Pascal Gross tops early Premier League ratings as Haaland sits only fifth
The first checkpoint of the 2026–27 Premier League season has arrived. Five games in, we hit an extended international lull with Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City perched on top, Arsenal licking their wounds after a 3-0 thumping at Brighton, and Tottenham rooted to the bottom having barely laid a glove on anyone, let alone the back of the net.
And the headline-grabber? Brighton’s ageless conductor Pascal Gross sits atop the early performance charts, while the division’s most feared finisher, Erling Haaland, is only fifth. Numbers don’t lie—at least not these ones.
Using WhoScored’s player ratings from the opening quintet of fixtures, here’s how the top 20 stack up—and what it tells us about the runners and riders heading into the break.
State of play going into the break
City look slick under Maresca and head the queue. Arsenal’s first stumble at the Amex was a jolt, while Brighton under Fabian Hürzeler are flying. Down the other end, Spurs have yet to win and have managed a miserly two goals. The supercomputer has already spat out a full-table prediction, but for now the form book is here in black and white.
Top 20 Premier League performers after five matches (WhoScored ratings)
20) Konstantinos Tzolakis (Hull City) – 7.31: Hull’s return to the big time has real bite, and their keeper’s shot-stopping has been front and centre—he set the tone in that opening-day scalp of Manchester United.
19) Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) – 7.33: Featured in all five (four starts) for Andoni Iraola, and he’s been productive—one goal and three assists in 372 minutes. A summer exit would’ve been a howler in hindsight.
18) Kevin Schade (Brentford) – 7.33: Edges up because he’s started all five. Three goals already for Keith Andrews’ Bees, and that £20m from Freiburg is looking a bargain-bin special.
17) Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City) – 7.34: Five starts, five contributions—two goals, three assists. A proper pep in City’s front line under Maresca’s tweaks.
16) Anton Stach (Leeds United) – 7.34: Ever-present for Daniel Farke, one goal and a Man of the Match to boot. The midfield metronome Leeds hoped for when he walked through the door last summer.
15) Jannik Schuster (Brentford) – 7.35: Summer buy from RB Salzburg. Two starts and a sub outing, plus an assist. Early days, but the tools are there for a first-choice centre-half.
14) Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City) – 7.36: 435 minutes, one goal, two assists—yes, from defence. Maresca’s set-up lets him step in and he’s punishing teams in advanced areas.
13) Morgan Rogers (Chelsea) – 7.38: The triple-figure fee raised eyebrows; the output hushed them. Three goals and an assist already, dovetailing nicely with Cole Palmer in Xabi Alonso’s front line.
12) Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton) – 7.38: Another Brighton special. Five starts, one goal, two assists. Fits Hürzeler’s blueprint like a glove.
11) Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) – 7.39: After last season’s assist avalanche, he’s back being the heartbeat—three goals and one assist so far. United need every ounce of it.
10) Lewis Hall (Newcastle United) – 7.44: One goal, one assist, one star turn. The ex-Chelsea left-back keeps growing on Tyneside—and there’ll be suitors queueing if this continues.
9) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) – 7.45: Back to his brilliant best—three goals in 419 minutes and a Man of the Match display. Arsenal’s title defence needs this version of Saka.
8) Tarik Muharemović (Leeds United) – 7.46: £35m from Sassuolo looks shrewd. A rock at the back, one assist, one MoM, and plenty of presence.
7) Mohamed Belloumi (Hull City) – 7.53: Two goals (both against Chelsea), two assists, and a MoM in five starts. The surprise package powering the Tigers’ roar.
6) Vitaly Janelt (Brentford) – 7.57: Ever-reliable, ever-present. Played every minute, scored twice, and bagged a MoM. The poster boy for Brentford’s recruitment nous.
5) Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – 7.61: Five goals and the Golden Boot pace-setter already. The rating’s tempered by non-scoring bits, but he’s still the nightmare nobody wakes up from.
4) Rayan Cherki (Manchester City) – 7.61: Just 305 minutes (four starts and a cameo), yet three goals, two assists, and a MoM. Pure end product whenever he’s on the pitch.
3) James Tarkowski (Everton) – 7.63: Minutes monster for David Moyes—hasn’t missed a second. One goal, one assist, one MoM, and three clean sheets. The spine of everything good at Goodison.
2) João Pedro (Chelsea) – 7.64: Four starts, 360 minutes, three goals, three assists, and two MoMs. Chemistry with Palmer and Rogers is turning Stamford Bridge into a live wire.
1) Pascal Gross (Brighton) – 7.73: Played every minute, three goals, three assists. Thirty-five years young and still dictating the tempo. Few predicted it, but watch the tape—he’s running games.
What the numbers whisper
Brighton’s shape under Hürzeler is humming—Gross and De Cuyper headline, and that 3-0 over Arsenal didn’t flatter. Chelsea’s front line under Alonso has sparkle and variety, with Pedro and Rogers feeding off Palmer’s craft. Brentford keep Brentford-ing: Janelt a metronome, Schade a mover, Schuster bedding in. Hull deserve a bow—Belloumi and Tzolakis look Premier League-ready.
Leeds’ spine upgrades (Stach and Muharemović) have bite, while City are stacked with contributors beyond Haaland—Cherki and Gvardiol are proof of concept for Maresca’s tweaks. United, as ever, rest heavy on Bruno’s shoulders, and Tarkowski’s Everton have a defensive platform that travels.
Golden Boot picture
Haaland leads with five and he’s the bookmakers’ darling for obvious reasons. Alexander Isak lurks on four, and there are best betting sites already pricing up a three-horse race to 20+ goals. Saka’s resurgence and João Pedro’s hot streak make this a livelier contest than the raw totals suggest.
Final word
It’s early, yes—but patterns are forming. City are ominous. Brighton are bold. Chelsea are fun again. And Spurs need a reset, fast. When the international dust settles, expect the table—and this top 20—to shuffle, but for now the numbers give us a clear snapshot of who’s purring and who’s puffing.
