Image source, Getty Images

Four wins from their opening five games suggest Unai Emery's Aston Villa are more than prepared to go and replicate last season's superb top-four finish.

It's three Premier League wins on the bounce for Villa since their sole loss to Arsenal last month - and five successive victories in all competitions including wins in the Champions League and EFL Cup.

Villa, having beaten Leicester, Everton and Wolves in recent weeks, last enjoyed a longer winning run in the Premier League in March and April 2023, when they won five in a row.

Making it four-in-a-row today will take them level with Liverpool on 15 points from a possible 18 after six games, which would undoubtedly represent a real statement of intent.

Image source, Getty Images

There was an injury concern for Three Lions captain Harry Kane after he limped out of Bayern Munich's 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Bayern say the initial diagnosis on Kane's ankle injury is "positive", however, after the 31-year-old was substituted in the 86th minute of the Bundesliga match at the Allianz Arena following a challenge by Leverkusen's Amine Adli.

Bayern said Kane "suffered a painful blow to his ankle" but that examinations by the medical department on Sunday "revealed a positive development".

Vincent Kompany's side face Aston Villa in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Mohamed Salah's penalty sent Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League as they beat winless Wolves in Saturday's late kick-off.

The forward's second-half spot kick quickly restored an advantage that had been cancelled out by Rayan Ait-Nouri's leveller, after Ibrahima Konate's first Premier League goal gave the visitors the lead at Molineux.

Arne Slot's side capitalised on Manchester City’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle and moved back above Arsenal to reclaim top spot with a hard-fought win while the hosts remain bottom.

But Slot admitted being top at this early stage "doesn't say much".

Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to earn a dramatic victory over Leicester at Emirates Stadium.

A Wilfred Ndidi own goal in the 94th minute and a close-range Kai Havertz strike in the ninth minute of stoppage time denied a Foxes side who were within reach of an unlikely point after clawing back a two-goal deficit in the second half.

On Match of the Day, Arsenal's set-pieces - not for the first time this season - were identified as key.

Mark Schwarzer
Former Australia keeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

John McGinn has been a good player over the last couple of seasons and it's a big loss for Villa today.

Is Cole Palmer England's best player?

Here's what the Match of the Day panel had to say on that last night.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

For an attacking player, being compared to legendary Premier League forwards Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie is not a bad thing at all.

Chelsea striker Cole Palmer was likened to both after his history-making performance in Saturday's 4-2 win against Brighton at Stamford Bridge.

The 22-year-old got all four goals, scoring them in the first half of the game - the first time that has ever been done in the Premier League.

Palmer also had one goal disallowed and hit the woodwork as Brighton could not cope with him.

"He has got a bit of finesse, Bergkamp, Van Persie about him, and they weren't bad at all," former England and Arsenal forward Theo Walcott said after the game.

Read more here.

After Everton's victory over Crystal Palace there are now five sides still without a Premier League victory, including Ipswich Town - although they have earned three draws to sit above Southampton, in action against Bournemouth on Monday, and Wolves.

Manchester United will be desperate to lift themselves out of the bottom half when they host Tottenham, who are directly above them in 10th, with both sides six points adrift of the top four.

Still early days, but here's how things look at the top.

Manchester City's dropped points at Newcastle mean there's a huge opportunity for Aston Villa at Portman Road in the first game of the day.

Unai Emery's side can move level on points with Liverpool at the Premier League summit after six games with a victory.

Ipswich make three changes from the 1-1 draw at Southampton last Saturday.

Kalvin Phillips takes the place of Jens Cajuste and starts in midfield alongside captain Sam Morsy.

Kieran McKenna also adds Jack Clarke and Chiedozie Ogbene to his starting XI, with Wes Burns and Sammie Szmodics making way.

Ipswich XI: Muric, Tuanzebe, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis, Morsy, Phillips, Ogbene, Hutchinson, Clarke, Delap.

Subs: Walton, Johnson, Townsend, Luongo, Taylor, Burns, Chaplin, Szmodics, Hirst.

Aston Villa make one change from their most recent Premier League outing - a 3-1 home win against Wolves on 21 September.

Captain John McGinn is injured, so Leon Bailey is in from the start for Unai Emery's side.

Villa XI: Martinez, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne, Tielemans, Onana, Bailey, Ramsey, Rogers, Watkins.

Subs: Gauci, Nedeljkovic, Maatsen, Bogarde, Philogene, Swinkels, Barkley, Buendia, Duran.

Liverpool moved top of the table with their 2-1 win at Wolves, after champions Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle in the day's early kick-off.

Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to beat Leicester City 4-2 and are now level on points with City, and one behind the leading Reds.

Cole Palmer's four-goal haul helped Chelsea to a 4-2 win in a brilliantly entertaining match against Brighton, while Everton earned their first win of the campaign by beating Crystal Palace 2-1.

Elsewhere, Fulham sit sixth after winning 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, while West Ham earned a -1 draw at Brentford after the Bees made history by scoring in the first minute for a third successive league game.

Image source, Getty Images

Kalvin Phillips does start for Ipswich Town.

Meanwhile, Leon Bailey is in for Aston Villa, who are missing injured captain John McGinn.

Full team news to come.

Time for team news from Sunday's first game at Portman Road...

Image source, Getty Images

Manager Erik ten Hag reported no new injury concerns following Manchester United's Europa League game on Wednesday, which saw Mason Mount return from injury.

Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Leny Yoro all remain on the sidelines.

Tottenham will make a late decision on the fitness of captain Son Heung-min, who was forced off against Qarabag.

Boss Ange Postecoglou confirmed "everyone else is okay" after Thursday's Europa League win, with Wilson Odobert and Richarlison remaining long-term absentees.

Image source, Getty Images

We'll have team news for you from Portman Road in just a few minutes. Until then, here's what we know so far...

Kalvin Phillips should be available for Ipswich after missing their last match with a minor thigh injury, though manager Kieran McKenna has indicated he may not be able to play 90 minutes.

Nathan Broadhead and Harry Clarke are both in contention, with back-up goalkeeper Cieran Slicker the only player ruled out.

Aston Villa captain John McGinn is sidelined after injuring his hamstring against Wolves.

Lucas Digne, who was forced off at half-time last weekend, has been pictured in training this week, indicating he may be fit to play.

Manager Unai Emery says long-term absentees Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara will start to get minutes with the under-21s next week and could be back with the senior team after the international break.

After Cole Palmer's four-goal heroics yesterday, who will be the star of Sunday's Premier League double-header?

Two tasty games coming up today feature Ipswich Town bidding for a first league win against high-flying Aston Villa (14:00), before a high-stakes mid-table clash at Old Trafford sees Manchester United host Tottenham - with both sides looking to kick-start their campaigns.

Let's build up to that and get stuck in to some reaction to yesterday's action.

Feels a bit cold today, doesn't it?

Image source, Getty Images