The English Premier League
The English Premier League
Through 16 weeks, the usual suspects are all in the top four. Liverpool leads with Chelsea currently in second place, followed by Arsenal and last year's winners, Manchester City.
Liverpool: How Are They Doing It?
Currently in first place in both the Premier League and the Champions League, the Redshave put themselves in a good position to complete the double this year. Their team is extremely talented and experienced, with Salah and Van Dijk in great form while the surrounding cast has all improved from last year. They have managed to stay healthy, something that has been very difficult for the other contenders. Converting chances will be key for them for the remainder of the year; Last year Nunez led the league in most chances missed, a statistic that can be the difference between winning the league or losing it. As Gakpo and Diaz continue to grow, Liverpool can rely less on Nunez.
Chelsea: Palmer Continues to Dominate
After spending a fortune on players over the last three years, it seems to be coming together for the Blues. Led by their central midfielder, Cole Palmer, he is having yet another exceptional season. Both in terms of playmaking and goals, he has emerged as arguably the best player in the Premier League. He and Jackson are developing an elite partnership. Pedro Neto has been an impactful signing for Chelsea, while Caicedo and Madueke are two other players who are in form. Palmer's health will be key for Chelsea; he is at the heart of all their moves forward, and replacing him would be difficult.
Arsenal: Kings of the Set Pieces ?
Normally, dynamic passing goals come to mind when thinking of the Gunners. This year, however, their efficiency on set pieces has been remarkable. Scoring on corners has kept Arsenal in the hunt for first place. Their overall play has been great this year, hindered by the absence of Ødegaard, but with his return, they are back to their best, which ranks among the top of any team in Europe. The back pairing of Gabriel and Saliba has proven to be as dominant as any center-back duo in Europe.
Manchester City: Cracks in the Fortress
After years of unprecedented success, the walls of Manchester City appear to be cracking. They have lost six in a row and were thoroughly outplayed by Liverpool at Anfield. Injuries are partly to blame; Rodri's absence has been very noticeable, and with their backup defensive mid, Kovacic, also out, winning the ball back has been an issue for City. With the departure of Alvarez and a drop in form from Foden and Silva, it has been a combination of things that have led to their slip at the top of the table. De Bruyne is just now returning and could help City put consecutive wins together The Middle Class The middle of the pack is as competitive as ever, with not many points separating them from the top 4. Nottingham Forest have been the team with the biggest leap from last year, they are currently in 5th. Striker, Chris Wood, is having an excellent season for them as he is among the top goal scorers in the Premier League. A hard worker , big target and a great nose for the net.
The Bottom Half
United, Newcastle and West Ham are further down than they would like, but there is time for them to turn it around. Southampton is in last place and has a steep hill to climb as wins have been very tough to come by, often shooting themselves in the foot with passing errors in their own third of the pitch. Wolves and Ipswitch are the other two teams that will be battling for their premier league lives.