Newcastle United’s badge – Source: Unsplash

The 2025/26 Premier League season has barely gotten underway, with just a few games played by each team thus far. However, even though fans have had very little football to digest, the first international break of the year is already here. While the English top-flight’s best players jet off to help their countries attempt to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, some clubs will be recalibrating and trying to understand what exactly has gone wrong throughout the opening games, and where they need to improve. 

One team that certainly doesn’t need too many pointers is reigning champions Liverpool. The Reds have started the new season with a perfect three wins from three, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s 30-yard thunderbolt enough to secure a 1-0 win against title rivals Arsenal at Anfield, prompting online betting sites to install his side as heavy favourites for a second straight crown. The latest online betting odds list Arne Slot’s side as the 5/4 favourites to win the Premier League again this season, just clear of the aforementioned Gunners. 

But while everything is rosy at Anfield, some teams were absolutely desperate for the international break to arrive. The two-week layoff provides ample opportunity to take stock, recalibrate, and find a way to improve when the Premier League returns in a couple of weeks. Here are the three teams we feel need the break the most. 

Arsenal have by no means had a disastrous start to the season. Far from it. Victory away at Manchester United on the opening weekend, coupled with a 5-0 drubbing of Leeds on home turf a week later, is a testament to that. However, much as has been the case over the last three years, injuries are already taking their toll, leaving the Emirates Stadium faithful suffering from deja vu. 

Mikel Arteta led his side to Anfield on matchday three already missing key players. Talisman Bukayo Saka didn’t even make the match-day squad, while captain Martin Ødegaard was only fit enough to make the bench. If that wasn’t bad enough, star defender William Saliba was carted off with an injury after just five minutes. 

The Gunners will take pride in the fact that even though they were depleted, champions Liverpool never truly looked like beating them, and it took something absolutely spectacular to send Arsenal back to North London empty-handed. Even so, the international break has come at the perfect time. 

Manager Arteta now has the perfect opportunity to reassure his squad that there is no need to panic following that Liverpool defeat. His side was more than competitive even without their best players, and as the next fortnight passes, his main men will have the time to recover and hopefully return to the first team fold. 

Newcastle have endured a painful summer. The Alexander Isak saga dominated headlines the world over, not just on Tyneside. Add to that the fact that they missed out on a slew of transfer targets such as Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko, and it’s clear that Eddie Howe desperately needed the international break to stem the tide of negativity flowing into St. James’ Park. 

The Magpies qualified for the UEFA Champions League last season, and they harbour hopes of a return this year as well. But the lofty expectations have done little to help the Toon Army’s early-season form. Newcastle have fired a blank in two of their opening three games so far this term, picking up goalless draws away at both Aston Villa and Leeds United. In their only home game of the season against Liverpool, the ten-man Toon rallied from two goals down to level things up at 2-2 before succumbing to a 100th-minute defeat courtesy of 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha’s winner. 

The North East outfit managed to sign two strikers as the transfer deadline approached. Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa arrived from Stuttgart and Brentford, respectively, and now Eddie Howe has a fortnight to embed both new additions into his squad. Expect Newcastle to be much improved when they welcome Wolves to St. James’ Park following the international break. 

Only one team hasn’t scored a single goal so far this season. That is Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side have made a disastrous start to the new campaign, with their sole point coming in a goalless draw at home to Newcastle on the opening day. Since then, they have lost 1-0 on the road at relegation favourites Brentford before suffering a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Crystal Palace at Villa Park a week later. 

Much like Newcastle, the Villans have had a tough summer, with PSR handicapping them in the transfer market. On transfer deadline day, they made some moves to flesh out their squad, bringing in Jadon Sancho on loan from Manchester United, Harvey Elliott on loan from Liverpool, and free agent Victor Lindelöf. Now, Emery must bed these signings in before the trip to Everton following the break. 

Another interesting subplot is the goalkeeping situation. Emi Martínez has been Villa’s undisputed number one for the last three years. However, speculation over his future has seen him ousted from the matchday squad, with Emery moving to bring in a replacement in the form of Marco Bizot from Brest. 

Now, though, Martinez’s proposed move to Manchester United has fallen through, and his manager has to decide whether to turn back to the two-time World Goalkeeper of the Year or stick with his new French shot stopper. Luckily, he has the entirety of the international break to decide.