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With some shock results and some teams with question marks producing stellar performances, the English Premier League title race appears to be wide open. How anyone could confidently pick a top four is beyond me.
Can Arsenal do it?
On top of the table after six matches isn’t all that important but for a team who hasn’t won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup, it gives them something to smile about.
The EPL season is a marathon of course but Arsenal have already opened up handy leads on title rivals Manchester City and United.
It’s not just about the results though for the Gunners, their performances have been more consistent this season – the opening day loss to Villa aside.
Going away to Swansea, a team they have struggled against in the past, and bringing home three points is a huge coup for them and it’s a place other teams will struggle.
Mathieu Flamini has provided stability to their midfield, allowing Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil to do what they do best.
You could still drive a bus through their defence at times but they are able to grind out results, a characteristic not too dissimilar to that of Champions.
Will Liverpool crack the top four?
At the start of the season I wrote the Merseysiders off. I had them finishing sixth; another season under Brendan Rodgers where they would get stronger and push closer to the top four but would fall short.
But with Luis Suarez back firing and forming a lethal partnership with Daniel Sturridge, Liverpool may get closer to the top four than first anticipated.
The uninspiring draw with Swansea and loss to high-flying Southampton were blips but the Reds have had a great start.
Their lack of football commitments in terms of Cup competitions will work to their advantage come the end of the season.
This squad may have the freshness required to make a serious push for fourth come next year if they can keep their stars on the pitch (and out of trouble – I’m looking at you, Luis).
Is the Mancunian dominance over?
Last season’s Champions and bridesmaids both fell to embarrassing losses on Saturday, bringing their title credentials into question.
Manchester City are still favourites to take out the title but their capitulation against Cardiff earlier in the season and then Aston Villa at the weekend needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
With no disrespect to either of those teams, City wouldn’t want to be dropping too many more points against such opposition.
Manchester United seem to have lost their aura, with teams no longer dreaming of beating the champions but rather turning up to the Theatre of Dreams with a quiet confidence about them.
David Moyes, still finding his feet in arguably the biggest position in world football, put out an understrength team against West Bromwich Albion, with the midweek Champions League trip to Shaktar Donetsk in mind.
He paid the ultimate price, with the Red Devils now sitting in 12th position and eight points behind leaders Arsenal.
And just a few quick ones:
Who’ll be the next manager to go?
Martin Jol is the bookies favourite. By my reckoning he has to win his next two against Stoke (H) and Palace (A) to keep his job.
Big Sam Allardyce, Ian Holloway and Alan Pardew may be looking over their shoulders too, with less than impressive starts.
Will Mata and Kagawa break into the first XI?
Juan Mata made a significant difference against Tottenham when he replaced Obi Mikel at half time. He put John Terry’s goal on a platter and combined well with fellow Spaniard Fernando Torres.
Surely the ‘Special One’ can’t leave him out much longer?
Shinji Kagawa started for Man U but it is fair to say he wouldn’t have if Moyes was selecting his first XI.
In a World Cup year, these two might feel the need to move on come January if they don’t get more game time.
Can the promoted teams stay up?
Mile Jedinak’s Crystal Palace have been competitive in every game with little to show for it. This might be the story of their season and in the end it’s only the points that matter.
Hull and Cardiff have made promising starts but they’ll know they are a long way from safety yet.
So plenty of questions to be answered but it looks like this could be the most open EPL title race in years, with as many as five teams in contention to be champions.
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