Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said it better than anyone following the last Premier League game before the international break. “The preseason is over.”
It does usually feel like the first three games of the Premier League are an extension of preseason. Especially in a year like this when we’ve had an international tournament over the summer.
Players are working their way back towards peak fitness, and teams are still figuring themselves out. What Guardiola, whose team have won 3-of-3 meant was that they’ve had it easy so far.
Read: Enzo Maresca – Academy Player Exodus ‘Not Chelsea’s Problem’
The top teams have had it relatively easy because they’ve only been playing one game a week. When the Premier League returns, they’ll face a gauntlett of 3 games a week for the rest of the campaign. With the extra Champions League games in particular, there won’t be much room to breathe.
Regardless of whether they’ve had it easy or not, Manchester City look pretty good. Rodri hasn’t started for them yet this season, but it hasn’t mattered. Mainly because Erling Haaland seems to have taken it upon himself to break all goalscoring records imaginable by October.
They sit joint-top of the league alongside Liverpool, who look revitalised under new manager Arne Slot. Their likely closest competitors Arsenal probably ought to be with them on 9 points. However, Declan Rice’s red card over the weekend meant they could only salvage a draw against Brighton.
Read: Riccardo Calafiori Is A Very Mikel Arteta Signing
Arsenal have looked good without looking great. They’re scoring the goals they need without playing flowing football for 90 minutes. While an away win over Aston Villa is hugely credible, both Villa and Brighton have exposed some ball progression issues that they’ll need to resolve once league action starts again.
