Premier League Team of the Week: Gameweek 1 - Hinshelwood Leads a Goal-Fest Opening

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Last weekend’s Premier League opener delivered goals, upsets and a standout individual performance that set the tone for the 2026/27 season. Jack Hinshelwood of Brighton & Hove Albion earned the highest tips.gg Rating of the round — 9.50 — as our premier league team of the week lines up in a 3-5-2, drawn from 310 players rated across all ten matches played between 21 and 24 August 2026.

Premier League Team of the Week – Gameweek 1

Premier League Team of the Week, Gameweek 1 — 3-5-2, average tips.gg Rating 8.40

Player	Club	Pos	tips.gg Rating	Standout number
Konstantinos Tzolakis	Hull City	GK	7.69	High claims: 4
Keane Lewis-Potter	Brentford	DEF	8.30	Goals: 1
Michael Kayode	Brentford	DEF	8.27	Goals: 1
Semi Ajayi	Hull City	DEF	8.14	Goals: 1
Jack Hinshelwood	Brighton Hove Albion	MID	9.50	Goals: 2
Cole Palmer	Chelsea	MID	9.00	Successful dribbles: 5/8 (63%)
Marc Guehi	Manchester City	MID	8.20	Tackles won: 3/3 (100%)
Vitaly Janelt	Brentford	MID	8.20	Crosses: 4/5 (80%)
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall	Everton	MID	8.20	Shots: 3
João Pedro	Chelsea	ATT	8.70	Goals: 1
Emersonn	Ipswich Town	ATT	8.20	Goals: 1

Brentford are the most represented club in the XI with three players, reflecting their commanding 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Every one of the eleven picks came from the winning side — all 11 players from winning teams, none from draws or defeats — and the XI collectively registered 11 goals and two assists, a remarkable return for an opening gameweek. Seven clubs are represented in total, and the average tips.gg Rating across the XI sits at 8.40.

Goalkeeper

Konstantinos Tzolakis, Hull City — 7.69

Commanding in the air throughout Hull City’s clean-sheet victory, Tzolakis claimed four high balls — more than any other goalkeeper in the gameweek. He was equally busy with his feet, attempting 41 long balls, putting him among only five goalkeepers to reach that mark across the round. His five saves matched the highest tally of any goalkeeper in the gameweek, level with two others, keeping Manchester United at bay as Hull secured a memorable 2-0 opening-day win.

Stats: 5 saves, 4 high claims, 2/2 runs out won (100%), 17/49 accurate passes (35%), 10/41 long balls (24%), 90 minutes

Defence

Keane Lewis-Potter, Brentford — 8.30

A goal made Lewis-Potter one of only five defenders to find the net last weekend, and his contribution stretched beyond the scoresheet. He added a key pass and two interceptions in a display that combined attacking intent with defensive diligence, all while completing 29 of his 33 passes as Brentford eased to a 3-0 win. The clean sheet was the backdrop; the goal was the headline.

Stats: 1 goal, 1 key pass, 2 interceptions, 2 clearances, 29/33 accurate passes (88%), 90 minutes

Michael Kayode, Brentford — 8.27

Equally effective at both ends, Kayode scored to join only five defenders on the scoresheet this gameweek. Defensively, only two defenders recorded more interceptions in the gameweek than his three, and he won all four of his aerial duels — one of only four defenders with four or more aerial duels to reach that mark in the round. A complete performance in 76 minutes of Brentford’s rout.

Stats: 1 goal, 3 interceptions, 4/4 aerial duels won (100%), 8/12 duels won (67%), 4 shots, 76 minutes

Semi Ajayi, Hull City — 8.14

Ajayi’s goal put him among only five defenders to score in Gameweek 1, but his defensive work was just as telling. He recorded more interceptions than any other player on the pitch, and only two players in the match recorded more clearances than his five. A disciplined, all-action 64 minutes that helped Hull keep a clean sheet against Manchester United.

Stats: 1 goal, 2 interceptions, 5 clearances, 3/3 duels won (100%), 13/15 accurate passes (87%), 64 minutes

Midfield

Jack Hinshelwood, Brighton Hove Albion — 9.50

Two goals from midfield made Hinshelwood the highest scorer in his position group — no other midfielder found the net more than once in the gameweek. The numbers behind the goals were equally impressive: he won all six of his duels, a better duel success rate than any other midfielder with five or more duels in the round. No player in the match recorded more shots on target than his two. The 9.50 is the highest tips.gg Rating of the gameweek.

Stats: 2 goals, 2 shots on target, 6/6 duels won (100%), 2/2 tackles won (100%), 13/14 accurate passes (93%), 64 minutes

Cole Palmer, Chelsea — 9.00

A goal and an assist in Chelsea’s 3-2 win at Fulham underlined Palmer’s influence, and the dribbling numbers reinforced it: five of his eight attempted dribbles came off, with only one midfielder recording more successful dribbles in the gameweek. The goal and the assist are bare facts — the data records them without comparison — but the combination of both, alongside that dribbling return, made him one of the most complete performers of the round.

Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist, 5/8 successful dribbles (63%), 1 big chance created, 3 key passes, 30/34 accurate passes (88%), 83 minutes

Marc Guehi, Manchester City — 8.20

Guehi scored for Manchester City in their 2-1 win over Bournemouth and backed it up with a dominant physical display. He won more tackles than any other player on the pitch, completing all three he attempted, and won more duels than any other player in the match — eight of his eleven. The goal was the flourish; the defensive work was the foundation.

Stats: 1 goal, 3/3 tackles won (100%), 8/11 duels won (73%), 1 big chance created, 58/61 accurate passes (95%), 90 minutes

Vitaly Janelt, Brentford — 8.20

Janelt added a goal to Brentford’s 3-0 win and was the gameweek’s most accurate crosser in his position group — four of his five crosses found their target, more than any other midfielder in the round. He also matched the highest interception tally of any midfielder in the gameweek, level with two others, with four. A box-to-box display that captured everything Brentford produced on the day.

Stats: 1 goal, 4/5 accurate crosses (80%), 4 interceptions, 2 key passes, 3/4 tackles won (75%), 33/37 accurate passes (89%), 90 minutes

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Everton — 8.20

Everton’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace owed much to Dewsbury-Hall’s energy in the middle. He scored and was a constant threat, with only one player in the match recording more shots than his three. Two key passes added a creative dimension to a performance that was as much about industry as invention.

Stats: 1 goal, 3 shots, 2 key passes, 5/9 duels won (56%), 32/37 accurate passes (86%), 89 minutes

Attack

João Pedro, Chelsea — 8.70

Involved in Chelsea’s win from first to last, João Pedro scored and assisted — one of only four forwards to register an assist in the gameweek, and one of only six to score. His four shots ranked second among all forwards in the round, with only one forward recording more. A big chance created alongside two key passes showed he was doing far more than finishing.

Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots, 1 big chance created, 2 key passes, 15/20 accurate passes (75%), 90 minutes

Emersonn, Ipswich Town — 8.20

Emersonn’s goal helped Ipswich Town to a 2-1 win over Sunderland on the opening day, and the supporting numbers were strong. He won seven of his ten duels, with only one forward with five or more duels bettering his 70 per cent success rate in the gameweek. Two successful dribbles from two attempts placed him second among all forwards in the round for that metric, with only one forward recording more.

Stats: 1 goal, 7/10 duels won (70%), 2/2 successful dribbles (100%), 2 key passes, 2 shots on target, 66 minutes

On the bench

The reserves open with goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher (Brentford, 7.52), who kept four saves and had the second-best long-ball accuracy of any goalkeeper with four or more long balls in the gameweek. In defence, Nobel Mendy (Hull City, 7.95) scored and made 12 clearances — only one defender recorded more in the round — while Ben White (Arsenal, 7.85) contributed an assist and 74 accurate passes. In midfield, Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton & Hove Albion, 8.20) scored and hit more shots than any other player in his match, and Martin Odegaard (Arsenal, 8.20) scored and won more tackles than anyone else on the pitch. Up front, Kai Havertz (Arsenal, 7.92) scored and won three of his five aerial duels, and Thierno Barry (Everton, 7.67) added a goal and a key pass in Everton’s win.

Unlucky to miss out

Five midfielders and one forward were next in line on the ratings and just missed the cut. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, 8.20) scored and had three shots, Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth AFC, 7.99) scored and won six duels, Morgan Rogers (Chelsea, 7.92) scored and created more key passes than any other midfielder in the gameweek, and Anton Stach (Leeds United, 7.80) scored and matched the highest interception tally of any midfielder in the round. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool, 7.79) scored and registered more shots than any other midfielder in the gameweek. Forward Ellis Simms (Coventry City, 6.49) is absent for a different reason: our selection rule excludes players whose side lost by three or more goals.

Impact substitutes

Our selection rule requires a minimum of 60 minutes played, so players who came on late were never in contention for the XI. Rayan Cherki (Manchester City) played just 27 minutes yet registered two assists — more than any other midfielder in the gameweek — and four key passes, second only to one other midfielder in the round.

Flop XI of the gameweek

The lowest-rated eleven of Gameweek 1 is dominated by Aston Villa, who struggled by the numbers in their 4-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. Victor Lindelöf (4.40) is the lowest-rated player in the group, joined by teammates John McGinn (5.16), Matty Cash (5.44) and Ian Maatsen (5.45). Coventry City also feature heavily after their 3-0 loss to Arsenal, with Caleb Yirenkyi (5.59) and Loum Tchaouna (5.65) among those who struggled to make an impression.

Lowest tips.gg Ratings of Gameweek 1 (5-4-1)

Player	Club	Pos	tips.gg Rating
Marco Bizot	Aston Villa	GK	5.63
Victor Lindelöf	Aston Villa	DEF	4.40
Matty Cash	Aston Villa	DEF	5.44
Ian Maatsen	Aston Villa	DEF	5.45
Pau Torres	Aston Villa	DEF	5.67
Milan van Ewijk	Coventry City	DEF	5.71
John McGinn	Aston Villa	MID	5.16
Caleb Yirenkyi	Coventry City	MID	5.59
Loum Tchaouna	Coventry City	MID	5.65
Romeo Lavia	Chelsea	MID	5.84
Jean-Philippe Mateta	Crystal Palace	ATT	6.11

How we pick our Premier League Team of the Week

Our Team of the Week is a proprietary tips.gg system. Both the tips.gg Rating and the selection rule set out below are built and maintained in-house, and they are applied to every gameweek in exactly the same way. There is no vote, no fan poll and no third-party team of the week behind these picks.

The tips.gg Rating

The tips.gg Rating scores an individual performance in a single match on a 1–10 scale, where about 6.0 is an average afternoon. It is calculated from that player’s own recorded match statistics — what he did on the ball, in duels, in front of goal and in his own box — so a rating always describes one player in one match, never a season and never a reputation.

Who is eligible

• Minutes. An outfield player must complete at least 60 minutes of the match; a goalkeeper at least 85. Cameos are not judged against full performances.
• Discipline. Anyone sent off, by straight red card or second yellow, is excluded, and so is any player credited with an own goal.
• Heavy defeats. Outfield players whose side lost by three goals or more are excluded from the eleven. Goalkeepers are exempt, because a busy goalkeeper in a one-sided defeat is a legitimate pick rather than an accident of the scoreline.

How the eleven is built

• Every eligible player is ranked inside his position group — Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield, Attack — strictly by the tips.gg Rating. No bonus for the result, the opponent or the venue: the rating already reflects what happened in the match.
• Exact ties are broken in a fixed order: minutes played, clean sheet (goalkeepers and defenders), goals and assists excluding penalties, duel success rate, accurate passes, defensive actions, possession lost, then surname. The chain is published so that the same gameweek always produces the same eleven.
• The shape follows the players, not the other way round. We take the best goalkeeper and the best ten outfield players inside set limits — three to five defenders, three to five midfielders, one to three forwards — testing every legal shape and keeping the eleven with the highest combined tips.gg Rating. That is why the formation changes from gameweek to gameweek.
• No more than three players from one club and no more than four from any single match, goalkeeper included, so one result cannot take over the team.
• The bench is the next seven in line — one goalkeeper, two defenders, two midfielders, two forwards — and the club and match limits do not apply to it.
• The Flop XI is the same machine run in reverse: lowest ratings first, same minutes requirement, and here red cards and own goals are left in, because in that context they are the story.

Selection rule totw-v2.0, applied to 10 of 10 Premier League matches in Gameweek 1.