Grading the Premier League ‘Big Six’: Arsenal an A; Liverpool a D

The 2025-26 Premier League season has reached a key stage and the so-called conventional “Big Six” — Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur — have skilled wildly contrasting fortunes on their option to the 10-game mark, although all of them at the moment sit inside the highest eight, with Bournemouth in fourth place and Sunderland in seventh.

Every 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 May.

Four 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 below intense strain.

But on the prime of the desk, the strain is on the “Big Six” to dwell as much as expectations and ship silverware and UEFA Champions League qualification. Some are progressing past expectations and others are properly off the tempo, so with over 1 / 4 of the season now achieved, 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 might need been billed as “Now or Never” 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.

But regardless of some criticism for an absence of risk-taking by Arteta, particularly when dropping at Liverpool and drawing at house to Manchester City, Arsenal are flying excessive on the prime of the desk with a six-point lead and look on track to finish their title drought.

Arsenal are probably the most constant group and their mastery of set items offers them a bonus over their rivals. And their protection, which has conceded simply three league targets in ten video games, is an enormous cause why they’re wanting so formidable.

The Gunners have an enormous November forward, with London derbies in opposition to Spurs and Chelsea, plus a visit to in-form Sunderland, however with midfielder Declan Rice and defender Gabriel in the most effective type of their careers, Arsenal don’t have anything to worry.

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 can 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. But the flipside is that 11 gamers have scored not less than one league objective for the Gunners to date this season, and that exhibits that Arteta’s aspect carries a risk from all areas.

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Did Manchester City reignite the title race with Bournemouth win?

Don Hutchison believes “there’s no reason” why Manchester City 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 an odd season for Pep Guardiola’s aspect to date. It is clearly a group in transition and has been inconsistent to the extent that it has already misplaced three Premier League video games. But regardless of their apparent flaws, City nonetheless discover themselves in second spot as Arsenal’s closest challengers and they’re going to imagine that their title-winning expertise is usually a important issue if they can hold tempo with the Gunners till the run-in.

The largest component of City’s skill to climb as excessive as second, nevertheless, 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. But, worryingly for Guardiola, City’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 wrestle for health since coming back from a cruciate ligament harm has restricted the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder’s appearances and City have seemed susceptible in central areas, however they go into Sunday’s conflict with champions Liverpool on the Etihad in a robust place regardless of their difficulties.

WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? City merely have to search out extra targets from gamers who aren’t known as Haaland. If the Norway striker avoids harm, then he may fireplace City to the title, however Guardiola mentioned after Sunday’s 3-1 win in opposition to Bournemouth — when Haaland scored twice — that might be “tough for us” with out him. That’s an announcement of the plain, but when Haaland does miss a interval of video games, City want targets from some place else to maintain their hopes alive.

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Nicol: Mo Salah’s objective vs. Aston Villa ‘large’ for Liverpool

Steve Nicol talks in regards to 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 all over, 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 house win in opposition to 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 right down to fortune evading them, particularly throughout the 2-1 Anfield defeat in opposition to Manchester United when Cody Gakpo hit the woodwork on three separate events.

But though Liverpool sits third, seven factors behind Arsenal, they’ve actually misfired this season and their £415 million summer season spending spree has achieved little to enhance the champions. With six first-team gamers coming in and 6 transferring on, plus the tragic demise of Diogo Jota, Slot has been unable to search out consistency and the group seems imbalanced.

Big 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 in opposition to Galatasaray in September. The win in opposition to Villa might need stopped the rot, however two large video games in opposition to Real Madrid and City this week will inform us the place Liverpool actually are.

WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Every space of the group must do higher. Only summer season signing Hugo Ekitike and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai have performed to something like their capabilities to date. But whereas Mohamed Salah continues to be trying to find type, the large weak point of the group has been in protection. Liverpool have conceded 14 targets in 10 video games and each heart backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté have seemed susceptible, whereas Slot has struggled to discover a constant full again on both aspect of the pitch.

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Did Thomas Frank get it fallacious 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 below 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 City — has now evaporated and issues turned bitter with the group being booed off following Saturday’s 1-0 house defeat in opposition to Chelsea. That loss signifies that Spurs have gained simply 4 of 19 house league video games since beating Aston Villa on Nov. 3, 2024 and Frank has been unable to halt the droop which started below predecessor Ange Postecoglou.

Injuries to key gamers together with midfielder James Maddison and striker Dominic Solanke have hit Spurs laborious 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 prospect to show the tide in opposition to “Big Six” rivals. But if the alternative occurs they usually lose each, Frank can be below rising strain from a notoriously impatient fan base.

WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Winning at house is at all times an excellent begin to enhancing the temper on and off the pitch, and three factors in opposition to United on Saturday would doubtless take Spurs into the highest 4. But wins can typically paper over the cracks and a wider challenge that Frank wants to deal with is his fashion of play which fits in opposition to the Spurs custom of entertaining and attacking soccer. Frank’s fashion 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.

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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 Club World Cup triumph this summer season — are probably the most inconsistent and unpredictable group within the Premier League this season. They are a aspect which have already crushed Liverpool and Spurs, however have additionally misplaced at house 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 appear to be potential title challengers, however on their off days, Chelsea carry out like a aspect that would wrestle 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 City (20) hitting as many as Chelsea’s 18 to date. Discipline is proving to be an issue, with three purple playing cards within the league already and 5 in all competitions, however general, Chelsea are nonetheless in contact with the leaders.

WHERE CAN THEY IMPROVE? Maresca must make his group extra stable on the again as a result of Chelsea actually have targets in them and the anticipated return of Palmer from a groin harm this month will additional sharpen their attacking risk. But what Chelsea want most is expertise and that may solely include time on the pitch, except the membership abandons their coverage of signing younger gamers by including a few older heads in January. That is unlikely to occur, although, so Chelsea’s rising pains are prone to proceed, which suggests extra surprising defeats and pointless purple and yellow playing cards till the gamers develop the maturity that comes from taking part in repeatedly.

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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 in opposition to Grimsby Town — United’s first defeat in opposition to fourth-tier opposition of their 147-year historical past. But Ruben Amorim’s group has additionally had some huge 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 are actually unbeaten in 4 league video games. Summer signings Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have made United stronger as an attacking power, whereas Senne Lammens has, to date, resolved the goalkeeping challenge by proving himself a way more dependable and composed possibility than both André Onana or Altay Bayindir.

United have the worst protection within the prime 10, nevertheless, having conceded 16 targets and their squad are missing depth and high quality past Amorim’s beginning XI. But 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 properly 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 lack of dependable alternate options is a matter all through the squad and the doubtless monthlong absence of Mbeumo and Amad Diallo for the Africa Cup of Nations in December and January will go away Amorim with out ample 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 hold the group progressing till the brand new 12 months, it’s going to put strain on the Old Trafford hierarchy to come up with the money for much-needed new gamers.