The second round of Premier League fixtures has already thrown up a few surprises as the leading pack begin to separate themselves in the standings.
North London reigned supreme over the weekend, with Tottenham picking up their customary three points against Manchester City, keeping a clean sheet in the process and halting the hype around Pep Guardiola’s side.
Meanwhile, after unveiling boyhood Gunner Eberechi Eze, Arsenal dispatched Leeds in style, thanks in part to a brace from new striker Viktor Gyokeres. However, there will be some concerns over the injuries to Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, with both being withdrawn early at the Emirates.
On Sunday, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest met for the first time since the latter took the Eagles’ Europa League place following UEFA’s recent ruling, with the match ending in a stalemate, before Manchester United struggled again, this time away to Fulham, coming away with only a point, despite going a goal ahead.
Once again, BOYLE Sports has picked out the best and worst moments from another thrilling weekend of action. Here’s who backed it and who bottled it…
BACKED IT OR BOTTLED IT? PREMIER LEAGUE GAMEWEEK 2 RECAP
Star of the Weekend
STAR OF THE WEEKEND: JACK GREALISH
There were a few standout performances across GW2 in the Premier League, but one individual stood out more than most - Jack Grealish.
The Everton star - on loan from Manchester City - grabbed two assists as the Toffees got their maiden win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium against Brighton, with Jordan Pickford saving a penalty for good measure.
By having a hand in both of the goals on Sunday afternoon, Grealish matched his total number of assists across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns for City combined.
It was a brilliant sight to see the forgotten midfielder back in his flow, weaving in and out of defenders and dazzling with his incredible range of passing.
But it was not just with the ball at his feet where Grealish impressed on Merseyside. Against the Seagulls, he won possession of the ball seven times and completed three tackles, more than any other Everton player.
A lot of questions have been asked of the veteran England international, particularly over whether he can return to his best during the loan spell under David Moyes.
Grealish may not be back to the form that earned him a move to Manchester from Aston Villa in 2021, but it is a step in the right direction for the 29-year-old.
Flop of the Weekend
FLOP OF THE WEEKEND: BRUNO FERNANDES
Bruno Fernandes has been on the receiving end of criticism from Manchester United fans already this season, although it’s not entirely his fault.
With the arrival of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, the Red Devils captain is being forced to play in a midfield pivot with Casemiro - a position he has struggled with since Ruben Amorim’s arrival.
The Portuguese international was once again lined up next to the Brazilian during the 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday, only this time there was a crucial error on the midfielder’s part.
Early in the first half at Craven Cottage, United were awarded a penalty and the chance to go ahead in the match, but Fernandes blazed his effort over the bar.
It was a familiar story for the skipper’s side, who have failed to score in the first half of 29 games since the start of last season; only Genoa of Italy have a worse record.
In fact, Fernandes looked distracted all afternoon in west London - perhaps relating to the reported bid from Saudi Arabia that arrived on United’s desk during the week.
The 30-year-old may now have a big decision to make ahead of the transfer deadline, and if he does stay, there is work to do to live up to heightened expectations at Old Trafford following a summer of heavy spending.
Biggest Disappointment
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: MANCHESTER UNITED
On the subject of Manchester United, it was not just their captain who failed to impress over the weekend.
Amorim’s side earned plenty of praise for their performance against Arsenal, despite being handed an opening-day loss.
But some damning facts remain, regardless of their exciting new-look attack. Since the start of April, United have earned fewer points than any other present Premier League club (6).
Even Leicester City, who now reside in the Championship, have earned more points in the division since April (8) than the Red Devils.
With the draw at Fulham, Amorim has now managed more Premier League games (29) than he has earned points (28) since taking over from Erik ten Hag.
While on paper they may look like a better team than last season, there is still clearly a lot of work to do at United’s Carrington headquarters, but questions remain over how long Amorim will be given to steer a sinking ship away from danger.
Performance of the Weekend
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEKEND: TOTTENHAM
Tottenham have been one of the standout sides in the 2025-26 campaign so far, and under Thomas Frank, life on the pitch could not be going much better.
The Lilywhites followed up their 3-0 win over Burnley on the opening weekend with a much more impressive 2-0 win against Manchester City at the Etihad.
It was the 10th time Spurs have beaten Pep Guardiola’s side since he took over, matching Liverpool’s record against the Spaniard.
The win also allowed Thomas Frank to become part of an exclusive club, joining both Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte as the only managers to beat Guardiola with two different clubs.
Spurs’ performance was full of energy, and their two goals saw them become the fifth team to net 850 away goals in the Premier League.
Additionally, Spurs are now only the second team to win back-to-back league games against a club managed by Guardiola, alongside Manchester United.
With six points, five goals scored, none conceded, and back-to-back clean sheets for the first time in two years, things are looking incredibly positive for Tottenham, even if their dealings in the transfer market have hit several brick walls.
Surprise of the Weekend
SURPRISE OF THE WEEKEND: ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa have had a tough start to the new season. After a toothless 0-0 draw with Newcastle on the opening weekend, Villa’s campaign went from bad to worse with a 1-0 loss at Brentford.
With the Bees being plenty of people’s picks to be involved in a relegation scrap this term, it was a game on the road that Unai Emery would have expected his side to win.
However, it was another fruitless return, with Villa failing to score again. Morgan Rogers may have made his 50th appearance for the club at the G-Tech Community Stadium, but it was far from his best performance.
A lot has been made of Villa’s PSR problems, but they have much of the same squad that finished sixth last season and qualified for the Europa League.
Unai Emery is the only manager in the club’s history to have a win percentage of at least 50%, and there is no need to panic yet for Villa fans.
However, a few more losses in the upcoming weeks may be enough to spark some concern as the club looks to keep pace with the country’s top dogs this season.
After GW 2, Where Do You Think Aston Villa Will Finish? – PL 25/26
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