Five Unlikely EPL Stars Shining in Early Weeks of Season | OneFootball

As usual, it has been a strange start to the season. Alongside the international breaks, new players and coaches have been getting used to each other, and that has resulted in a number of peculiar results – and sacked managers. As the weeks progress, the EPL will surely kick into its more familiar routine.   Erling Haaland and Mo Salah will no doubt be regular fixtures of some of the best English Premier League betting sites in the months ahead. For now, however, there are some unexpected stars making the headlines and attracting attention.   There is still a long way to go, of course, and the players profiled below might not keep up their form until the end of the season. But, at the moment, they are the ones scoring the goals, making the saves, and creating the chances. They are taking this opportunity to shine and deserve to be noticed.

Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal

The Gunners were one of the big spenders in the summer and a lot of attention immediately fell on the attacking players brought in to boost the club’s chances of reaching that next level. The likes of Gyökeres and Eze were expected to supply the goals that would propel Arsenal forward.   Those new arrivals might have meant that we would not see as much of Gabriel Martinelli. Not a regular first-teamer, his game time looked like it would be severely shortened this term. But the Brazilian winger has embraced his new role of “finisher”, scoring off the bench to help Arsenal win away in Bilbao – and even later to save a point against City.

He still won’t start many games this season, but obviously remains an important part of Arteta’s plans.

Robin Roefs, Sunderland

For the past two seasons, all three of the clubs promoted from the Championship have gone straight back down after just one season. Sunderland looked like it would have a tough time breaking that pattern after scraping through the playoffs last season. But, in the opening months, the Black Cats have lost just one game – and much of their success is down to the man between the sticks.   Robin Roefs had only just broken into the NEC side in his native Netherlands last year but has been a revelation in the EPL, conceding just four goals in the opening six games and undoubtedly winning his side some of the points that have propelled it into the Champions League places.

He will continue to be busy throughout the campaign, but might well end up being the difference between Sunderland staying up or going down.

Antoine Semenyo, Bournemouth

Bournemouth is beginning its fourth consecutive season in the top flight and has long ago discarded the relegation fodder tag that a club of its size might easily attract. That has been down to good organization – from the top down – and a squad that consistently punches above its weight in arguably the biggest league in the world.   The Cherries have started the 2025-26 season in fine fashion, with some important victories over clubs likely to be challenging for European places at the end of the season. One reason for that has been the goals of Antoine Semanyo.

The Ghana international had been linked with a move away from the South Coast in the summer but has scored four in six already, and is fast becoming a firm fans’ favorite. He continues to cause trouble for opposing defenders and will surely score more in the months to come.

Ryan Gravenberch, Liverpool

Liverpool spent over £400 million in the summer and already had some of the best players in the world on its payroll. So, to make an impression at Anfield in the early weeks of the season, you really need to stand out. Ryan Gravenberch has most definitely done that and has become one of Arne Slot’s most important fixtures in the middle of the pitch.   Gravenberch has played nearly every EPL and Champions League game for the Reds, proving just how important he is to the first team. While others will usually take the headlines and score the goals, the Dutch international is more than happy to create and stop opponents, giving Liverpool the best chance possible of retaining its title from last season.