Sports Illustrated’s Premier League Team of the Week: Gameweek One

The Premier League is back, folks. Normality is restored.

Weekly debates as to how you can fill your Saturdays and Sundays in the division’s absence are no longer necessary. Well, until the first of 34 international breaks to end the calendar year rolls around next month, sparking yet another existential crisis.

2025–26 opening weekend may well have peaked on Friday night, with the Sunday “blockbuster” at Old Trafford not quite delivering on the spectacle front despite distinct Manchester United improvement.

Nevertheless, there were an array of standout performances across the division worthy of recognition.

Here is Sports Illustrated’s Premier League Team of the Week for Gameweek One.

Sports Illustrated’s Premier League Team of the Week: Gameweek One

GK: David Raya – Arsenal

Arsenal are now unbeaten in their three previous trips to the Theatre of Dreams, and Sunday’s 1–0 victory was just their third at the home of Man Utd since 2006.

Raya, who’s aiming to secure a third successive Premier League Golden Glove, was hugely responsible for Arsenal’s slender triumph. The Spaniard was outstanding at this ground last season in a 1–1 draw, and he was equally brilliant here.

He made an outstanding stop to deny Matheus Cunha in the first half, one of seven saves Arsenal’s No. 1 was forced to make—the most of any Premier League goalkeeper on opening weekend. While Altay Bayındır’s set-piece flap contributed to United’s defeat, Raya, in contrast, was notably strong when the Red Devils tested him aerially.

RB: Rico Lewis – Man City

Rico Lewis may fall foul of Pep Guardiola’s desire to trim his squad amid transfer interest from Nottingham Forest, but the versatile Manchester City defender has insisted he wants to remain at the club.

Lewis performed an array of roles for Pep last term, but he returned to right-back at Molineux, as City produced the most dominant performance of Gameweek One. The Englishman excelled on opening weekend at Chelsea last season, and impressed on Saturday evening with a display that returned an assist.

The fullback was effective on the underlap, and it was from an inside right position where Lewis teed up Erling Haaland for one of his two goals. Guardiola labelled Lewis “extraordinary”, but wishes the academy graduate was just a little taller. Perhaps that’ll be enough to convince City to sell.

CB: Dan Ballard – Sunderland

Dan Ballard, Niclas Fullkrug — Ballard was superb amid Sunderland’s grand day out. | Stu Forster/Getty Images

Ballard was at it again at the Stadium of Light. The defender’s remarkable stooping header broke Coventry hearts in the second leg of their Championship playoff semifinal last term, and Ballard’s pinpoint header on Saturday contributed to a miserable West Ham afternoon.

It was the dreamiest of Premier League returns for Sunderland, who wiped the floor with an insipid Hammers outfit in the second-half, running away with the contest 3–0. Ballard’s goal was the highlight, but he also ended the contest having won the most duels (ten) and aerial duels (six), and recorded the most clearances (eight).

That’s a 17-point FPL performance right there.

CB: Josh Acheampong – Chelsea

Young Acheampong has primarily operated at right back at the start of his Chelsea career, but injuries meant Enzo Maresca trusted him at the heart of his defence on Sunday.

Midway through the first half, the teenager, having lost the initial duel to Jean-Philippe Mateta, recovered superbly and emphatically dispossessed the surging Daniel Muñoz, before getting up and poking the ball beyond Mateta to win a foul.

It wasn’t quite the occasion nor the opponent, but the moment was reminiscent of Conor Bradley’s thumping challenge on Kylian Mbappé in the Champions League last season.

Acheampong did lose out a couple of times to the imposing Mateta, but the youngster seldom appeared overwhelmed and was a more than capable stand-in for Levi Colwill. Hopes are high for the 19-year-old in west London.

LB: Riccardo Calafiori – Arsenal

Mikel Arteta opted for the buccaneering Italian at left-back over Myles Lewis-Skelly, with the Englishman enduring a so-so preseason.

The Arsenal manager’s choice was vindicated 13 minutes into Sunday’s contest at Old Trafford, as Calafiori took advantage of a Bayındır flap to head home Declan Rice’s in-swinging corner. That proved to be the match-winning moment, as Arsenal, adjusting to the demands of their new starting centre forward, struggled to assert control.

The left back was no standout defensively, and had his work cut out against the impressive Bryan Mbuemo, but he makes our team for his moment on the goal.

CM: Tijjani Reijnders – Man City

As Premier League debuts go, it’s hard to remember too many in recent memory more impressive than Tijjani Reijnders’s at Molineux.

Remarkably, Man City were able to pry the Dutch international from AC Milan without much fuss, and Reijnders cosplayed as the second coming of Ilkay Gündoğan, only silkier, on Saturday evening.

He controls, glides and scores goals. Reijnders’s sumptuous footwork and crafty pass led to Haaland’s opener, before he found the back of the net himself with a pinpoint left-footed finish on the break. To cap off an immense debut, Reijnders teed up Haaland’s second.

CM: Adam Wharton – Crystal Palace

England just doesn’t produce footballers like Adam Wharton all that often. He’s one of a kind.

Crystal Palace were at it again against one of the division’s big boys, frustrating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and deservedly earning a point. Wharton’s hassling, harrying and astute midfield screening ensured the Blues struggled to progress centrally, and the midfielder was also involved in the slickest Eagles sequences in possession.

After teeing up Ismaïla Sarr’s crucial equaliser in the Community Shield, Wharton produced another scything pass for Mateta following a rapid combination with Eberechi Eze. It would’ve been a gorgeous assist, but Mateta’s effort was straight at Robert Sánchez.

RW: Mohammed Kudus – Tottenham

With Harry Kane winning trophies in Bavaria and Son Heung-min bidding an emotional goodbye this summer, there are questions as to who the next poster-boy in N17 will be.

The early favourite has to be new addition Kudus, who starred in preseason and was superb in Spurs’ cruel UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. His league debut for the Lilywhites was laden with energy, and Kudus was responsible for much of the thrills in Saturday’s 3–0 victory over Burnley.

The Ghanaian, stationed down the right, set up both of Richarlison’s goals and ended the weekend having created the most chances across the division (five).

LW: Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth

Friday night showed the very best of Antoine Semenyo, the man and footballer.

Subject to racist abuse from a Liverpool supporter in the first half of Friday night’s bout, Semenyo refused to wilt and instead thrust the Cherries into a position where they could potentially stun the champions, having found themselves two goals behind.

The winger first steered home David Brooks’s cross on the counter to halve Bournemouth’s deficit, then made the most of the space surrendered by Liverpool in transition to crash home the equaliser. Semenyo’s efforts ultimately failed to return a point or more, but his second-half showing was a testament to the winger’s resolve and character.

ST: Hugo Ekitiké – Liverpool

There was little to write home about as Viktor Gyökeres and Benjamin Sesko made their respective debuts for Arsenal and Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, but, less than 48 hours before, Hugo Ekitiké announced himself to the Premier League at Anfield.

The Frenchman, who scored in last week’s Community Shield defeat, was once again the opening goalscorer here, making the most of some weak Bournemouth defending to burst through and finish.

He’s the real deal, and his, admittedly, forgettable assist for Cody Gakpo, who done most of the hard work, meant Ekitiké became the first Frenchman in history to score and set another up on their Premier League debut.

ST: Richarlison – Tottenham

Tottenham seemed ready to rid themselves of Richarlison this summer, but the Brazilian has instead emerged as a leading figure at the start of Thomas Frank’s reign.

A curious preseason was followed up by one of his most impressive performances in Lilywhite against PSG, with his withdrawal contributing to Spurs’ late demise.

He retained his place in Frank’s starting XI on Saturday despite Dominic Solanke’s return from an ankle injury, and currently looks like the frontrunner to lead Tottenham’s line. After sweeping home the opener, Richarlison doubled Spurs’ lead with an outrageous acrobatic effort that’s already a Goal of the Season contender.