Grading Every Premier League Team's 2026-27 Season So Far at the November International Break
It's been a topsy-turvy 10 games into the 2026-27 Premier League season.
There's little surprise seeing defending champions Arsenal at the top of the table. But Manchester United in the relegation zone must make fans of the Red Devils sick to their stomachs.
Brighton looks to break the hegemony at the top while sitting in second, while Liverpool, Chelsea, and Everton seem well-positioned to challenge for Champions League football next season.
As we head into the November international break, our Calum Rogers, Leo Collis, and Nick Akerman grade every single Premier League team's campaign so far.
Disagree with what they had to say? Submit your thoughts now in the comments section of the app!
Arsenal
1 of 20
So far, so good for the reigning Premier League champions.
While a 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the middle of September was an undoubted shock—which ended the Gunners' quest for another invincible season—the rest of their 10 matches have delivered nine victories, including wins over Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool.
That has them sitting at the top of the Premier League, five points in front of the Seagulls and six points ahead of a Manchester City side expecting a significant points deduction.
A suffocating defense has been the foundation for success, with just five goals conceded. Arsenal have four 1-0 wins and two additional victories secured by a one-goal margin, demonstrating their mastery of game management—seen most clearly in the victory against Liverpool.
With unbelievable squad depth and confidence coursing through their veins, it's already looking like the Gunners will go back-to-back at just over the quarter mark of the 2026-27 season.
Grade: A
-Leo Collis
Aston Villa
2 of 20
For the second consecutive season, Aston Villa faceplanted out of the starting blocks.
The West Midlanders lost three of their opening four games in 2026-27, and they only secured a point against newly promoted Hull City.
But the previous campaign, in which they earned just three points after their first five matches, offers reason for hope, with the club going on to finish in fourth place.
A similar situation could be playing out, with Villa unbeaten in their last six and securing a 2-1 victory over Manchester City.
With the loss of key players throughout the squad—including their all-time Premier League top scorer (Ollie Watkins); star midfielder (Morgan Rogers); an international-caliber center-back (Ezri Konsa); and a World Cup-winning goalkeeper (Emi Martinez)—it was always going to take some time for things to fall into place.
Thankfully, Nicolas Jackson has found his scoring boots, Johan Manzambi is delivering on his World Cup promise, and Zion Suzuki is proving dependable between the sticks (a howler against Fulham aside).
Heading into the international break, the players will be stewing over letting a pair of two-goal leads slip against Manchester United in a 4-4 draw, offering a reminder that focus is just as important as performance. A point is better than a loss, and receiving that lesson now might be a blessing in disguise in the run-up to the hectic festive period.
Grade: B-
-Leo Collis
Bournemouth
3 of 20
In Bournemouth's first six games of the season, the south-coast side picked up just three points. After a 5-1 loss to Chelsea on October 10, the Cherries were 18th and couldn't seem to shake off a severe Andoni Iraola hangover.
However, since that chastening defeat, they have secured four consecutive victories, boosting them up to seventh in the table. It seems Marco Rose has finally got his message across.
Evanilson is one goal shy of matching his Premier League scoring output from the whole of last season, while Alex Scott continues to demonstrate why he's one of the most coveted midfield talents in the Premier League. With Eli Junior Kroupi on his way back from a long-term injury, confidence will be high that the Cherries can continue their upward trajectory when they get back from the break.
There was some doom and gloom around the south-coast side heading into the campaign, with few expecting that high standards could be maintained with the departure of Iraola. However, the club has once again proved its expertise at retooling and rebuilding when prized personnel depart for pastures new.
Grade: B
-Leo Collis
.jpg?w=2560 "Ravens Falcons Football")
Brentford
4 of 20
You've got to hand it to Keith Andrews and Brentford.
Very few people are talking about the fact that they're comfortably in the top half of the league, with just two losses. That's a testimony to how the manager defied expectations last season - once people are barely surprised by your success, you've taken the club to the next level.
Standout results, such as 3-0 wins over Tottenham and Chelsea, continue to paint the G-Tech Stadium as a particularly difficult place to go. While no team has more draws than Brentford, keeping the scores level away at Leeds, Bournemouth and Aston Villa should be respected.
This is a difficult-to-beat side that, on its day, can smash the very best. And they've still got room to improve.
Grade: B
-Nick Akerman
Brighton & Hove Albion
5 of 20
As everyone predicted prior to the season, Brighton & Hove Albion are Arsenal's most credible competition for the Premier League title.
Even if you were willing to ignore the potential punishment for Manchester City's alleged financial impropriety, there would still be an argument that the Seagulls have shown more staying power at the very top of the table.
Their ability to be effective against different types of opponents has been a standout factor in their success. Whether it's dominating possession to wear down more physical opponents like Brentford or disrupting and counterpunching against the likes of Arsenal and Man City, Brighton have shown they are prepared for everything the Premier League can throw at them.
It's a truly impressive coaching job by Fabian Hurzeler, particularly when you factor in that star attackers Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh have yet to feature this season. Hurzeler has not only found solutions to these absences but also elevated his team in the process, and unsurprisingly, Brighton again look to have made several smart additions over the summer too.
With the team also looking likely to qualify for the next stage of the Europa Conference League, this is setting up to be a very special season down on the south coast.
Grade: A+
-Calum Rogers
Chelsea
6 of 20
Chelsea would've likely been quite happy with sitting in fifth place at this stage prior to the season. But while they deserve credit for some impressive results, including victories over Brighton & Hove Albion, Bournemouth and Everton, the manner of their defeats has been concerning.
A 3-0 loss to Brentford prior to the last international break raised questions about how high up the league this team can actually challenge, and limp defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and now Sunderland have done little to address those concerns since.
Even in a 2-0 victory against Manchester United at the end of October, Chelsea rode their luck. United missed four "big chances" before half-time, according to FotMob, after which the Blues took the lead and controlled the game following Lisandro Martínez's red card.
Injuries have been a factor, with striker João Pedro, centre-back Maxence Lacroix, goalkeeper Emi Martinez and club captain Reece James all being significant absences. Despite the club prioritizing experience in the transfer market this summer, these issues have only highlighted that Chelsea are still short on quality depth in almost every area.
It is at least encouraging that manager Xabi Alonso has been able to pick up results in spite of these problems. But Chelsea are the league's biggest overperformer on expected goals, according to FotMob, and it may be that this team has already hit its ceiling unless significant upgrades are made in January.
Grade: C+
-Calum Rogers
Coventry City
7 of 20
Of the promoted sides, Coventry City quickly began to look like the one in the most trouble.
Four straight defeats and no goals scored had the Sky Blues at the bottom of the table in early September, with crucial points also dropped in a 1-0 defeat to fellow Premier League newcomers Hull City.
But signs of life have emerged for Frank Lampard's side, with victories against Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, and Sunderland, and 11 goals have been scored in their last seven games.
A 3-1 loss to Everton last time out will have dented confidence, with the club once again hovering perilously above the relegation zone. But with established sides struggling this season, the Sky Blues will fancy causing some upsets in their bid to cling on to Premier League status.
Ultimately, Coventry will need to invest in the January window to add proven Premier League quality to improve their odds of survival.
Grade: C-
-Leo Collis
Crystal Palace
8 of 20
Crystal Palace doesn't have to pull the Frank de Boer ripcord just yet, but Pierre Sage is definitely feeling around for a parachute.
The Frenchman hasn't shown the managerial capabilities that guided Lens to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season, with just two wins from 10 so far in his Premier League career, leaving his side rooted to the bottom of the table. The expectation is he'll get the sack, with Thomas Frank heavily rumoured to take the post.
Against Liverpool, the Eagles did look threatening, with chances to take the lead scuppered by an inspired performance by Reds goalkeeper Allison. It's clear there is something there, but they need to be more clinical. When your top scorer for the season is a left-back, Tyrick Mitchell, and he scored his team-leading two goals in a single game, there is reason to panic
Bringing in a potent striker could help everything click into place. Jean-Philippe Mateta's days at Selhurst Park look numbered (he's played just 167 minutes of league football this season, and his contract expires at the end of the campaign), and Jørgen Strand Larsen and Eddie Nketiah aren't doing enough to suggest they can compensate for the surely departing Frenchman.
With games against newly promoted sides Coventry City and Hull City on the slate after the international break, there's a serious chance of picking up a valuable six points.
Grade: D-
-Leo Collis
Everton
9 of 20
After a transfer window that left them with one striker and precious little in the way of upgrades elsewhere, Everton fans could've been forgiven for a lack of optimism.
But with the team in sixth place and that striker, Thierno Barry, sitting joint-third in the league's scoring charts, it's hard to imagine how things could've gone better on the blue half of Merseyside.
It is worth noting that there is some overperformance here, with Everton sitting 11th in FotMob's expected points table, but the Toffees defend stoutly and have a 24-year-old athletic forward who has a habit of scoring important goals. Sounds like a credible European qualification contender to me, and it's reasonable to expect some further additions in January to bolster those ambitions.
With a Carabao Cup quarter-final against fourth-tier Fleetwood Town to come too, this could even be the season Everton end their 31-year trophy drought.
Grade: A
-Calum Rogers
Fulham
10 of 20
A summer of massive change saw Fulham swap the safe hands of Marco Silva for Álvaro Arbeloa, a manager whose stint as Real Madrid boss was less than satisfactory.
The Spaniard has brought his own ideas to Craven Cottage - a risky move in a division that can eat teams alive if sweeping alterations don't immediately work.
Arbeloa started the campaign with three defeats in a row. The writing was on the wall at that point, with calls for his sacking getting louder and the general sense that Fulham may be staring into the abyss.
Things have improved enough that there's hope. One defeat in seven matches is a marker of a team that has tightened up. One win in those seven matches is also a sign of a team that needs to find the back of the net more.
Grade: D
-Nick Akerman
Hull City
11 of 20
Any promoted side that only loses three times in their opening 10 games should feel very encouraged.
Hull's first season back in the Premier League started in the best way possible, with a completely dominant 2-0 victory over Manchester United that essentially set the tone for both teams in the weeks ahead.
Sergej Jakirović's side opened the campaign with three clean sheets in a row, but haven't had one since.
Even so, there's a hard-working, defensive quality in a team that knows its limitations well. Hull are never going to score buckets of goals — they're yet to hit three in a single game — but their foundation may well keep them safe.
Players such as Mohamed Belloumi, Nobel Mendy and Konstantinos Tzolakis look like a good fit at this level, with other squad members whose effort levels are through the roof to ensure Jakirović's men give a good account of themselves. They'll know the graft can't slip.
Grade: B
-Nick Akerman
Ipswich Town
12 of 20
Ipswich Town will likely be satisfied with sitting in 14th with 11 points at this stage of the season after entering as heavy favorites to be relegated.
Their attack has also proved to be dangerous. They actually sit level with reigning champions Arsenal on 15 goals scored, but things look far less promising at the other end of the pitch. Ipswich have the second-worst defensive record in the league, and FotMob's expected-goal numbers also line up with that performance.
With some teams below them looking likely to move away from trouble—Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Manchester United are all underperforming against those expected-goal metrics, while Crystal Palace's fortunes could turn around with a change in manager appearing likely—Ipswich still look set to be in the thick of a relegation scrap this season.
What will be important, then, is beating their fellow strugglers, and so far the Tractor Boys have taken points from Sunderland, Palace, Fulham, Forest and Hull City. That ability to keep picking up points in tight games is encouraging, but those defensive frailties will likely need to be addressed to keep things moving in the right direction.
Grade: C
-Calum Rogers
Leeds United
13 of 20
Early optimism among Leeds United fans was waning slightly after a run of three points in five games, with a third-place spot in the table after four matches beginning to look like a distant memory.
But a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur brought some life back to Elland Road, and Leeds sit a creditable ninth after 10 games played, two points back from Chelsea in fifth.
European football in 2027-28 is still an achievable dream, but manager Daniel Farke might need to ditch his typically pragmatic approach a little more often to turn draws into wins—Leeds' total of five stalemates is the joint-most in the division alongside Brentford, Hull and Manchester United.
That philosophy does have Leeds with the third-best defensive record in the top flight, with just eight goals conceded. However, only two teams (Nottingham Forest and Sunderland) have scored fewer than their total of 10.
Still, at the same point last season, the Whites were down in 16th and sizing up a relegation fight. In fact, the highest spot they achieved all season was seventh after an opening-day win against Everton, and they didn't get higher than 12th for the rest of the campaign.
The question now is whether consolidating their top-flight status or pushing on for an unexpected European berth is the goal. The former might be the more sensible path, but the supporters will no doubt be dreaming of a first appearance in an international club competition since 2002-03.
Grade: B+
-Leo Collis
Liverpool
14 of 20
Summarizing Liverpool's season so far depends on whether you're a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty kind of person.
The good news: Alexander Isak has more than doubled his Premier League scoring tally of last season in just nine appearances; Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister look much improved; Jeremy Jacquet appears to be the heir-apparent to Virgil van Dijk; and Liverpool's youth ranks are being relied upon more than shuffling players into unfamiliar positions to fill gaps.
The bad news: Florian Wirtz still looks a little lost in the Premier League; Andoni Iraola hasn't figured out how this team can break down low blocks; injuries remain a persistent problem; Liverpool continue to concede first and early; and the Reds are already nine points back from league leaders Arsenal.
The mood at Anfield is certainly far more positive than in the last weeks under Arne Slot's guidance, but Iraola's methods still haven't quite taken root, despite occasional signs of his high-pressing, energetic football.
Comfort can be taken from the Spaniard's start to life in the Premier League, with his Bournemouth side taking 10 games to secure their first win in 2023-24. Five wins in the same amount of time at Liverpool is a much better record, and the Cherries finished that season in a remarkable 12th place.
The best may still be to come for the Reds, but patience is often in short supply among football fans. For now, it's a middling grade for a middling season.
Grade: B-
-Leo Collis
Manchester City
15 of 20
Three losses in a row have underlined an awful period for Manchester City, who may well not even be in the division next season once the punishment for the 114 charges is delivered.
The early defiance in the wake of that verdict has subsided; the fans dressed as bananas are no longer baiting others with win after win.
Truth is, even forgetting what may be right around the corner for Enzo Maresca's side, Man City are a step down when compared to champions Arsenal. Five behind in the title race with 10 matches played is a sizeable gap that doesn't look like it's going to slow down.
Maresca hasn't quite found a working formula in defence — City have conceded as many as 16th-placed Nottingham Forest — while the cutting and changing of players such as Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden isn't helping the team settle. If Man City aren't winning, they're failing.
Grade: C
-Nick Akerman
Manchester United
16 of 20
Do Manchester United even deserve a grade? If this were school, they'd be held back a year…or 13.
The inevitable has happened, and Michael Carrick has been proven to be out of his depth after a bright run as interim boss at the tail end of last season. Jim Ratcliffe, Jason Wilcox and United's band of idiots have (so far) decided that a manager who has one win from 10 matches is worth keeping on.
That, of course, after they left him hanging in the transfer market without providing the squad depth he desperately needs.
In all honesty, Carrick isn't the problem. He's just the latest person who happens to be in charge. INEOS could fuse the minds of Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola and Arsène Wenger into a manager-ultron, but they'd still forget to program the function that stops their invention from falling apart at least once a week.
Comebacks against Roma and Aston Villa don't hide the fact that things feel different at United right now, even after all the frustration since Fergie called time on his career. The Red Devils are in the relegation zone and legitimately flirting with disaster.
Grade: F- (should it be ungraded?)
-Nick Akerman
Newcastle United
17 of 20
New manager Matthias Jaissle got off to a flyer with Newcastle. The opening day draw with Liverpool was followed by a victory over Spurs and a draw with Bournemouth — that's a very tough start well navigated.
The issue is, the Magpies were walloped away at Leeds and Coventry just after that, whilst also losing to Villa and Everton at home. Jaissle is actually under some pressure with the team treading water in 12th, and it feels like it could go either way.
There's no need to get too crazy just yet. This is a young manager, in a new league, with a squad that isn't his own. While Jaissle needs to find some kind of balance in the team, particularly down the middle, he should be afforded time to build a squad that fits his style better.
Grade: C-
-Nick Akerman
Nottingham Forest
18 of 20
Prior to this weekend, things looked dark for Nottingham Forest. After a 2-0 defeat to Brentford, which saw the team suffer its fourth loss in five games, manager Oliver Glasner raised the possibility of his own departure after only joining in the summer.
"We have to change it. And if you can't change it, we need different personnel," he told reporters. "And if the club doesn't want to change it, they need a different manager. I'm desperate to change it. Desperate."
That desperation appeared to be transmitted to his players, who simply outbattled Manchester City on the way to a 3-1 victory on Saturday.
Glasner's Crystal Palace team often looked more comfortable playing against opponents like Manchester City, who are happy to leave space to be attacked, and he may need to continue to look for solutions against opponents who are happier to play more conservatively.
After the defeat to Brentford, though, Glasner highlighted his team being outrun by opponents as a factor in their struggles. And if there is one encouraging takeaway from the Manchester City victory, it's that his team certainly doesn't lack the desire to outwork teams.
Grade: D
-Calum Rogers
Sunderland
19 of 20
Sunderland's 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday sent them into the international break on a high after a fairly miserable few weeks.
Serious questions have been asked of manager Régis Le Bris over a seven-game winless run in the league, during which time the Black Cats were also beaten 2-0 at home by Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League.
After that game, Le Bris told reporters he had spoken with owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and appeared optimistic he retained the support of club leadership.
Sunday's result may still end up just delaying the inevitable, but Sunderland showed they can be a physical test for anyone. The difficulty will be continuing to summon that level of intensity amid a challenging schedule for a squad that looks a little short of the depth required for the challenge of balancing European and domestic football.
With the team on course to progress in Europe and a Carabao Cup quarter-final on the horizon, there are still bright spots to cling onto. But nobody wants to be in a relegation fight, and Le Bris may pay the price if his team's league form doesn't improve.
Grade: D
-Calum Rogers
Tottenham Hotspur
20 of 20
The 1-0 defeat against Leeds United on Saturday brought Tottenham Hotspur crashing back down to earth after a run of three straight wins finally had the team looking up the table again after spending two seasons struggling around the relegation zone.
Those results were encouraging, especially after a winless start to the season that saw Spurs fail to score in their first four games, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook this team's struggles in attack.
Spurs sit 17th in expected goals scored, according to FotMob, and they are still reliant on set pieces to break down stubborn defences. As The Athletic's Liam Tharme noted in an article prior to the Leeds defeat, "[Spurs] rank second for the proportion of goals from set pieces (40 percent, only behind Leeds United's 44.4 percent) and third for the share of expected goals generated from dead balls (32.4 percent)."
The win against Chelsea in late October provided a look at what Spurs could be at their best: a dominant possession team that stifles opponents both with and without the ball. But even in a game where almost everything went right for them, their victory required a goalkeeping error from Chelsea's Mike Penders and a wonder strike from Mathys Tel, who now also looks likely to miss time through injury.
After spending over $400 million on transfers this summer, there were suggestions Spurs could challenge for Champions League qualification again this season. But after 10 games, it looks like further investment will be required to fix a struggling front line.
Grade: D
-Calum Rogers
.jpg?w=2560 "Cowboys Colts Football")
.jpg?w=2560 "Every NFL Team's Salary Cap 💰")
.jpg?w=2560 "Herbert May Have Hand Fracture")
-(1).jpg?w=2560 "Week 10 CFB AP Top 25 Poll 🔢")
.jpg?w=2560 "Colts Won't Trade Daniel Jones")
.jpg?w=2560 "EVERY NFL Trade Update")