Premier League top-four odds: Chelsea and United out to 11/4

Even last season under Thomas Tuchel, on their way to a 12th-placed finish with a revolving door of managers, Chelsea had seven points at this stage.

Wins and losses

United have lost three of their first five games for the first time in the Premier League era, with the Brighton result following defeats against Tottenham and Arsenal.

Erik ten Hag’s side lost two of their first five last season, for the seventh time in the Premier League, but have now gone one worse.

They have at least won the other two, beating Wolves 1-0 and Nottingham Forest 3-2, to avoid matching the 2004-05 and 2014-15 seasons when they won only one of their first five.

Chelsea have only one win, against Luton, the sixth time in the Premier League and first since 2015-16 that they have won only one of their first five. Mauricio Pochettino’s men have two defeats, the same as last season and one fewer than their nightmare start in 2015-16.

Goals

Chelsea’s five goals scored are their fewest in the first five Premier League games since 1995-96, matching that campaign and 1993-94 for their lowest total. Raheem Sterling’s brace against Luton makes him their only player with more than one to his name.

United have scored six – only five times have they scored fewer at this stage, including five goals last season and a record low three in 2007-08 – but their bigger problem may be at the other end.

The 10 goals they have conceded, three each to Arsenal and Brighton and two each to Spurs and Forest, is their second-highest total after five games.

The only worse start defensively came in 2020-21, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side scored nine in their first five but conceded 12 to leave them with seven points. That included losing 3-1 to Crystal Palace and 6-1 to Tottenham.

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All odds and markets correct as of date of publication