Gross the governor, Haaland merely mortal: the Premier League’s top 20 after five games

Five games down, then a long international yawn. Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City have darted to the summit, Arsenal were given a 3-0 bruising by Brighton, and Tottenham are propping up the pile with two goals and not a single win. The table’s taking shape, the narratives are bubbling, and the early numbers are in.

Before we dive into the rankings, a quick nod to the form guide and where the smart money’s sniffing. If you’re weighing up odds swings during the break, our guide to the best betting sites is a tidy companion — and the headline stat right now is Pascal Gross sitting atop the ratings while Haaland, for all his goals, is only fifth. Let’s get into the meat of it.

The top 20 by WhoScored rating (after five games)

These standings lean on WhoScored’s early-season data, but the colour — and a little scepticism where needed — is all mine.

20–11: Early risers and seasoned metronomes

20) Konstantinos Tzolakis (Hull City) — 7.31: Hull’s Premier League return has bite, and their keeper’s a massive reason why. Big saves, big points — ask Manchester United after opening day.

19) Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) — 7.33: Five outings, four starts, 372 minutes: one goal, three assists. Under Andoni Iraola he looks liberated — and to think he nearly exited in the summer.

18) Kevin Schade (Brentford) — 7.33: Starts in all five and three goals to show for it. A £20m punt from Freiburg that’s already looking like classic Brentford value inflation.

17) Antoine Semenyo (Man City) — 7.34: Five starts, five goal involvements (2G, 3A). In Maresca’s rotation machine he’s the willing runner who keeps the front line humming.

16) Anton Stach (Leeds United) — 7.34: One goal, one Man of the Match, and a whole lot of graft. Daniel Farke trusts him for a reason — he knits Leeds together.

15) Jannik Schuster (Brentford) — 7.35: Fresh from RB Salzburg, already showing he belongs. Two starts and a sub run-out, one assist, and the positional sense of a seasoned pro.

14) Josko Gvardiol (Man City) — 7.36: 435 minutes with a goal and two assists. From left-back to midfield lanes in a flash — the hybrid role suits him down to the ground.

13) Morgan Rogers (Chelsea) — 7.38: Big fee, bigger personality. Scored on debut, added two more and an assist, and is already dovetailing nicely with Cole Palmer.

12) Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton) — 7.38: Another Brighton special. Five starts, one goal, two assists, and a huge part of Fabian Hürzeler’s flying start — including that 3-0 at the Emirates.

11) Bruno Fernandes (Man United) — 7.39: After last season’s assist avalanche, he’s opened with three goals and one assist. If United are to click, it’ll still run through Bruno.

10–1: The headline acts (and the shock leader)

10) Lewis Hall (Newcastle) — 7.44: A goal, an assist and a MOTM already. Former Chelsea youngster now an all-purpose outlet on Tyneside — no wonder suitors are sniffing.

9) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) — 7.45: 419 minutes, three goals, one MOTM. Fit, firing, and fundamental to Arsenal defending their crown despite that Brighton blip.

8) Tarik Muharemovic (Leeds United) — 7.46: £35m from Sassuolo and worth every penny so far. A rock with a bonus assist and a MOTM to his name.

7) Mohamed Belloumi (Hull City) — 7.53: Two goals (both v Chelsea), two assists, and one MOTM. The surprise package powering Hull’s punch-above-their-weight start.

6) Vitaly Janelt (Brentford) — 7.57: Ever-present, ever-reliable. Two goals, a MOTM, and the embodiment of Brentford’s recruitment nous.

5) Erling Haaland (Man City) — 7.61: Golden Boot leader with five already, but the all-round metrics peg him back to fifth. Even cyborgs have off-beats between the goals.

4) Rayan Cherki (Man City) — 7.61: Four starts, one cameo, just 305 minutes — yet three goals, two assists and a MOTM. Pure efficiency; the eye test loves him too.

3) James Tarkowski (Everton) — 7.63: Mr. Dependable. Every minute played, one goal, one assist, one MOTM and three clean sheets for David Moyes’ Toffees. Old-school defending, modern returns.

2) João Pedro (Chelsea) — 7.64: Xabi Alonso’s system flatters technicians, and Pedro is thriving: three goals, three assists, two MOTMs in only 360 minutes. The chemistry with Palmer and Rogers is box-office.

1) Pascal Gross (Brighton) — 7.73: The Amex metronome at 35. Every minute logged, three goals, three assists, and the conductor of Hürzeler’s high-tempo orchestra. A masterclass in economy and intelligence.

The pundit’s verdict

It’s a five-game snapshot, not gospel, but it tells a tale: City are purring without even hitting top gear; Brighton’s structure lets maestros like Gross and De Cuyper thrive; Brentford keep finding value; Leeds’ recruitment looks bang on; and Haaland’s scoring spree doesn’t automatically mean the top rating. Meanwhile, Spurs need this break more than anyone.

Expect churn after the internationals — legs freshen, fixtures tighten, and the order will shuffle. For now, pencil in three or four names to chase 20+ league goals, with one glaring favourite. But the early-season headline is simple: Gross is boss, and the champion elects have challengers everywhere.