Manchester City moved three points clear at the top of the 2026/27 Premier League after outlasting Sunderland 5-3 in an eight-goal thriller at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, 20 September 2026, at 14:00 UK time (15:00 SAST), a result that closed out a dramatic matchweek five.
According to Sky Sports, City manager Enzo Maresca was relieved rather than triumphant after the final whistle, saying: “There were too many goals. I prefer to win 1-0, it’s much better!” Enzo Fernández, Rayan Cherki and a second-half brace from Antoine Semenyo had put City in command before Erling Haaland’s 81st-minute goal sealed the win and completed a personal milestone, the Norwegian has now scored against all 25 Premier League opponents he has faced since joining the club in 2022. Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick in a losing effort, and Black Cats manager Regis Le Bris said afterwards that his side had gone “toe to toe with one of the best sides in Europe.”
City’s win came on the same afternoon that Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 3-0 away to Brighton and Hove Albion to end an eight-match winning run. Mikel Arteta did not spare his players afterwards, saying that in possession Arsenal had been “extremely poor technically, not respecting the game,” and insisting “we have to make sure we learn the lesson because this can’t happen again.” Elsewhere in matchweek five, Leeds United and Crystal Palace shared a goalless draw at Elland Road, and Fulham salvaged a point against Manchester United at Craven Cottage. The full matchweek five results, the fixtures for matchweek six and the updated standings are below.
Who is Playing? 2026/27 Premier League Fixtures
The 2026/27 Premier League now breaks for international fixtures, with domestic action not resuming until matchweek six, which runs from Saturday, 10 October to Monday, 12 October 2026, a gap of almost three weeks. Kick-off times below are converted from UK time to South African Standard Time (SAST).
| Date | Kick-off (SAST) | Home | Away | Result / Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 10 Oct | 16:00 | Arsenal | Leeds United | Upcoming |
| Sat, 10 Oct | 16:00 | Chelsea | AFC Bournemouth | Upcoming |
| Sat, 10 Oct | 16:00 | Sunderland | Brighton & Hove Albion | Upcoming |
| Sat, 10 Oct | 16:00 | Aston Villa | Brentford | Upcoming |
| Sat, 10 Oct | 16:00 | Ipswich Town | Fulham | Upcoming |
| Sat, 10 Oct | 18:30 | Manchester United | Tottenham Hotspur | Upcoming |
| Sun, 11 Oct | 15:00 | Crystal Palace | Nottingham Forest | Upcoming |
| Sun, 11 Oct | 15:00 | Hull City | Everton | Upcoming |
| Sun, 11 Oct | 17:30 | Liverpool | Manchester City | Upcoming |
| Mon, 12 Oct | 21:00 | Coventry City | Newcastle United | Upcoming |
The standout fixture of round six comes on Sunday, 11 October, when leaders Manchester City travel to Anfield to face Liverpool at 16:30 UK time (17:30 SAST). It is the first meeting between the two clubs this season, and Liverpool will be looking to close the gap on a City side that arrives full of confidence after their eight-goal win over Sunderland.
Current 2026/27 Premier League Table
The table below is updated through the completion of matchweek five on Sunday, 20 September 2026. Manchester City sit top on 15 points from a possible 15, three points clear of Arsenal after Sunday’s results, while Brighton and Hove Albion’s win over the Gunners lifted them to third. Brentford, Leeds United, Liverpool and Everton are among the chasing pack level on nine points as the division heads into the international break.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 15 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 12 |
| 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 5 | +11 | 10 |
| 4 | Brentford | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 9 |
| 5 | Leeds United | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 9 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 9 |
| 7 | Everton | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 9 |
| 8 | Hull City | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 8 |
| 9 | Newcastle United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 7 |
| 11 | Ipswich Town | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 6 |
| 12 | Manchester United | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| 13 | Nottingham Forest | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 5 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 4 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | -5 | 4 |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 4 |
| 17 | AFC Bournemouth | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 3 |
| 18 | Coventry City | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 | -9 | 3 |
| 19 | Fulham | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 2 |
| 20 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 2 |
A note on this table: standings are currently updated automatically at the end of each Premier League matchday. If anything here looks off, flag it to Andile directly.
2026/27 Premier League Season FAQs
The Premier League has confirmed a set of Laws of the Game changes for 2026/27, most of them mandatory adjustments agreed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) earlier this year and aimed at cutting time-wasting and tightening refereeing consistency.
Below are the questions supporters are asking most, along with the facts on promotion and relegation from last season.
Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City have all been promoted to the 2026/27 Premier League. Coventry City won the Championship title outright under Frank Lampard, Ipswich Town secured automatic promotion by finishing second, and Hull City came up through the play-offs.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and West Ham United were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2025/26 season, dropping into the Championship for 2026/27.
Under the new 2026/27 rules, a player receiving on-field medical treatment must leave the pitch for a minimum of one minute, up from the previous 30-second minimum. The change is designed to discourage players from returning to the field too quickly simply to avoid a longer stoppage.
Yes. For the first time, the Video Assistant Referee can now intervene when a player is shown a second yellow card, and therefore a red card, that was clearly the wrong decision. VAR still cannot review a single yellow card shown in isolation.
Under a new trial, if a goalkeeper needs injury treatment, the goalkeeper’s manager must immediately send an outfield player off the pitch, and that player must stay off for at least one minute once play resumes. According to the body representing match officials, Pro Ref, the rule is designed to “address occasions where goalkeeper injuries have been used to disrupt momentum, slow the game down or create opportunities for tactical instruction.”
Players being substituted now have a strict 10-second limit to exit the pitch. If they take longer, the incoming substitute is held back and cannot enter play until the first stoppage after a full minute of play has passed, effectively penalising the team for the delay.
