The Premier League is back this weekend with all eyes on crisis-torn Manchester City as they go to Liverpool, of all places.
Here is a first indication of how City and their players react to the bombshell news that they have been found guilty of 114 out of 115 charges of breaking financial rules over a long period. Will that mean relegation or a huge points deduction? Is that a de-motivating factor for the players, whose future now looks uncertain? Or will they come out fighting?
City still protest their innocence and are appealing the verdict, but this leaves a huge cloud hanging over their past and present. Their season will progress in a strange vacuum, with opposing fans calling them "cheats" at every away game. Enzo Maresca's team is 100% so far, without being wholly convincing.
- How top Premier League clubs view Man City's guilty verdict
- Should Carrick be feeling the heat on another bad Man Utd run?
- Which managers could fit Man Utd, Spurs if needed this season?
In any case, it is way too early to jump to conclusions about this Premier League season. A year ago, Liverpool were top with a 100% record, but they faded by season's end and finished fifth. Tottenham Hotspur were third last September, then ended up needing a win on the final day to avoid relegation. Aston Villa were in the drop zone, yet ultimately finished in the top four.
All of that should serve as a reminder that the action so far this season only represents the opening chapter of what we hope will be a rather good book. Teams that are struggling now, such as Manchester United and Chelsea, might find a winning rhythm, while early pace-setters such as Brighton & Hove Albion and Hull City could find that things get tougher when injuries, suspensions or a rough run of games kick in.
All we can truthfully report are some first impressions. Here's what I've noticed about each Premier League team over the early weeks of the season.
Arsenal
The defending champions looked almost invincible in their first few games until the embarrassing 3-0 loss at Brighton. Was it a blip or a sign that they are vulnerable?
It was their fourth away game in 10 days, so that is a mitigating factor. And they were playing a team at the top of their game, in addition to looking off the pace themselves. But as manager Mikel Arteta hinted, there was also a touch of complacency in that display and that is something they will need to guard against.
The loss has knocked them off the top of the table, but it will be interesting to see if days like this become a part of their DNA. Leeds United at home is next, and that will be a good test.
Manchester City
Has the heart been ripped out of Manchester City? Nobody inside or out of the club can possibly know what lies ahead, or how it might affect performances. Sunday's trip to Anfield will offer clues. Head coach Enzo Maresca could not have made a better start after succeeding Pep Guardiola, but is walking into unknown territory. Reports that Erling Haaland felt fatigued during the international break do not help, either.
On the pitch, things appear a bit brighter. New signings Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernández and Iliman Ndiaye have made great starts and the 1-0 win at Old Trafford in the Manchester derby, albeit with a goal that should not have stood, was a test passed for Maresca, whose City side executed a cute tactical display when down to 10 men.
Liverpool
Of course, Liverpool -- like several teams under new bosses -- are a work in progress, with two wins and three draws. This team is still adapting to the manic high-press tactics favored by coach Andoni Iraola. Things are starting to click, and club-record striker Alexander Isak is looking his old self at least, with four goals already.
The Reds do not really look like title contenders at this early stage, but that City game on Sunday will be informative. Iraola has solved the right back problem with Ronald Araújo, on loan from Barcelona, but Milos Kerkez still looks shaky on the left side of a defense in which young center back Jérémy Jacquet looks a real find.
Chelsea
What about the other supposed Big Six teams? Chelsea were awful at Brentford in their 3-0 loss on Sept. 18, and they look soft and sloppy defensively.
Despite a superb attacking trio of Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and João Pedro (how on earth did Brazil leave him out of their World Cup squad?), coach Xabi Alonso has some big problems to solve. They have taken just one point from the last nine available, and preseason predictions of a title challenge look way off the mark.
Manchester United
Where has all of last season's momentum gone at Manchester United? Coach Michael Carrick seemed to have cracked the code as they climbed up to third place, but all the dynamism and belief has mysteriously disappeared this season, and it is hard to know why.
I think they miss Casemiro's presence in midfield, despite investing heavily in that area in the summer. Youri Tielemans has proven pedigree, but Andrey Santos -- who hardly got a kick at Chelsea and signed for £48 million, has quickly lost his place at United, who do not have money to waste.
Is the infrastructure not good enough? Why was no left back brought in? The team just look undercooked so far. Carrick would not panic in a hurricane, and there are enough good players that we should expect their form to return. But United are already out of a title race their fans dream of contesting again one day.
Tottenham Hotspur
Just when you thought things could only improve for Spurs, they got even worse; bottom of the table after a £300 million outlay in the transfer window is embarrassing. And their first two league goals of the season against Aston Villa came too late to rescue the game.
To be fair, there have been signs of something better in recent games, and they have not had much luck. But you wonder if there is something of a psychological block at work, too. I will go out on a limb here and say coach Roberto De Zerbi will get Spurs going, but he has to find more game time for gifted and now-fit playmaker James Maddison.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Elsewhere, Brighton have been a revelation -- so much so that one or two observers have wondered whether coach Fabian Hürzeler's team can "do a Leicester" and mount a surprise title challenge. With European competition to cope with as well, it looks unlikely.
Teenage striker Charalampos Kostoulas is catching the eye, while 35-year-old midfielder Pascal Gross has to be one of the shrewdest and best-value signings in Premier League history. Brighton have signed him twice, the second time for only about £1.7 million from Borussia Dortmund, and he is bossing matches in midfield. Top four is not out of the question.
Rest of Premier League
- Brentford draw rather too many games, but they remain a tough nut to crack and nobody has so far. Manager Keith Andrews has a gifted and highly motivated band of brothers.
- Likewise, Leeds United remain unbeaten and are all set to build on last season's promising first year back in the big time. A mention here for their unsung captain Ethan Ampadu, who rarely misses a game and is a key leader in the midfield. Credit manager Daniel Farke for at last keeping striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin fit again. The move to Elland Road has been fantastic for the former Everton man.
- Everton are also yet to taste defeat despite a nightmarish transfer deadline day, leaving them with a squad that looked too thin. The Toffees have kept four clean sheets in six matches now that Jarrad Branthwaite has returned to the defense, so no wonder David Moyes is smiling a little more. But he will need January reinforcements if Everton are to realize their target of a return to Europe.
- Aston Villa have had the heart of their team ripped out -- Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martínez are among their many notable departures. But there are signs already that Unai Emery is starting to rebuild successfully, helped by a good UEFA Champions League win at Club Brugge.
- Newcastle United bounced back from a dreadful 4-1 thrashing at Leeds to beat Hull City. That was important because they looked so lightweight at Elland Road. The verdict so far for this new-look Toon is "satisfactory work and progress," but it will be a surprise if they finish in the top half this time around.
- The Thursday-Sunday routine of European games will make it hard for AFC Bournemouth, still without a league win, and Sunderland, though their lively displays against Arsenal and Man City suggest they will cope.
- Hull City, tipped by almost every pundit to go down, continue to snarl defiance. Coach Sergej Jakirovic has 18 new players and, starting with a win over Manchester United, performances have been a tribute to their fight and organization. The boss is realistic enough to know that 40 points and survival is the only game in town, but the Tigers are giving themselves a decent chance of achieving their goal.
- Of the other promoted clubs, Ipswich Town are lively enough in attack and will be happy with a midtable start, and Coventry City's first win at Nottingham Forest will give them belief they can compete at this level, especially since Frank Lampard's side put in a good shift in losing only 1-0 to Manchester City as well.
- Fulham still cannot win, but young attackers Gonzalo García and Josh King give them hope, and David Affengruber's arrival from Elche in Spain has helped to tighten a porous defense.
- It has been a slow start to the season for Oliver Glasner's Nottingham Forest and the laconic Pierre Sage's Crystal Palace, but both are good enough to stay afloat.