A snapshot of the 2026/27 Premier League after matchweek 5: who leads, who is struggling, and how far United are from the top four.
Five games into the 2026/27 Premier League season, a few things are clear, and Manchester United are still finding their feet. This is a snapshot of the table as it stood on 25 September. The live version is always on our standings page.
The top and the bottom
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | +8 | 15 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +4 | 12 |
| 3 | Brighton | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | +11 | 10 |
| 4 | Brentford | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | +6 | 9 |
| 12 | Manchester United | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 18 | Coventry | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -9 | 3 |
| 19 | Fulham | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -3 | 2 |
| 20 | Tottenham | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -6 | 2 |
Five things the table tells us
City are perfect. Manchester City have won all five games, scoring 13 and conceding five. They beat United 1-0 at Old Trafford on 13 September.
Brighton have the best attack. They have scored 16 goals in five games, the most in the division, and have a goal difference of +11.
The top four is tight. Brentford, Leeds, Liverpool and Everton are all on nine points, with Brentford fourth on goal difference.
United are 12th on five points. That is four behind fourth place and ten behind City. They have scored eight and conceded eight, so their goal difference is level.
The bottom is crowded. Fulham and Tottenham have two points each, while Coventry have one win and have conceded ten goals.
What it means for United
With 33 league games left, the gaps are small enough to close quickly. A win at home to Tottenham on 10 October (our preview) would take United to eight points. Check the fixtures for what lies ahead.
This article is a snapshot: the table changes every matchweek, so treat the figures as correct for 25 September 2026.
The gaps that matter
- To the top: United are 10 points behind City and seven behind second-placed Arsenal.
- To fourth: four points, with Brentford fourth on goal difference. That group of Brentford, Leeds, Liverpool and Everton on nine points is separated only by goals.
- To the bottom: United are two points above 18th-placed Coventry and three above Fulham and Tottenham, who share the bottom places on two points. A slow start can look like a relegation fight very quickly.
How the table works
A win is worth three points, a draw one and a defeat none. Teams level on points are ranked by goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded), then by goals scored. Over 38 games the bottom three are relegated, and the top of the table earns places in European competition. Early in the season the table is distorted by uneven fixtures and small samples, which is why one result can move a club several places.
A reading of United's start
United's five league points come from one win (5-2 against Ipswich), two draws (2-2 at Everton and 1-1 at Fulham) and two defeats (2-0 at Hull and 1-0 against City). That is one point per game, a pace that would finish the season on 38 points, though no one expects the season to follow a straight line. The goal difference being level at 8-8 is a reminder that the results have been close to even: the big win over Ipswich offsets the narrow defeats, as our seven-game analysis shows.
What to watch next
The next round of games begins with Tottenham at Old Trafford on 10 October (preview), a fixture against the side currently propping up the table. For the live version of this table at any time, use our standings page.