Arsenal are top of the Premier League. The confirmation came on 1 November at Anfield, where a 1-0 win over Liverpool put the Gunners clear at the summit of the 2026-27 season after nine matchweeks. The title race has not taken shape yet, but Arsenal have set the standard for everyone else to chase.
Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool
The result that settled the top of the table for now. Arsenal went to Anfield and won, the kind of away performance at a genuine rival that separates title contenders from the rest. The margin was one goal, the performance was sufficiently controlled to suggest a team comfortable in their own process.
Liverpool have Champions League commitments complicating their domestic schedule, as do Arsenal, but the Gunners have navigated both competitions with a consistency that their rivals have not yet matched.
Manchester City 0-1 Brighton
City at home to Brighton, losing. The kind of result that will be pointed to later in the season when the title narrative is being written. Brighton earned all three points, City were below the standard required to beat them, and the gap between Arsenal and their nearest competitor grew a little wider.
City are building toward their peak form, with Phil Foden in outstanding Champions League form, but domestically they have dropped points they will need to recover.
Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United
Chelsea beat United at Stamford Bridge. Under their current manager, Chelsea have been consistently competitive at home and inconsistent away, which is a profile that keeps them in the picture without making them genuine title favourites. United’s away form remains unreliable.
Other Matchweek 9 Results
Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 2-0, continuing a solid home run under their manager. Bournemouth beat Leeds United 2-0. Brentford beat Nottingham Forest 2-0. Coventry City beat Sunderland 3-1. Hull City and Ipswich drew 2-2. Aston Villa drew 1-1 with Fulham.
The Table Picture
Arsenal sit top. Liverpool are their closest challenger having lost to them directly, which makes the gap feel larger than the points tally alone would suggest. Manchester City remain in contention but have been inconsistent in the opening weeks.
The Premier League title race proper tends to crystallise after the Christmas fixtures, when the squad depth and injury management of each contender becomes clearer. What is clear now is that Arsenal have the best record in the country after nine games and that they have done it while simultaneously pursuing a perfect Champions League record.
Managing both competitions without slipping in either one is the challenge that has beaten Arsenal in previous seasons. The early evidence from 2026-27 suggests this squad and this manager are better equipped to handle it than before.
Sources: Football Web Pages | Vavel PL Results