Premier League Team of the Week – Raya, Ballard, Reijnders | OneFootball

Our Premier League Team of the Week is back for the first time in 2025/26. Here are our standouts from the league’s opening weekend.

Goalkeeper: David Raya – Arsenal

A good goalkeeper can make all the difference, and Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Manchester United proved that better than most. While Altay Bayindir’s blunder gifted Arsenal the decisive goal, the Gunners had their own David Raya pulling off heroics at the other end.

No goalkeeper made more saves than Raya (7) this weekend, with his reflex stop from Matheus Cunha arguably the best of the Premier League’s opening games.

Right-back: Josh Acheampong – Chelsea

Drafted in as a late replacement for Tosin Adarabioyo, the performance of Josh Acheampong might lead Enzo Maresca to rethink his desire for a new centre-back.

The 19-year-old remains a work in progress but was excellent in the goalless draw with Crystal Palace. He carried the ball confidently forward down the right-hand side as Reece James inverted into midfield and won 9/12 defensive duels.

Centre-back: Dan Ballard – Sunderland

A hero of Sunderland’s play-off campaign and a protagonist again during the club’s stunning success on their return to the Premier League. Ballard was outstanding defensively with nine clearances, including one off the goal-line, and a 100% success rate in ground duels (4/4).

At the other end, he scored Sunderland’s second with a brilliant header, as the Black Cats thrashed West Ham 3-0 on Wearside.

Centre-back: Dan Burn – Newcastle

It’s an all-North East pairing at the back with Dan Burn immense in Newcastle’s draw at Aston Villa.

Burn barely gave England teammate Ollie Watkins a sniff, won six aerial duels, and put in some crucial challenges.

Left-back: Rayan Ait-Nouri – Manchester City

Wolves were well aware of the threat Rayan Ait-Nouri can pose, but could do little to stop their former favourite.

Ait-Nouri had an impressive Premier League debut against his old side, leading his teammates for tackles, clearances, and interceptions. The Algerian has added a more traditional left-back to Pep Guardiola’s squad and looks a fine fit.

Midfield: Elliot Anderson – Nottingham Forest

Has Anderson won the assist of the season on the opening weekend?

His first-time slide-rule pass to release Chris Wood against Brentford was a thing of beauty, the latest highlight for a midfielder who is getting better and better at Forest.

An England call-up surely beckons for Anderson on this form.

Midfield: Tijjani Reijnders – Manchester City

A dream debut for the Manchester City midfielder. Reijnders opened up the game for the opener at Wolves, with a wonderful slalom run and lofted pass into Rico Lewis.

He doubled the lead with a crisp finish for the second, before setting up Erling Haaland for the third. The Dutchman is the first Manchester City player to score and assist on debut since Sergio Aguero in 2011. Superb.

Midfield: Morgan Gibbs-White – Nottingham Forest

How Forest fans will be relieved that their club has managed to hold onto Morgan Gibbs-White. The midfielder was magnificent in the 3-1 win over Brentford, with the midfield trio of the England international, Elliot Anderson, and Ibrahima Sangare full of class.

He got his first assist of the season with a delicious cross for Dan Ndoye to head home and was full of invention all afternoon.

Forward: Richarlison – Tottenham Hotspur

Followed an impressive outing in the UEFA Super Cup with a standout showing to stake his claim to be Tottenham’s number nine.

The Brazilian guided in a brilliant opener from Mohammed Kudus’s cross, before scoring a spectacular scissor-kick second as the same two players combined again.

Alongside his two goals, he worked tirelessly out of possession to lead the press.

Forward: Hugo Ekitike – Liverpool

Marked his Premier League debut with a goal after netting in last week’s Community Shield.

The Frenchman kept his cool when powering in on the Bournemouth goal, and later turned provider for Cody Gakpo to double the lead. He’s made an instant impression at Anfield.

Forward: Erling Haaland – Manchester City

Erling Haaland just loves playing in August. The Norwegian resumed normal service for the Premier League’s opening month with two clinical goals in Manchester City’s 4-0 win at Wolves.

Haaland has now scored 21 Premier League goals in August, in just 12 games. Absurd.

Read – The Premier League returns, Isak runs away and West Ham fraudulence

See more – Nine things we’re excited about for the 2025/26 season

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