Five games into the Premier League season, Tottenham sit rock-bottom with 2 points. Their record is 0 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats, and the gap between them and the early pace-setters is already hard to ignore.

Tottenham's start

The current league position is the part that jumps out first, but the detail behind it is even worse for Roberto De Zerbi. Tottenham have 2 points from 5 games and a -6 goal difference, so this is not just a slow start. It is a run that has left them with no early cushion at all.

Fulham are in the same conversation too. They also have 2 points from 5 games and sit 19th, which means the early pressure is not confined to one dugout.

The early benchmark

At the other end of the table, Manchester City have won all 5 of their Premier League games and sit top with 15 points. They have also won in the Champions League and the League Cup during the same run, which is the sort of start that sets the standard for everyone else.

Simon Bajkowski, quoted by mirror.co.uk, said: "Nobody is perfect and City’s performances have shown plenty of room for improvement, the results have been flawless - and better than Arsenal and everyone else."

That line fits the mood around the champions well enough. The football has not been spotless, but the points have gone exactly where Manchester City wanted them to go.

Clubs already banking credit

Everton are unbeaten after 5 games and have 9 points, which gives David Moyes a very different kind of early-season standing. Arsenal have won 4 of their 5 Premier League games and sit second on 12 points, so Mikel Arteta is also in the safer part of the table.

Jake Murtagh, quoted by mirror.co.uk, said: "The Brentford boss has enjoyed an unbeaten start to the season with the Bees flying high in fourth."

That line is about another club, but the broader point still stands: a good opening few weeks buys time, and a bad one burns through it quickly. Tottenham are already dealing with the second part of that equation.

The table will settle over the months ahead, but after five games the early sack-race picture is already clear. Tottenham are bottom, Fulham are close behind, and City's perfect start has given everyone else a target to chase.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →