By Chiagoziem Abosi
Edited by Bababunmi Agbebi
The Premier League has gone quiet for a few weeks, but the final weekend before the international break gave fans plenty to talk about.
From Brighton ending Arsenal’s perfect start to Manchester City continuing their winning run, Matchweek 5 delivered goals, surprises and another reminder that the season is still wide open.
Now, attention shifts away from club football as players join their national teams for an unusually long international break.
The weekend began with Brentford beating Chelsea 3-0 at home.
Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho scored in the second half as Brentford secured their first home victory over Chelsea since 1938. The result also extended Brentford’s unbeaten start, while Chelsea have now gone three league matches without a win.
At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Aston Villa came from behind to beat Tottenham 3-2 in another five-goal contest.
One of the biggest results of the weekend came at the Amex, where Brighton beat Arsenal 3-0.
Arsenal had started the season perfectly, but Brighton brought that run to an end with a convincing victory. The result showed just how quickly things can change in the Premier League, even for teams that begin a campaign strongly.
Elsewhere, Everton beat Ipswich 1-0, while Newcastle United defeated Hull City 2-1.
Newly promoted Coventry City also recorded a notable result, beating Nottingham Forest 1-0. It was Coventry’s first Premier League victory in 25 years.
Liverpool also secured three points away from home, beating Bournemouth 1-0, while Leeds United and Crystal Palace played out a goalless draw.
Then came Manchester City’s trip to face Sunderland.
City continued their perfect start with a 5-3 victory, making it five wins from five league matches. Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick, but City’s attacking output was enough to secure another victory.
The weekend ended with Manchester United drawing 1-1 with Fulham. United went behind but fought back to earn a point, leaving them with five points from their first five league matches.
Why is this international break so long?
This is not the usual one-weekend interruption.
The September and October international windows have been combined into one 16-day period, meaning Premier League football will not return until October 10.
During the break, national teams will play several matches instead of the usual two.
For European teams, much of the attention is on the UEFA Nations League. England, for example, are scheduled to face Spain, Czechia and Croatia during the window, with another meeting against Czechia also on the schedule.
African teams will also be involved in international fixtures, including preparations and qualifying matches connected to the Africa Cup of Nations.
For Premier League clubs, however, the break brings a different challenge.
Players will travel, represent their countries and return to their clubs before the league resumes. That means managers will be hoping their key players return fit and ready for another demanding run of fixtures.
The international break gives clubs time to regroup, but it also creates a fresh question for supporters.
Will Arsenal respond after their defeat to Brighton?
Can Manchester City maintain their perfect start?
Can Liverpool continue building momentum?
Will Chelsea recover from their difficult run?
And can Manchester United turn draws and narrow results into more consistent performances?
There are still plenty of questions to answer, and the Premier League table can change quickly.
What are your expectations from your club after the international break? What do you want to see change, improve or continue when the Premier League returns? Let us know in the comments.
