Gameweek 2 of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign brought relentless goalscoring action, huge individual masterclasses, and tactical shifts across the board.
While heavyweights showed their resilience, surprise contenders continued to disrupt the order. In this Premier League Gameweek 2 Review, we unpack the biggest talking points and takeaways from GW2 as the early table begins to take shape.
Manchester City Stays Perfect at the Summit
Despite a slightly shaky rhythm to start the season, Manchester City sits comfortably at the top of the table
after claiming all six points available from their first two fixtures.
In their Premier League GW 2 fixture, City put four goals past Crystal Palace in a 4-1 victory.
The key headline was the devastating output of Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland, who both delivered two goals each to keep City’s attack firing on all cylinders.
Manchester United Bounces Back in 5-2 Thrashing
Following a shocking opening-day loss to Hull City, Manchester United responded emphatically at Old Trafford with a 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town.
The headline performer in this EPL Gameweek 2 talking points moments was Bruno Fernandes, who delivered a masterclass with a hat-trick and an assist.
United’s attacking unit looked vastly improved, easing early-season tension around the squad.
Chelsea Breaks the Brighton Curse in 4-3 Thriller
Chelsea finally ended their long-standing hoodoo against Brighton & Hove Albion, breaking a four-game winless run against the Seagulls with a hard-fought 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer and João Pedro were once again central to Chelsea’s success, both finding the net to maintain back-to-back goal involvements across GW1 and GW2.
Chelsea’s new-look attack is proving to be one of the most explosive in the league.
Arsenal Grinds Out Win and Maintains Defensive Solidity
Defending champions Arsenal kept their perfect start intact with a hard-fought 1-0 away victory over Aston Villa. A second-half strike from Bukayo Saka proved to be the difference maker.
Crucially, Arsenal remains the only side alongside Hull City to keep clean sheets in both opening gameweeks. Left-back Riccardo Calafiori was once again a standout performer, matching his GW1 contribution by registering an assist and aiding in another shut-out.
Flying High: Hull City Sits Third in the League
One of the most remarkable takeaways from GW2 is the dream start for newly promoted Hull City.
Following their opening weekend victory over Manchester United, Hull ground out a 1-0 away win against fellow newly promoted side Coventry City.
With two clean sheets and a maximum of six points from two matches, Hull City currently occupies third place in the Premier League table.
Tottenham’s Scoring Woes Continue Under De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham Hotspur side suffered another setback, failing to score for the second consecutive week in a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle United.
Despite heavy summer investment exceeding £300 million, Spurs find themselves at the bottom end of the table with zero points, zero goals scored, and a minus-five goal difference following their opening defeats to Brentford and Newcastle.
With early-season patterns starting to emerge, the race at both ends of the Premier League table is already heating up.
What was your biggest surprise from Gameweek 2? Can Hull City maintain their incredible defensive run, or will Tottenham bounce back in GW3? Leave your thoughts and predictions in the comments section below!
