Our ridiculously early Premier League awards: Cherki shines, Hurzeler’s Brighton fly, Spurs in crisis | OneFootball

Football is famously knee-jerk, so we're embracing the trend with some ridiculously early Premier League awards for the season so far.

Best Player

Rayan Cherki, quite simply, is an absolute pleasure to watch. The Manchester City magician kickstarted his campaign with both assists as Bournemouth were beaten 2-1 at the Etihad, before scoring twice in a standout performance at Crystal Palace.

The Frenchman has five goal involvements in just 306 minutes of Premier League football, a frightening return from a talent who only turned 23 last month. Cherki has all the attributes to be one of the very best in world football and it's on Enzo Maresca to guide him there.

Best Manager

Fabian Hurzeler hasBrighton punching above their weight once again, with the Seagulls sitting third heading into the international break.

At the weekend, Hurzeler's side thrashed reigning champions Arsenal 3-0 at the Amex Stadium, concluding a week which also saw Brighton dump Manchester United out of the League Cup at Old Trafford.

Hurzeler's side are performing with a real intensity and lead the Premier League for goals scored (16) and goal difference (+11).

Best Young Player

Liverpool took a gamble on Jeremy Jacquet earlier this year and the 21-year-old has already made a big impression.

Jacquet has shone alongside Virgil van Dijk, and boasts thesecond-best duel success rate in the Premier League among defenders to have contested 25+ duels. He's helped Liverpool to an unbeaten start and three consecutive clean sheets to earn a maiden France call-up.

Leeds United have the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League, conceding only three goals to head into the break unbeaten.

Tarik Muharemovic has been a cornerstone of that success, with the big Bosnian settling swiftly into the Premier League.

Muharemovic leads all Premier League centre-backs for interceptions and through passes completed, while he ranks among the league's best for shots blocked (8th), possession won (8th), aerial duels (9th), and long pass accuracy (9th). A big presence in Farke's back three, the 23-year-old looks like money well spent.

Best Goal

A Goal of the Season contender from perhaps the unlikeliest source imaginable.

Take a bow, Lewis Dunk.

Best Save

No goalkeeper has ever won the Premier League's Save of the Month more often than Jordan Pickford, who picked up his fifth accolade in August.

A massive stop on the opening weekend from England's number one.

Biggest Disappointment

Tottenham threw caution to the wind in the summer with a club-record £334m spend on new signings. After successive 17th-place finishes, there was an acceptance that ambition must change, with more money than ever before splashed on recruits.

Five games in, Spurs look worse than ever. Roberto De Zerbi called his team 'fragile and inconsistent' after losing to Aston Villa at the weekend, a result that leaves Spurs bottom of the table, with just two points and two goals scored.

Since November 2024, there have been more Beyonce concerts (6) than Spurs wins (5) at theTottenham Hotspur