After a short break for the first set of international matches, the Premier League returned for Gameweek 4 and teams wasted no time in producing a feast of entertainment across the country.
Arsenal kicked off the weekend with a harsh reality check for new Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou, and Newcastle picked up a crucial win, with Alexander Isak’s replacement Nick Woltemade grabbing his first goal as a Magpie.
The struggles continued for Aston Villa, who have now failed to score a goal in all four of their league matches this season under Unai Emery after playing out a goalless draw at Everton.
Who's Your Premier League Winner Pick After GW 4?
Chelsea also stuttered in GW4, with Brentford scoring a controversial equaliser in the dying moments of their 2-2 draw in west London.
On Sunday, Liverpool left it late but showed their rivals why they are the current champions with a last-gasp winner at Burnley.
And in the weekend’s finale, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City ran riot against Ruben Amorim’s United, who now have just eight wins in 31 matches during his time as Red Devils boss.
As usual, BOYLE Sports is here to reveal who backed it and who bottled it in the latest round of English top-flight fixtures.
Backed It or Bottled It? Premier League Gameweek 4 Recap
Star of the Weekend
Star of the Weekend: Erling Haaland
There is no better feeling than beating your biggest rivals, and Erling Haaland was at the heart of City’s thrashing of United.
With two goals in the 3-0 win at the Etihad, the Norwegian robot has now scored 15 times in his last 10 outings for club and country.
And he was at his clinical best against Amorim’s men, sending a deft chip over Altay Bayindir for his first and then slotting past him into the far corner for his brace.
Is Erling Haaland the best striker in world football??
Scoring for fun is common practice for one of the best strikers on the planet, and his performance was a reminder to his doubters that he will put more chances in the back of the net than he will fail to convert.
In fact, the 25-year-old has now surpassed Didier Drogba in the Premier League scoring charts - and he did it in 153 games less for good measure.
Not convinced? Haaland has taken just six matches to equal Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero for most goals in Manchester derbies (8).
He may have stuttered alongside Guardiola last season, but the formidable goalscorer is well and truly back to his best in 2025-26.
Flop of the Weekend
Flop of the Weekend: Florian Wirtz
Liverpool managed to find a late winner courtesy of Mohamed Salah against Burnley on Sunday, but it was another disappointing display from Florian Wirtz.
Regardless of whether he needs more time to settle in England, there was always going to be an expectation that a £116million signing would at least provide a few moments of magic for his new side, particularly in a team who are the current title holders.
The dreaded 007 tag - zero goals or assists in their first seven matches - is slowly creeping up on the German, having failed to register either during four outings so far this term.
Will Florian Wirtz Bounce Back for Liverpool?
While the young midfielder may be doing a lot of work off the ball - away to Burnley, a team most would expect Liverpool to roll over - no shots on target, two accurate crosses and no successful crosses sum up a difficult start to life under Arne Slot.
There is still plenty of time for the 22-year-old to grow into the famous red jersey, but until he does, he is going to be under the microscope of criticism from fans and pundits alike.
Biggest Disappointment
Biggest Disappointment: Chelsea
Many people selected Chelsea as their dark horses to challenge for the title this season, but a shaky 2-2 draw with west London rivals Brentford put another dent in their aspirations.
Blues fans will feel aggrieved after evidence showed the Bees’ equaliser at the death should not have counted due to an offside, but Enzo Maresca’s side did not deserve much more based on their performance.
For a team with so much firepower, there was a distinct lack of creativity on the pitch. Chelsea mustered 16 shots, but only six of them found the target, and it was a flurry late on in the game when they were chasing a winner.
Can Chelsea Challenge For the Premier League This Season?
It took an immaculate performance from Moises Caicedo to keep the visitors in the contest, with the Ecuador midfielder having to win possession back eight times, such was his side’s recklessness with the ball.
Still, there is a positive to take away for Chelsea. Summer signing Joao Pedro notched another goal contribution, assisting Cole Palmer’s equaliser, and the Brazilian has now been involved in five Premier League goals in four games, the fastest player to do so for the club since Eden Hazard.
They will need their No.10 to extend his hot streak if they are going to keep pace with Arsenal and Liverpool at the top of the table.
Performance of the Weekend
Performance of the Weekend: Manchester City
We have already picked out Haaland as a star of the weekend, but the rest of Manchester City’s team deserve a mention.
Guardiola marked the occasion with his 10th Manchester derby win, becoming only the third manager to do so behind Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Gianluigi Donnarumma looked comfortable in goal on his debut, while Phil Foden found his form against one of his favourite opponents.
Staggeringly, 15 of the last 17 City goals in Manchester derbies have been scored by either Haaland (8) or Foden (7).
It may come as a surprise to see that United had more possession in the match, but it also shows Guardiola is finally adapting his style to win, rather than to simply dominate his opponents.
With a second victory finally on the board, City can start looking up the table - although there is still plenty they need to do if they are to provide a significant title challenge.
Surprise of the Weekend
Surprise of the Weekend: Martin Zubimendi
Arsenal’s win over Nottingham Forest may not have been a surprise, but the attacking brilliance of Martin Zubimendi was.
The Spaniard grabbed his first two Premier League goals for the Gunners as they cruised past Ange Postecoglou’s side to leave him stone-faced, having taken over from Nuno Espirito Santo last week.
Zubimendi’s first strike was a sweet connection - coincidentally, his first career goal from outside of the box.
His second was another personal milestone, as he scored twice in the same game for the first time.
Defensively, Zubimendi was solid as well. Forest did not manage to register a shot until the 46th minute, and that was partly down to his recoveries and interceptions.
The consensus is that Arsenal must win something major this season, after years of trying under Arteta.
With more performances like their outing at the Emirates on Saturday, they appear to be on the right path.
Moment of the Weekend
Moment of the Weekend: Mo Salah’s Winner
Sometimes, you need your star to pull out a single moment of quality, and that is exactly what Salah provided for Liverpool at Turf Moor.
Despite critics claiming he has had a slow start to the season, the Egyptian King has now bagged three goal contributions in his first four games, including that crucial winner against Burnley.
It was another sign that the Reds are going to be difficult to chase down again this term - as they continue to win even when they are not playing well.
Can Salah Keep Liverpool on Top of the League?
Since Salah joined Liverpool in 2017, he has contributed 273 goals and assists. For context, the next closest player to him in that time is former Tottenham captain Heung-Min Son with 173.
Form may be temporary, but the winger’s class is permanent, and Salah now sits as the Premier League’s fourth-highest goalscorer with 188.
His next task? Chasing down Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and Alan Shearer alongside more silverware for the Merseyside giants.
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