First-month grades for all 20 Premier League teams: From an A+ to F

If you look astatine the apical of the Premier League table, it doesn't look similar overmuch has changed: Liverpool successful first, Arsenal successful second. But arsenic you scan farther down, your eyes mightiness commencement to widen.

Tottenham, OK? Bournemouth, huh? Chelsea? Sure. Ev -- does that accidental "Everton"?

You mightiness instrumentality your glasses disconnected and hitch your eyes. Perhaps you'll privation to measurement retired of the room. Then you travel backmost to the table.

SUNDERLAND HAVE MORE POINTS THAN MANCHESTER CITY????????????

Though it's inactive early, it has been a chaotic commencement to the season. And though it mightiness look premature to gully immoderate conclusions, the world is that each the points won and mislaid already substance conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic the points won and mislaid successful the spring. Plus, though 4 games is simply a tiny sample, it's inactive large capable to commencement to springiness america immoderate caller accusation astir each squad successful the league.

So, up of this weekend's matches, we've decided to instrumentality retired our gradebook and springiness each 20 Premier League teams their marks for the archetypal period of the season.

- 50 astir costly transfers this summertime by existent cost
- 'Slot time': Liverpool's record-breaking tally of precocious winners
- Top 50 USMNT players, ranked by nine form

Arsenal: A-

The Gunners person been the champion squad successful the Premier League done 4 games. Now, there's a abstracted question astir what 4 games tin really archer us, but Arsenal inactive haven't fixed up a extremity from unfastened play, they're tied for the league pb successful goals scored, and they conscionable comfortably bushed Athletic Bilbao 2-0 successful 1 of the astir hard roadworthy environments successful Europe.

If we instrumentality a blend of 70% expected goals and 30% goals -- what I've referred to successful the past arsenic "adjusted extremity differential" -- Mikel Arteta's broadside again stands retired arsenic the people of the league 10.5% of the mode done the season:

So wherefore not an "A"? Well, they dropped 3 points to Liverpool, their main rubric rival. Sure, adjacent Arne Slot acknowledged it was a 50-50 crippled and going to Anfield mightiness beryllium the toughest fixture they'll play each season, but with Liverpool inactive struggling to enactment unneurotic cohesive performances, this was astir arsenic susceptible arsenic they'll beryllium each season. Despite starting disconnected truthful well, Arsenal are already 3 points backmost of archetypal place.

Aston Villa: F

They person 2 points from 4 matches. They've conceded 4 goals. They've scored zero. And they inactive haven't played Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.

It's besides not arsenic if they've been unlucky. Go backmost and look astatine that adjusted goal-differential plot: lone 2 teams person worse numbers. This was a squad that thought it could situation for a Champions League spot again. Instead, it already looks much similar they'll beryllium successful a relegation combat than a pursuit for Europe.

Given however casual their docket has been and however they are not suffering done immoderate benignant of wounded crisis, it's truly hard to deliberation however Villa could've started the play disconnected immoderate worse.

AFC Bournemouth: A+

Last season, 10 players played astatine slightest 2,000 minutes successful the Premier Leagu...