HULL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United, looks on during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Hull City and Manchester United at MKM Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Hull, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first Gameweek of the new English Premier League season gave us plenty to talk about. Clubs such as Arsenal , Manchester City , Liverpool , Chelsea and Manchester United were among the clubs that got a lot of attention from fans.
Some teams made a good start, while others dropped points and will want to do better in their next games. There were also some strong individual performances, which gave us more to look at from the opening round.
With all of that in mind, Gameweek 1 has already given us a few early lessons. Here are three things that stood out from the first round of games.
Home Advantage Made a Big Difference
Home teams had a very good start to the new English Premier League season. Seven of the ten completed games ended in home wins, while there was only one away win and one draw .
That clearly shows how much home advantage helped teams in the opening round. Arsenal, Brighton and Manchester City all made the most of playing in front of their own fans, while Newcastle United also avoided defeat against Liverpool .
It is still too early to know if this trend will continue, but the first Gameweek showed that away teams could have a tough time picking up points this season.
Hull Produced The Biggest Surprise
Hull City gave us the biggest shock of Gameweek 1 by beating Manchester United 2-0. Hull were expected to have a difficult season after returning to the Premier League, so few would have expected them to take all three points against United.
Semi Ajayi opened the scoring before Nobel Mendy added a second to seal a big win. Hull stayed calm and made the most of their chances, while United struggled to create enough in attack.
For Hull, it was the perfect way to start their return to the Premier League. Manchester United, meanwhile, will have plenty to think about after such a poor opening result.
The promoted clubs made a strong start
The promoted clubs also gave us plenty to talk about after taking six points from their first three games. Hull City beat Manchester United, while Ipswich Town started their return to the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Sunderland .
Coventry City were the only promoted side to lose, going down 3-0 to Arsenal. Even so, two wins from three games is a good start for the newly promoted teams and should give them confidence.
However, there is still a long way to go this season, but Hull and Ipswich have already shown that the promoted clubs may have more to offer than some expected.