With head coach Arne Slot on the hot seat after defending Premier League champion Liverpool, lost six of its last seven matches (including in the Champions League, EFL Cup, most importantly the Premier League), and now sitting seventh in the table, it looks like there will be a new Premier League champion this season.
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and dark-horse Sunderland all look like promising candidates to take the crown.
Recently promoted and dark-horse favorite Sunderland has shown it can compete with anyone. A 2-1 win over Chelsea and a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace prove that defensive football can win points. French head coach Régis Le Bris has been unafraid to play with four, or even five, at the back, using a 5-4-1 formation in the win over Chelsea. With help from veteran Midfielder and former Arsenal player Granit Xhaka, Sunderland has shown that its compact, disciplined style could carry the club to a Premier League title challenge.
Tottenham Hotspur has been anything but “Spursy” this season. Opening the campaign with a 2-0 win over Manchester City, a 3-0 win over Everton, and a 1-1 draw with Wolves, Spurs have shown that hiring new Danish head coach Thomas Frank was the right move. Frank favors a 4-3-3 formation, emphasizing attacking and possession-based football. With leadership from Brennan Johnson, Xavi Simons, and Richarlison, Tottenham looks ready to challenge for the top.
Arsenal enters the final 9-game stretch with a 7-1-1 record, leading the league after a dominant 5-0 victory over Leeds, a 1-0 win against Manchester United, and a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Manchester City. Under head coach Mikel Arteta, Arsenal has made a strong case that this is its title to lose. However, the Gunners know better than to celebrate early. In the 2022-23 season, they led the league by six points in December, but ultimately finished second to Manchester City. With a front three of Bukayo Saka, new signing Eberechi Eze and veteran Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal will look to claim its first Premier League title since the 2003-04 “Invincibles” season.
