With the second international break of the campaign now in the books, attention turns back toward the bread and butter: Premier League action. We are barely three months into the 2025/26 season, but already, thrilling narratives are unfolding right across the table. None of them is more riveting than the battle for the title.
Reigning champions Liverpool were the preseason favorites to defend their crown, and they came blazing out of the blocks, winning five straight games and flexing their muscles with wins against both Newcastle and Arsenal. However, the Gunners have come roaring back to life, taking full advantage of back-to-back defeats for Arne Slot’s Reds to inherit top spot in the table. And now, it’s Mikel Areta’s men that the online sportsbooks make the team to beat.
The latest odds from the popular Bovada online sportsbook now list Arsenal as the shock 9/10 favorites to claim a first title since the Invinicibles of 2004. However, the champions are still alive, narrowly behind at 2/1, and it’s far too early to write them off just yet. Yet beneath the glare of familiar names and old rivalries, it’s the summer’s new faces who have begun scripting the most compelling subplots.
Here are the three signings that have shone more than the rest throughout the opening months of the 2025/26 season.
Who's winning #PremierLeague Cup this year?
⚽️ Liverpool +190
⚽️ Arsenal +250
⚽️ Manchester City +325
⚽️ Chelsea +850
⚽️ Manchester United +2200
⚽️ Tottenham Hotspur +4000 pic.twitter.com/fOCBuariSE— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) August 14, 2025
Mohammed Kudus
Every so often, a player arrives and instantly alters the trajectory of a club. For Tottenham, Mohammed Kudus is that man.
Moving from West Ham, the Ghanaian swapped East London for North, and he did so with expectations, as well as with plenty of abuse being hurled by his former adoring public at the London Stadium. Now, the attacking midfielder finds Spurs’ creative burden firmly on his shoulders under new boss Thomas Frank. To say he has hit the ground running would be an understatement: He’s handled the transition with the audacity and artistry of a player seemingly unfazed by hype or pressure.
Kudus hasn’t just contributed end product; he has fundamentally changed the way Tottenham play in the final third. His penchant for taking opponents on, his willingness to inject chaos with a dribble or an unpredictable run, have made Spurs a nightmare to defend against. Moments like his match-winning strike against Leeds didn’t just secure three points on the road at the cauldron like Elland Road; they bolstered the North London outfit’s assault on the upper echelons of the Premier League table.
Spurs currently find themselves in third place in the standings, just two points adrift of rivals Arsenal. Such heroics were non-existent last term as Tottenham finished down in 17th place in the table, their worst finish in almost half a century, and just one spot above the drop zone. With Kudus firing on all cylinders, Thomas Frank’s men are now staring at a top-four berth once again as opposed to looking over their shoulders.
Jack Grealish
Jack Grealish’s four years at Manchester City saw the exciting winger’s star power diminish drastically in Pep Guardiola’s strict possession-recycling system. Since making a loan move to Everton in the summer, the England international is now the hero of the Toffees, the embodiment of their new era at the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
David Moyes has managed to drag Grealish back to his exuberant best, shining as Everton’s creative lighthouse, and looking like the superstar that shone as captain of Aston Villa all those years ago. His style is unmistakable, although Premier League onlookers may well have forgotten just how good he can be at his very best. Rather than rolling the ball back to his fullback or a central midfielder like he was instructed to do at the Etihad, Grealish is once again gliding past defenders at will and feeding his teammates with opportunity after opportunity.
But the real story goes beyond any highlight reel. Grealish has changed Everton’s mindset; those watching sense that, when the game hangs in the balance, Everton finally has someone who can make the difference and turn draws into victories. He already has a goal and a mighty four assists to his name. He has catapulted the Toffees back into European contention, and he will be aiming to dazzle further as the season progresses, hoping to force his way back into England manager Thomas Tuchel’s plans for next summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Granit Xhaka
For fans of newly-promoted Sunderland, a signing of the caliber of Granit Xhaka was probably beyond their wildest expectations when they were beating Sheffield United in last season’s Championship Playoff Final at Wembley. The Swiss midfielder was crucial to Arsenal’s initial resurgence under Mikel Arteta, before he moved on to Bayer Leverkusen and captained Die Werkself to a first-ever Bundesliga crown in 2024, becoming the first team in history to claim the Meisterschale without losing a single game.
One year on from that success, Xhaka was on his way out of the BayArena, and it came as a huge shock to everyone when Wearside was announced as his new home. The Black Cats forked out £17.3m to secure his services, and he has set about justifying his price tag almost immediately.
Xhaka has become the heartbeat of a squad determined to rewrite the story usually reserved for Premier League newcomers. As opposed to the relegation fodder offered up by other recently promoted sides, Sunderland look organized, disciplined, and quietly confident of a successful campaign—qualities no doubt radiating from their new midfield general.
Xhaka’s presence has been transformative. With him pulling the strings in midfield, Sunderland are not simply hanging on—they’re dictating play against experienced opposition and showing a tactical nous that belies their status. His leadership has emboldened a young side, galvanizing them to play without fear or restraint.
The impact is clear for all to see: Ninth place in the table, ahead of both Manchester United and Newcastle, with three wins under their belt already. Much of that has been down to Xhaka’s brilliance, and if he continues in a similar vein, then the threat of relegation should be negated with a minimum of fuss.
