situation deteriorates further.
Matthias Jaissle: Newcastle Pressure Mounts
Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle is increasingly under pressure as defensive weaknesses and attacking inconsistency continue to affect the team.
Newcastle have faced the second-most shots this season and conceded the second-most Premier League goals in 2026.
Their attacking output is equally concerning. No player has scored more than twice across the club’s last ten league fixtures, despite Newcastle investing £170 million in centre-forwards over the previous two summers.
Sending Dan Burn on to try to rescue a home point highlighted the difficulties Jaissle faces in finding solutions.
Newcastle need improvements at both ends of the pitch. Unless results and performances improve, speculation over Jaissle’s future is likely to intensify.
Nottingham Forest: Another Managerial Crisis Looms
Nottingham Forest are enduring another difficult period, with their performance against Arsenal raising fresh concerns.
The club’s demanding ownership structure has often contributed to instability, and another disappointing result could leave the manager facing an uncertain future.
Forest need greater consistency and a clear direction if they are to avoid becoming embroiled in another prolonged crisis.
Everton: Recruitment Decisions Backfire
Everton’s defeat exposed several weaknesses in their squad planning.
Questions remain over the decision to rely on a £4 million first-choice right-back who reportedly did not want to play in that position.
Their lack of experienced options at centre-forward has also become a concern.
The club’s limited squad depth leaves little room for error, particularly when selection decisions are made to counter a specific opposition player who eventually does not feature.
James Garner’s explanation of Everton’s approach at half-time offered little comfort to frustrated supporters.
“We got into half-time at 0-0 and our plan was obviously to just stay in the game and chances will come.”
The comments reflected a cautious approach that failed to deliver the required result.
Everton now face another difficult challenge against Arsenal, where they will need a much more convincing performance to avoid further disappointment.
Brentford: Costly Mistakes Undermine Progress
Brentford can take encouragement from their strong start, having been one of only two teams, alongside Manchester City, to lead in every Premier League match they had played at this stage.
However, avoidable mistakes have undermined their progress.
A single moment of poor judgement has contributed to a disappointing run, turning a six-game unbeaten sequence into just one victory across six matches.
Brentford have demonstrated that they can dominate London rivals at home, but they continue to struggle when protecting leads.
Finding a balance between attacking confidence and game management will be crucial if they are to maintain their early momentum.
Hull: A Performance to Forget
Hull delivered a disappointing performance that left their manager deeply frustrated.
After the match, Sergej Jakirovic did not hide his assessment of the team’s display.
“That was the worst performance since I’ve been here. We were so far off from everything. I can say 1-0 is a good result for us. It was a very tough game for us at every moment. They ate us alive.”
The comments underlined the scale of Hull’s problems and the need for a significant response in their next fixture.
Leeds Brenden Aaronson
He has not been on the pitch for any of Leeds’ last 14 Premier League goals. He didn’t play any part in this game either, which hardly helps his case.
Final Verdict
The latest Premier League winners and losers roundup highlights the contrasting fortunes of clubs across the division.
Brighton are thriving through consistency and smart planning, while Chelsea are showing greater discipline and maturity under Xabi Alonso.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace and Sunderland must address worrying trends, Newcastle need to improve at both ends of the pitch, and Nottingham Forest face renewed uncertainty.
The season remains unpredictable, but one lesson is already clear: strong recruitment, tactical discipline and consistent performances can make the difference between building momentum and falling into a crisis.