The 2025-26 Premier League season has reached a key stage and the so-called conventional “Massive Six” — Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester Metropolis, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur — have skilled wildly contrasting fortunes on their technique to the 10-game mark, although all of them at present sit inside the highest eight, with Bournemouth in fourth place and Sunderland in seventh.
Each top-flight group — apart from Sunderland and Everton who meet on Monday evening — have now performed 10 league video games and given themselves a transparent indication of what they’ll, and may’t, obtain between now and Could.
4 managers have already been fired: Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou (each Nottingham Forest), Graham Potter (West Ham) and Vitor Pereira (Wolves). And others, together with United’s Ruben Amorim, have discovered themselves underneath intense stress.
However on the prime of the desk, the stress is on the “Massive Six” to stay as much as expectations and ship silverware and UEFA Champions League qualification. Some are progressing past expectations and others are effectively off the tempo, so with over 1 / 4 of the season now carried out, how are they shaping up?
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ARSENAL: 1st
GRADE: A
STORY SO FAR: After three consecutive runners-up finishes within the Premier League, this season may need been billed as “Now or By no means” for Mikel Arteta’s hopes of successful Arsenal’s first Premier League title since 2004, particularly with the membership spending over £250 million on new signings this summer season.
However regardless of some criticism for an absence of risk-taking by Arteta, particularly when dropping at Liverpool and drawing at residence to Manchester Metropolis, Arsenal are flying excessive on the prime of the desk with a six-point lead and look on target to finish their title drought.
Arsenal are probably the most constant group and their mastery of set items provides them a bonus over their rivals. And their protection, which has conceded simply three league targets in ten video games, is a giant motive why they’re wanting so formidable.
The Gunners have a giant November forward, with London derbies towards Spurs and Chelsea, plus a visit to in-form Sunderland, however with midfielder Declan Rice and defender Gabriel in the very best type of their careers, Arsenal don’t have anything to concern.
WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Arsenal ought to, and can, clean out the noise about their lack of aptitude and creativity, however extra targets from their forwards could be an enormous step towards the title. New striker Viktor Gyökeres is their prime scorer with simply 4 league targets and winger Bukayo Saka (2) is the one different attacking participant to have scored greater than as soon as this season. However the flipside is that 11 gamers have scored a minimum of one league aim for the Gunners thus far this season, and that exhibits that Arteta’s facet carries a risk from all areas.
1:29
Did Manchester Metropolis reignite the title race with Bournemouth win?
Don Hutchison believes “there is not any motive” why Manchester Metropolis should not think about themselves title challengers to Arsenal following their 3-1 win over Bournemouth.
MANCHESTER CITY: 2nd
GRADE: C
STORY SO FAR: It has been a wierd season for Pep Guardiola’s facet thus far. It’s clearly a group in transition and has been inconsistent to the extent that it has already misplaced three Premier League video games. However regardless of their apparent flaws, Metropolis nonetheless discover themselves in second spot as Arsenal’s closest challengers and they’re going to imagine that their title-winning expertise generally is a important issue if they’re able to preserve tempo with the Gunners till the run-in.
The largest aspect of Metropolis’s means to climb as excessive as second, nonetheless, has been the targets of Erling Haaland. The 25-year-old has already scored 11 league targets, which places him 5 away from the remaining within the race for the Premier League Golden Boot. However, worryingly for Guardiola, Metropolis’s second-highest scorer is Burnley defender Maxime Estève following his two personal targets in a 5-1 defeat on the Etihad in September.
Rodri’s battle for health since getting back from a cruciate ligament damage has restricted the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder’s appearances and Metropolis have appeared susceptible in central areas, however they go into Sunday’s conflict with champions Liverpool on the Etihad in a powerful place regardless of their difficulties.
WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Metropolis merely have to seek out extra targets from gamers who aren’t referred to as Haaland. If the Norway striker avoids damage, then he might fireplace Metropolis to the title, however Guardiola stated after Sunday’s 3-1 win towards Bournemouth — when Haaland scored twice — that will be “powerful for us” with out him. That is an announcement of the plain, but when Haaland does miss a interval of video games, Metropolis want targets from some place else to maintain their hopes alive.
1:22
Nicol: Mo Salah’s aim vs. Aston Villa ‘enormous’ for Liverpool
Steve Nicol talks concerning the significance of Mohamed Salah’s contributions throughout Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa to return to successful methods.
LIVERPOOL: third
GRADE: D
STORY SO FAR: Liverpool have been in all places, beginning the season with 5 straight league wins, after which following it up with 4 successive defeats that ended solely with Saturday’s 2-0 residence win towards Aston Villa.
The reality is that Arne Slot’s group rode their luck with so many late targets within the five-game successful streak, which painted a false image of their performances, whereas their dropping run was additionally all the way down to fortune evading them, particularly throughout the 2-1 Anfield defeat towards Manchester United when Cody Gakpo hit the woodwork on three separate events.
However though Liverpool sits third, seven factors behind Arsenal, they’ve actually misfired this season and their £415 million summer season spending spree has carried out little to enhance the champions. With six first-team gamers coming in and 6 transferring on, plus the tragic dying of Diogo Jota, Slot has been unable to seek out consistency and the group seems to be imbalanced.
Massive signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have did not ship when chosen and Liverpool have actually missed goalkeeper Alisson Becker since he was injured throughout the Champions League defeat towards Galatasaray in September. The win towards Villa may need stopped the rot, however two enormous video games towards Actual Madrid and Metropolis this week will inform us the place Liverpool actually are.
WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Each space of the group must do higher. Solely summer season signing Hugo Ekitike and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai have performed to something like their capabilities thus far. However whereas Mohamed Salah remains to be trying to find kind, the large weak point of the group has been in protection. Liverpool have conceded 14 targets in 10 video games and each middle backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté have appeared susceptible, whereas Slot has struggled to discover a constant full again on both facet of the pitch.
1:09
Did Thomas Frank get it flawed for Spurs vs. Chelsea?
Janusz Michallik reacts to Tottenham’s “disappointing” efficiency throughout their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea within the Premier League.
TOTTENHAM: fifth
GRADE: C
STORY SO FAR: When considered within the context of final season, when Spurs completed seventeenth (one place above the underside three) on the again of twenty-two league defeats, their begin to this season ought to be seen as a profitable response underneath new head coach Thomas Frank.
Spurs sit in fifth, eight factors behind Arsenal, however the optimism and positivity generated by three wins of their first 4 video games — together with a 2-0 win at Manchester Metropolis — has now evaporated and issues turned bitter with the group being booed off following Saturday’s 1-0 residence defeat towards Chelsea. That loss implies that Spurs have received simply 4 of 19 residence league video games since beating Aston Villa on Nov. 3, 2024 and Frank has been unable to halt the stoop which started underneath predecessor Ange Postecoglou.
Accidents to key gamers together with midfielder James Maddison and striker Dominic Solanke have hit Spurs onerous and the departure of Son Heung-Min to LAFC has taken essential expertise and management from the squad. Spurs face Manchester United (H) and Arsenal (A) of their subsequent two league video games, in order that they have the possibility to show the tide towards “Massive Six” rivals. But when the other occurs and so they lose each, Frank can be underneath rising stress from a notoriously impatient fan base.
WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Successful at house is at all times begin to enhancing the temper on and off the pitch, and three factors towards United on Saturday would probably take Spurs into the highest 4. However wins can typically paper over the cracks and a wider subject that Frank wants to deal with is his type of play which works towards the Spurs custom of entertaining and attacking soccer. Frank’s type is to be extra direct, with lengthy throws and lengthy balls from deep and a deal with set items; if he’s to keep away from dropping the religion of the followers, the previous Brentford coach must get outcomes and likewise increase the leisure ranges.
1:25
Michallik manufacturers Moisés Caicedo a midfield ‘monster’ for Chelsea
Janusz Michallik sings the praises of Moisés Caicedo after his starring efficiency in Chelsea’s Premier League win over Tottenham.
CHELSEA: sixth
GRADE: C
STORY SO FAR: The world champions — sure, we should give Chelsea their right title following their FIFA Membership World Cup triumph this summer season — are probably the most inconsistent and unpredictable group within the Premier League this season. They’re a facet which have already crushed Liverpool and Spurs, however have additionally misplaced at residence to Brighton and Sunderland.
Chelsea are performing like a group of inexperienced younger gamers, which is exactly what they’re. When they’re good, they seem like potential title challengers, however on their off days, Chelsea carry out like a facet that would battle to complete within the prime 4.
Enzo Maresca’s group are unconvincing defensively and it lacks a dependable goalkeeper, however regardless of accidents additional ahead to Cole Palmer and Liam Delap, it has scored as many targets as Arsenal and Liverpool, with solely Metropolis (20) hitting as many as Chelsea’s 18 thus far. Self-discipline is proving to be an issue, with three purple playing cards within the league already and 5 in all competitions, however total, Chelsea are nonetheless in contact with the leaders.
WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Maresca must make his group extra strong on the again as a result of Chelsea actually have targets in them and the anticipated return of Palmer from a groin damage this month will additional sharpen their attacking risk. However what Chelsea want most is expertise and that may solely include time on the pitch, until the membership abandons their coverage of signing younger gamers by including a few older heads in January. That’s unlikely to occur, although, so Chelsea’s rising pains are prone to proceed, which implies extra surprising defeats and pointless purple and yellow playing cards till the gamers develop the maturity that comes from taking part in recurrently.
1:42
Michallik: Man United’s demons returned in Forest’s quick-fire double
Janusz Michallik pumps the brakes on discuss of Manchester United’s resurgence as they’re held to a 2-2 draw by Nottingham Forest.
MANCHESTER UNITED: eighth
GRADE: C
STORY SO FAR: Welcome to world’s most unpredictable and long-running rollercoaster. Manchester United are getting higher, however they’ve nonetheless endured some lurches into the depths this season, together with a humiliating Carabao Cup defeat towards Grimsby City — United’s first defeat towards fourth-tier opposition of their 147-year historical past. However Ruben Amorim’s group has additionally had some large highlights, none extra so than a 2-1 win away to Liverpool which was United’s first at Anfield since 2016.
After enduring their worst-ever Premier League marketing campaign to complete sixteenth final season, United and Amorim lastly appear to be on target and at the moment are unbeaten in 4 league video games. Summer time signings Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have made United stronger as an attacking pressure, whereas Senne Lammens has, thus far, resolved the goalkeeping subject by proving himself a way more dependable and composed choice than both André Onana or Altay Bayindir.
United have the worst protection within the prime 10, nonetheless, having conceded 16 targets and their squad are missing depth and high quality past Amorim’s beginning XI. However they’re firmly within the race for Champions League qualification and a nook appears to have been turned. Consistency is now the important thing, and that’s what United have lacked for years.
WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Casemiro has silenced his doubters by performing effectively for United this season, however when the 33-year-old defensive midfielder is out of the group, neither Manuel Ugarte or Kobbie Mainoo is nice sufficient to fill the void, so the membership actually must bolster Amorim’s midfield choices in January.
The dearth of dependable alternate options is a matter all through the squad and the probably monthlong absence of Mbeumo and Amad Diallo for the Africa Cup of Nations in December and January will go away Amorim with out enough cowl. So the onus is on the membership to make enhancements to the squad when the window opens to provide United an opportunity of securing a Champions League spot. If Amorim can preserve the group progressing till the brand new 12 months, it should put stress on the Previous Trafford hierarchy to come up with the money for much-needed new gamers.