It’s about halfway through the English Premier League season, and the competition has moulded in terms of the make-up.
Chelsea have a five-point lead at the top of the table, and look the most likely to take the honours come May.
However, not too much else is settled at this point. The coveted Champions League places are wide open and the relegation battle has most teams in the bottom half keeping a look out over their shoulder.
The title Race
Mid September, Antonio Conte’s Chelsea suffered back-to-back defeats from title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal, including a 3-0 thumping from their London neighbours.
By the start of November they’d put three goals past Leicester, four through Manchester United and five on Everton – all with clean sheets.
Conte moved to a new formation, with three at the back, and they’ve since notched up 13 straight wins with only five goals conceded. Thursday morning’s London Derby against Spurs shapes as a huge game for both sides. Chelsea can extend their lead over second-placed Liverpool to eight points with a win, while essentially ending Spurs’ title hopes.
Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal will all be hoping for a Spurs win to keep the leaders within reach, though at this point it looks more likely only the former two can maintain the pace.
An almost traditional poor December for the Gunners saw them forfeit two leads, back to back, against Everton and Manchester City for losses. They were just able to pick up a point against Bournemouth on Wednesday morning after an incredible three-goal comeback.
Liverpool have the brilliance of Philippe Coutinho returning soon from injury, which could be the injection they need to catch Chelsea, should the side from Stamford Bridge slip up.
The jury is still out on Manchester City. With arguably the best squad in the Premier League, only a fool would rule them out at this point, but they have been inconsistent and underperforming. Pep Guardiola has one of the best resumes in world football, yet it looks like he’s still working out how to get the best out of his side.
A loss for Spurs in the derby would see them 13 points from top, and effectively relegate them to chasing a top-four place. They’ve been in good form of late however, scoring 13 goals in their past four games, all wins.
Manchester United were all but out of consideration, however with six straight victories and a manager who loves to spend big during a transfer window, Jose Mourinho’s side could contend if they can keep up their run. They’ll also be praying for a Spurs win tomorrow.
The relegation battle
The excitement of the relegation battle lies in the thin margins that separate sides fighting against the drop.
While Hull City, Swansea and Sunderland occupy the places currently, a talented Crystal Palace side fighting to find form are a single point above, with Middlesborough and even reigning champions Leicester uncomfortably close to the bottom three.
Placing in the bottom three in January is by no means a death sentence though – seventh-placed Everton are ten points away from the 40 points that supposedly guarantees a side their ticket to next season.
Sunderland have slowly clawed their way up the table and look like a side that can find some form. David Moyes was thrust into the job with little preparation and has improved them with some clever signings. They managed to hold Liverpool to a draw on Tuesday morning, courtesy of in-form striker Jermain Defoe burying two from the spot. Moyes has a good record of finding quality players at a cut price from his time in Merseyside and you’d think fans at the Stadium of Light will be banking on him doing the same here to lift them to safety.
Their counterparts however, haven’t shown much promise at all.
Swansea have disintegrated from a side pushing for a top-seven finish a few seasons ago to one that will do well to scrape to 17th place come May. Star midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, directly involved in 50 per cent of Swansea’s 22 goals this season, is rumoured to want out. They managed to grab a win at fellow relegation candidates Crystal Palace on Wednesday morning, which brought them off the bottom and gave them a needed boost after American manager Bob Bradley was sacked a few weeks ago.
With the worst form in the league, equal worst attack and second worst defence, Hull City sit rooted to the bottom of the table. Manager Mike Phelan was sacked on Wednesday, following a 2-1 loss to West Brom. With little investment expected during the transfer window, Hull look the least likely to escape the drop.
Just outside the bottom three, new Palace manager Sam Allardyce will be hoping to get the best out of a squad that on paper, should be in the top half.
Watford had a positive start to the season, and although seven points clear, they’ve only picked up one point in their past five fixtures and will want to turn things around quickly. Middlesbrough’s solid defence, superior to any other side outside the top six, has just kept them out of the relegation zone and compensated for their dreadful attack, which is equal worst in the league.
Leicester and West Ham both flirted with the drop zone earlier in the season but have found form, and it’s difficult to see them in the relegation scrap come May.
That said, a few wins consecutively can lift a side to safety, and drag another straight back down. With half a season to go, there’s plenty more football to be played.
Both relegation and title battles are open, with the grand honour Chelsea’s to lose.
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