The Premier League Goes Wild: Big Wins, Big Goals and Bigger Surprises

The second weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season delivered almost everything the competition promises: seven-goal thrillers, surprise results, dramatic late goals and several early signs that the season could be difficult to predict. With Arsenal’s trip to Aston Villa still to come on Monday night, the weekend has already produced plenty of talking points.

Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest

Liverpool were forced to settle for a point at home after Nottingham Forest produced a determined performance at Anfield. Forest struck first and made life uncomfortable for the champions, but Liverpool fought back to earn a 2–2 draw.

The result continues a slightly uncertain beginning to Liverpool’s campaign. After dropping points again, the pressure will be on the Reds to turn their possession and attacking pressure into victories. Forest, meanwhile, can take considerable encouragement from leaving Anfield with a point.

Tottenham 0–2 Newcastle United

Newcastle delivered one of the weekend’s most impressive away performances, beating Tottenham 2–0 in north London.

Tottenham struggled to turn possession into meaningful opportunities, while Newcastle looked more purposeful when attacking. The victory represents an important early statement for Matthias Jaissle, whose side appear to have benefited from a renewed tactical approach.

For Spurs, however, the defeat is concerning. After losing heavily to Brentford in their opening fixture, they are now without a goal from their first two league matches.

Bournemouth 1–1 Everton

Bournemouth appeared to be heading for victory after taking the lead, but Everton rescued a point dramatically in stoppage time.

James Tarkowski became Everton’s hero with the late equaliser, cancelling out Alex Scott’s first-half goal. Bournemouth had opportunities to put the game beyond Everton, but goalkeeper Petrovic was particularly impressive as the hosts continued to search for a second.

For Everton, the point demonstrated character. For Bournemouth, it was a reminder that failing to convert chances can prove costly in the Premier League.

Coventry City 0–1 Hull City

Hull City’s remarkable start continued with another victory.

Liam Millar scored in the 81st minute to give Hull a 1–0 win at Coventry, making it two victories from two matches for the newly promoted side. It is a remarkable beginning for Sergej Jakirovic’s team, particularly considering that Hull had already beaten Manchester United on the opening weekend.

Coventry, meanwhile, are still searching for their first Premier League point after two defeats.

Chelsea 4–3 Brighton

If there was one match that captured the entertainment value of the weekend, it was at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea defeated Brighton 4–3 in a remarkable game that saw the Blues establish a commanding advantage before Brighton mounted a dramatic comeback. Romeo Lavia, Pedro Neto and João Pedro were among Chelsea’s scorers before Brighton responded through Malick Yalcouyé, an own goal and Pascal Groß.

Cole Palmer ultimately settled the contest with a late finish.

The victory means Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea have won both of their opening league games. Even more striking was the way they did it: Chelsea had only around 25% possession but were highly effective on the counterattack.

There are still defensive concerns Chelsea have now gone 18 league matches without a clean sheet but Alonso’s side are playing with considerably more confidence than they showed for much of last season.

Leeds United 1–1 Brentford

Brentford looked the better side for long periods at Elland Road and deserved their first-half lead through Kevin Schade.

Leeds, however, changed the game after the interval. Daniel Farke switched from a back five to a four-man defence and introduced Ao Tanaka and Lukas Nmecha, changes that gave Leeds greater control.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin eventually equalised with 11 minutes remaining, ensuring both sides remained unbeaten after two matches.

It was an encouraging example of in-game management from Farke and demonstrated Leeds’ ability to adapt when a match is not going their way.

Sunderland 1–0 Fulham

Sunderland claimed their first Premier League victory under new manager Álvaro Arbeloa, defeating Fulham 1–0.

The decisive goal came late, with Wilson Isidor finding the breakthrough and securing three valuable points for the newly promoted club. Sunderland’s defensive organisation was particularly important as they held on to protect the narrow advantage.

For Fulham, another defeat leaves them searching for answers after a difficult opening to the campaign.

Manchester United 5–2 Ipswich Town

Old Trafford witnessed the weekend’s other major goal-fest.

Manchester United fell behind to Leif Davis but responded emphatically. Bruno Fernandes scored three times, including a penalty, while an own goal from Jacob Greaves and a Bryan Mbeumo strike completed United’s five-goal haul. Chuba Akpom added a late consolation for Ipswich.

For Michael Carrick, the victory was particularly significant because it came immediately after United’s opening-day defeat. Fernandes’ hat-trick was the headline, but Marcus Rashford’s return to the starting XI and a much more aggressive attacking display were also encouraging signs.

Ipswich competed for much of the game, but their defence eventually collapsed under sustained United pressure.

Manchester City 4–1 Crystal Palace

Manchester City produced another statement performance, defeating Crystal Palace 4–1 away from home.

Rayan Cherki was one of the standout performers, scoring twice and causing Palace significant problems. City’s victory gives them a perfect start and reinforces the impression that Pep Guardiola’s side intend to challenge strongly from the beginning of the campaign.

Palace, meanwhile, face a difficult period, with departures and injuries adding to their problems.

The bigger picture

After two rounds, several themes are already emerging.

Manchester City, Chelsea and Hull City have made perfect starts, while Newcastle have also made a strong impression. Chelsea’s revival under Alonso is particularly intriguing, given their disappointing 10th-place finish last season.

Manchester United have finally found their attacking rhythm, although their defensive problems remain. Fernandes’ three-goal performance could prove hugely important for Carrick’s side.

Liverpool and Leeds dropped points at home, while Tottenham’s second consecutive defeat has raised early questions about their season.

And perhaps the biggest lesson from the weekend is that the promoted clubs cannot be taken lightly. Hull have won both of their matches, while Ipswich pushed United hard before eventually losing heavily.

With Aston Villa hosting Arsenal on Monday night, the second matchweek still has one major chapter to be written. Arsenal began their title defence with a 3–0 victory over Coventry, while Villa suffered a 4–0 defeat against Brighton, setting up a fascinating clash at Villa Park.