MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Gianluigi Donnarumma and Ruben Dias of Manchester City hug after the 2026/27 Premier League season match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on September 13, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Raisin/Getty Images)
Four games into the Premier League, England’s Italians are already heading in the opposite direction. Riccardo Calafiori and Gianluigi Donnarumma have been victorious all weekend, with both teams top of the table. Sandro Tonali is still waiting for his Tottenham Hotspur side to score their first goal, let alone a win. Honest Ahano made his first top-flight start but ended up losing, while Michael Kayode, Michele Di Gregorio and Matteo Ruggieri saw varying minutes on the bench.
Riccardo Calafiore – Arsenal
Calafiore returned to the XI after missing midweek’s Champions League win over Napoli and was one of four changes Mikel Arteta made for the trip to Sunderland. He played the full 90 minutes as Arsenal won 2-0 at the Stadium of Light, with Bruno Guimarães’ second-half goal and Bukayo Saka’s stoppage-time penalty sealing the victory. It was the fourth win in four for the Gunners, who sit top of the table with a perfect record.
Gianluigi Donnarumma – Manchester City
A fateful afternoon at Old Trafford. Donnarumma made a stoppage-time save from Brian Mbemo to preserve City’s 1-0 derby victory, while Erling Haaland’s controversial second-half goal made it 1-0 after Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute. Manchester City played with ten men for over an hour and still won. Donnarumma’s clean sheet puts them level with Arsenal at the top of the table, just one goal behind.
Honest Ahano – Crystal Palace
The young man’s first Premier League start was also a trial. Ahano was part of Crystal Palace’s back three in a 3-2 loss to Ipswich Town at Selhurst Park, with Zian Fleming scoring the 90th-minute winner against 10 men after Axel Disasi was sent off in the first half. There were some bright spots in the game: he dribbled into midfield to earn a yellow card and then crossed from the left to Quentin Timber.
Sandro Tonali – Tottenham Hotspur
Another blank. Tonali partners Rodrigo Bentancur in midfield as De Zerbi’s Spurs drew 0-0 at home to Everton in their second straight goalless draw, having failed to score in their first four games and take just two points. Premier League Their goal drought has lasted 400 minutes. The home fans expressed their feelings throughout the game.
Michael Kayode – Brentford
One minute for twenty minutes. Kayode replaced Aaron Hickey in the 71st minute at the Vitality Stadium to level the score at 2-2, with Kevin Shedd’s brace twice canceling out Bournemouth’s goals. Brentford are unbeaten with six points from four games, although a third successive draw showed they can’t quite beat the team.
Michelle Di Gregorio – Bournemouth
Djordje Petrovic was once again an unused substitute to retain his place and it was a difficult afternoon as Brentford equalized thanks to Petrovic’s disastrous error. Bournemouth are still without a win under Marco Rose. DiGregorio won’t have many more clear-cut opportunities to prove his point.
Matteo Ruggieri – Aston Villa
Liam Delap and Igor Jesus, who either side of Alisson’s 74th-minute equalizer, were left on the bench as Villa lost 2-1 at home to Nottingham Forest. Unai Emery’s side got off to a poor start and Ruggieri has yet to force his way into the final.