Was Palace 3-3 Bournemouth the BEST MATCH of 2025/26 so far?

Despite being less than a quarter of the way through the season, we have already been treated to a host of brilliant matches, packed with goals and plenty of drama throughout.

Here Tom Prentki looks back at some of the best of 2025/26 so far, starting with Saturday's six-goal thriller between Crystal Palace and AFC Bournemouth.

But was it the standout match of the Premier League season so far? You can vote to have YOUR say on which you think is the best.

Crystal Palace 3-3 AFC Bournemouth, 18 Oct

It was the game that had everything: A teenager announcing himself on the Premier League stage with two goals, VAR drama, a disallowed goal, a penalty, an equaliser in the seventh minute of stoppage time and a glaring miss by Crystal Palace’s hat-trick hero, Jean-Philippe Mateta, two minutes later.

Fitting then that this most pulsating of games finally ended honours even between the teams who have so far proved to be the season’s surprise packages, and whose managers have drawn plenty of admiring glances.

Bournemouth had raced into a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to a brace from 19-year-old Eli Kroupi, who was starting his first Premier League match.

But Palace are unbeaten at Selhurst Park since April and they came storming back thanks to two goals in five minutes from Mateta.

Ryan Christie thought he had won it for Andoni Iraola’s side when he swept in Bournemouth’s third on 89 minutes before Mateta sealed his hat-trick deep into stoppage time.

The drama wasn’t over, though, as Mateta missed the simplest of chances two minutes later after Daniel Munoz had raced down the right and teed him up perfectly.

Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool, 27 Sep

Selhurst Park was again the setting for the visit of the Premier League champions and the Eagles soared into a ninth-minute lead when Ismaila Sarr scored from close range.

Ryan Gravenberch was prevented from equalising when his fierce low shot was brilliantly tipped on to a post by Dean Henderson.

The pendulum then swung back the other way and Adam Wharton teed up Mateta, who curled a shot against the angle of post and crossbar for Oliver Glasner’s side.

Federico Chiesa bundled in what looked to be a precious equaliser three minutes from the end of normal time for Arne Slot’s men after Alisson had made a string of saves to keep Liverpool in touch.

Then, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Eddie Nketiah smashed in a dramatic winner at the far post for Palace, after the ball eventually dropped to him from Jefferson Lerma’s long throw.

To make the tension even more unbearable, Palace were forced to endure a lengthy VAR check before Nketiah was eventually adjudged to have been onside.

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal, 28 Sep

St James’ Park was this time the scene of late drama as Gabriel pounced in the sixth minute of second half stoppage-time to give Arsenal all three points.

The scene was set for a tetchy encounter when Nick Pope was initially deemed to have brought down Viktor Gyokeres for a penalty, before Jarred Gillett consulted the pitchside monitor and announced to the stadium that that Pope "played the ball and that there was no foul".

Newcastle United then led before half-time when Nick Woltemade powerfully headed in Sandro Tonali’s cross, to make Mikel Arteta’s blood pressure rise still further.

Mikel Merino equalised brilliantly six minutes from time as his header flicked in off the far post following Declan Rice’s swirling delivery.

But Gabriel then performed the sweetest of encores as the set-piece specialists claimed victory when the Brazilian defender headed in Martin Odegaard’s corner to stun the home crowd.

Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool, 25 Aug

Like Selhurst Park, St James’ Park has seen plenty of entertainment so far this season, and it began long before kick-off in this fixture, with Liverpool then in the midst of a protracted pursuit of Newcastle’s star striker Alexander Isak.

Eddie Howe’s side endured late heartbreak in this one too, with the then 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha (now 17) eventually scoring the winner in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time.

Slot will have been furious to see his players let slip a two-goal lead given to them by Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, especially as Newcastle had been reduced to 10 men when Anthony Gordon was sent off in first-half stoppage time.

The atmosphere was electric as Howe’s side stormed back in the second half, restoring parity through Bruno Guimaraes and William Osula, who equalised in the 88th minute.

But there was a cruel sting in the tail when Dominik Szoboszlai’s brilliant dummy saw the ball arrive with Ngumoha at the far post, and he made no mistake.

Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool, 4 Oct

Enzo Maresca couldn’t contain his excitement after seeing 18-year-old winger Estevao Willian come off the bench and seal a crucial victory against the Premier League champions at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca was sent off and later fined for his overexuberant celebrations after Estevao struck the winning goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time for the home side.

The night began with an unstoppable shot into the top corner by Moises Caicedo, a lead which Chelsea held until deep into the second half.

It was cancelled out when Cody Gakpo scored from close range after Isak had helped on Szoboszlai’s cross.

The game pivoted on the second-half substitution of Estevao, who soon set up a great chance which Enzo Fernandez failed to convert at the far post.

But there was to be one last chance for Chelsea, and Estevao took it when he stole in at the far post to convert Marc Cucurella’s low cross and condemn Liverpool to a third straight defeat.

Man Utd 3-2 Burnley, 30 Aug

Under pressure Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim breathed a huge sigh of relief, but was unable to watch as his captain, Bruno Fernandes, scored a penalty in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time to edge the Red Devils to victory against Burnley at Old Trafford.   

United led in the 27th minute when Casemiro’s header cannoned against the crossbar and in off Burnley’s Josh Cullen.

The Clarets equalised 10 minutes after half-time when Lyle Foster acrobatically turned in Jacob Bruun Larsen’s cross before Bryan Mbuemo became the first United player to score in the league this season as he restored their lead two minutes later.

Burnley equalised for a second time when Kyle Walker’s long throw caused panic among the United defence, who hesitated to allow Jaidon Anthony to score at the far post.

But Anthony’s afternoon turned into a miserable one as he grabbed Amad’s shirt when the United winger raced into the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Although referee Sam Barrott initially waved away the penalty claims, a VAR review eventually led to a spot-kick being awarded.

Despite missing at Fulham six days earlier, Fernandes took a deep breath and kept his cool, finding the bottom corner.

Sunderland 2-1 Brentford, 30 Aug

Sunderland continued their impressive start to life back in the Premier League with a tense victory over Brentford, thanks to Wilson Isidor’s winner in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time.

The Stadium of Light was euphoric when Robin Roefs saved Kevin Schade’s tame penalty just before the hour mark.

But 13 minutes from time it looked like it would be Keith Andrews’ side who would come away with a victory as Igor Thiago headed past Roefs from Frank Onyeka’s cross.

But five minutes later, Anthony Taylor awarded Sunderland a penalty after Rico Henry was adjudged to have pulled Habib Diarra to the ground at a corner.

Enzo Le Fee succeeded where Schade had failed and Regis Le Bris’ side were level.

Former Roma midfielder Le Fee then had a hand in the Black Cats’ dramatic winner, finding Granit Xhaka, whose cross was emphatically headed in at the near post by Isidor.