The Premier League is showing signs of a return to more open and attacking football, with 31 goals scored so far in the second round of fixtures, even before Arsenal's trip to Aston Villa on Monday night. This follows 30 goals across the first round of matches, compared to 24 on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 season.
Sunday produced two seven-goal thrillers, with Manchester United beating Ipswich 5-2 and Chelsea edging out Brighton 4-3 at Stamford Bridge. The intensity in the games watched suggests coaches are encouraging attacking play rather than defensive tactics.
Attacking Intent Across the League
Manchester City started the round at Crystal Palace with an attacking formation and were rewarded with two goals apiece for Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki. Enzo Maresca is clearly determined to make his own mark at City but has inherited an incredible group of attacking players.
Cherki is described as a special talent, a throwback to the 1970s and early 80s with a freedom to play. No one gets near him when he is off the ball, and no one can get near his dribbling when he is in possession. Liverpool look weak defensively but are scoring goals, while Andoni Iraola's approach is about intense, high pressing and work rate.
Chelsea's Attacking Start
Chelsea have scored seven goals in their opening two Premier League games, and after beating Brighton 4-3 it is clear that Xabi Alonso has taken off the shackles. Alonso was very tactical and methodical at Bayer Leverkusen, hardly playing heavy metal football, but at Chelsea they seem to be adopting an attitude of scoring more than the opponent.
Their front three of Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer is arguably the best in the Premier League and certainly the most mobile. However, there is negativity when suggesting they can win the league, as many believe you cannot win the title while letting in lots of goals. If Alonso can sort out the defence and get Moises Caicedo fit and on the pitch, they have a big chance.
Defence Still Key for Title Winners
Arsenal won the title last season built on a strong defence and plenty of set-piece goals. They were the second highest scorers in the Premier League, netting 71 goals, six behind top scorers City. It would be good to see a more attacking approach across the board, and the signs are positive.
