Data analytics platform Sofascore has unveiled its Premier League team of the season so far following the opening five matchweeks of the campaign.
The selections come as Manchester City hold top spot in the standings entering the first international break of the season, aided by Arsenal suffering a 3-0 defeat at Brighton. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya missed out on inclusion in the XI despite his team's strong start.
Goalkeeper and defensive line
Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez earned the spot between the posts with an average rating of 7.70 out of 10. Chelsea signed the 2026 World Cup finalist from Aston Villa for £7.5million. Playing under new manager Xabi Alonso, Martinez replaced Robert Sanchez immediately in goal but has struggled to become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have recorded zero clean sheets and concede an average of 2.4 goals per game, but Martinez averages 4.5 saves per game, the highest in the top flight. In his debut against Brighton, he made four saves during a 4-3 home victory where the visitors registered six shots on goal and four big chances. He also produced eight saves in a London derby against defending champions Arsenal, the highest tally on that Premier League matchday. Raya averages 1.8 saves per game for comparison.
Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet claimed a central defensive position with a 7.72 rating. Liverpool signed the 21-year-old former Rennes centre-back for £60million in July. Jacquet has already received his first senior call-up to Zinedine Zidane's French national team for their upcoming international matches.
Following Ibrahima Konate's move to Real Madrid and an anterior cruciate ligament injury to Giovanni Leoni, Jacquet has stepped into the starting lineup alongside captain Virgil van Dijk. He showed composure alongside Van Dijk in Liverpool's 1-0 win at Bournemouth, where Alexander Isak scored the winner. The pairing has secured three consecutive clean sheets for Liverpool for the first time in two years, with Jacquet winning 76 per cent of his duels.
Tottenham centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke secured a place in the lineup with a 7.62 rating. Spurs sit at the bottom of the table after five matches for the first time since the 2008-09 season, struggling under manager Roberto De Zerbi after heavy summer expenditure.
Van Hecke has played all 450 minutes of Tottenham's league campaign. The Dutch defender scored a consolation goal in a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa and has helped Spurs achieve two clean sheets despite their winless run.
Brighton defender Lewis Dunk completed the defense with a 7.70 rating after playing 360 minutes for manager Fabian Hurzeler. Dunk scored from outside the penalty area against Frank Lampard's Coventry City, marking his first league goal from outside the box since a free-kick against Liverpool in 2019. He averages four clearances per game and kept two clean sheets across four starts.
Dunk missed Brighton's fixture against Arsenal with a knee injury, where he was replaced by Olivier Boscagli. Hurzeler's side defeated the title holders 3-0 in his absence to move into third place in the table.
Midfield and attacking midfield
Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka was named as the sole central defensive midfielder, boasting a 7.66 rating. The 33-year-old, who lost his place in the Switzerland squad over a fake vaccine certificate, plays under manager Regis Le Bris.
Xhaka has played 450 minutes, creating five big chances while averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.8 tackles, and 6.6 ball recoveries per game. He holds a 67 per cent dribble success rate and has won 60 per cent of his duels. His delivery set up Brian Brobbey to complete a treble against Manchester City, though Xhaka is still searching for his first assist of the season.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard took one of the attacking midfield spots with a 7.60 rating. The 27-year-old earned a 9.2 rating in the London derby against Chelsea, scoring the winning goal, making four key passes, and creating two big chances against Alonso's team.
Odegaard averages 1.4 shots per game with a 29 per cent goal conversion rate, scoring with both feet. He maintains a 91 per cent passing accuracy, draws 1.2 fouls per game, and recovers 2.4 balls per game, earning two Team of the Week selections.
Chelsea midfielder Morgan Rogers earned inclusion with a 7.68 rating. The £117million signing from Aston Villa scored a volley against Raya in the London derby against Arsenal. He also provided an assist in a draw against Brighton at Stamford Bridge and scored against Hull City before Chelsea produced a toothless performance in a loss at Brentford.
Rogers has recorded three goals and one assist while averaging 88 minutes per game. He completes 75 to 80 per cent of his passes, draws at least one foul per game, and averages 4.6 ball recoveries per match.
Winger and forward positions
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka achieved a 7.56 rating under manager Mikel Arteta. Saka opened his season scoring after 23 minutes in a 3-0 win against Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium. He also scored the winner in a 1-0 victory against Unai Emery's Aston Villa and converted a 97th-minute penalty against Sunderland, taking his expected goals figure to 3.21.
Bournemouth winger Marcus Tavernier earned a 7.62 rating. The 27-year-old scored Bournemouth's goal in a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City and featured in a 1-1 draw with Everton.
Tavernier opened the scoring against Newcastle before Jacob Ramsey equalised in the 88th minute. He scored again in the 52nd minute against Brentford before an equaliser arrived four minutes later. Tavernier has three goals, averages 1.6 shots on target per game, and has been named in the Team of the Week twice.
Chelsea forward Joao Pedro claimed a striker position with a 7.63 rating. Wearing the number 9 shirt previously worn by Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Romelu Lukaku, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the 24-year-old Brazilian has three goals and three assists.
Pedro scored in the first minute and assisted Cole Palmer in a 3-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. He repeated the feat with a goal and assist against Brighton and added another goal and assist against Hull City, despite a quiet outing with one shot against Arsenal. He missed Chelsea's 3-0 defeat at Brentford through injury.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland completed the team with a 7.60 rating. The 26-year-old leads the Premier League scoring charts and helped Enzo Maresca's side win their first five league matches, a feat City last accomplished in 2017. Alexander Isak remains positioned to challenge Haaland for the Golden Boot.
Haaland scored against Sunderland, making them the 25th different club he has scored against in the Premier League after failing to score against them in two previous attempts. Haaland has scored 117 goals in 137 Premier League appearances, averaging one goal and two shots per game this season with an expected goals mark of 4.43.
The rest of the league table sees unbeaten Leeds United sitting fifth, Liverpool in sixth, Chelsea tenth, and Manchester United 12th. Newly promoted Hull have enjoyed their return to the top flight, while Coventry recorded their first victory of the season in matchweek five.
