Opinions, analysis and commentary
Enzo Maresca has outpaced every rival appointment this season, guiding Manchester City to five wins from five since replacing Pep Guardiola in the summer. His points-per-game figure already beats Guardiola’s own full-season average from last term, a rare feat for any successor. Andoni Iraola’s unbeaten opening at Liverpool and Matthias Jaissle’s quick start at Newcastle trail behind him, while Alvaro Arbeloa’s winless Fulham side sits at the opposite end. Nine clubs changed managers over the summer, and the early gap between them is already wide.
Nine Premier League clubs appointed a new head coach after last season ended, the largest single-summer turnover the competition has seen. The assessment below covers the first five matchweeks, the only sample available before the division paused on 20 September for an extended international break. Two managers hired mid-season, Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi, sit outside this comparison entirely. Mid-table clubs and title contenders alike gambled on change at once, giving this data set an unusually wide spread of ambition and risk across the entire top flight.
| Manager | Club | Games | PPG | GD |
| Enzo Maresca | Man City | 5 | 3.00 | +8 |
| Andoni Iraola | Liverpool | 5 | 1.80 | +3 |
| Matthias Jaissle | Newcastle | 5 | 1.60 | 0 |
| Xabi Alonso | Chelsea | 5 | 1.40 | -2 |
| Gary O’Neil | Ipswich | 5 | 1.20 | -4 |
| Oliver Glasner | Nott’m F. | 5 | 1.00 | -1 |
| Pierre Sage | Crystal Pal. | 5 | 0.80 | -5 |
| Marco Rose | Bournemouth | 5 | 0.60 | -1 |
| Alvaro Arbeloa | Fulham | 5 | 0.00 | -7 |
PPG is points per game across the opening five matchweeks of the season.
Manchester City have won every fixture under Enzo Maresca, scoring 13 goals and conceding five for a goal difference of plus eight. His 4-3-3 shape shifts into a back three in possession, adding vertical directness to the patterns Pep Guardiola left behind. Erling Haaland leads the scoring charts with five goals, and Rayan Cherki has quickly become City’s chief creator. The early return already exceeds what Guardiola himself averaged across the whole of last season.
Andoni Iraola’s five games at Liverpool have brought two wins and three draws, a mark that already beats Arne Slot’s full season return at Anfield. Matthias Jaissle needed only eight points from five matches at Newcastle to show clear organisation despite arriving as late as 5 August. Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea sit above their own waterline too, even after a defeat at Brentford exposed gaps at the back. Alonso’s side have still shown real quality in flashes, beating Brighton 4-3 and thrashing Leeds 6-3 in the League Cup along the way.
| Manager | Club | New PPG | Predecessor PPG |
| Enzo Maresca | Man City | 3.00 | 2.05 |
| Andoni Iraola | Liverpool | 1.80 | 1.58 |
| Matthias Jaissle | Newcastle | 1.60 | 1.84 |
| Xabi Alonso | Chelsea | 1.40 | 1.21 |
| Alvaro Arbeloa | Fulham | 0.00 | 1.55 |
Predecessor figures use full 2025/26 season averages for each club’s previous head coach.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s Fulham remain bottom of the table without a point and a goal difference of minus seven, a stark contrast to the mid-table finish the club managed last term. Marco Rose has collected only three points from three draws at Bournemouth, well down on the tally his predecessor built at the Vitality Stadium. Pierre Sage’s high-press approach at Crystal Palace has yet to click, leaving his side with four points and a difference of minus five after five rounds. Each of these three arrived with strong reputations built elsewhere, which only sharpens the scrutiny now falling on their opening months in England.
Matchweek six arrives on 10 October after football’s newly merged 16-day international window, with Arsenal hosting Leeds United to reopen the season. City’s perfect record faces sterner opposition once fixtures resume, while Arbeloa and Fulham will be desperate for a first win to steady a growing relegation scare. Chelsea’s response to Brentford will also show whether Alonso can find defensive consistency across a busier calendar.
How each side manages fatigue and squad rotation across that gap could shape the second half of the campaign just as much as the opening five rounds already have. Judged purely on results so far, Enzo Maresca remains the Premier League 2026/27 best new manager, and October’s fixtures will decide whether that lead can hold.
Do you think Maresca’s City can keep up this pace once October’s tougher run begins? Share your prediction in the comments.
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Which manager has had the strongest start among this season’s new arrivals?
Enzo Maresca has been the standout performer among the new appointments. Manchester City have won all five of their opening matches under him, with a goal difference of plus eight.
Who replaced Pep Guardiola at Manchester City?
Enzo Maresca replaced Pep Guardiola as Manchester City’s head coach. Guardiola stepped down in May 2026 after a decade in charge, and Maresca was appointed the following month.
Who is Liverpool’s new head coach this season?
Andoni Iraola took over as Liverpool’s head coach in June 2026. He arrived after three seasons at Bournemouth, succeeding Arne Slot, who was let go at the end of May.
Who manages Chelsea in the 2026/27 season?
Xabi Alonso has managed Chelsea since the start of this season. The former Real Madrid midfielder signed a four-year contract in July 2026, succeeding Enzo Maresca, who left for Manchester City.
When does the Premier League return from its international break?
The Premier League resumes on 10 October 2026. The pause followed matchweek five and combined the usual September and October breaks into one 16-day window.
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