14 rounds left to play and it has been a very strange season to date, with just 12 points separating 4th and 15th and 10 between the team in 7th and the one in 17th. At this stage last season that was a respective 16 and 21 points, in 23/24 it was 23 and 16 and in 22/23 came in at 18 and 17. Things have closed right up and it could just be a blip and the EPL does throw them up occasionally, Leicester City winning the title by 10 points in 2015/16 immediately springs to mind. Not just because they won, that was a big enough upset, but the margin of victory and that the Big 6 all underperformed majorly. 

 

I think that I have watched extended highlights of all 240 games and seen every team apart from Everton live at least once and my thinking is that this is the lowest overall standard since Brentford came into the top flight in 2021. Arsenal aside, I am struggling to name a team better this season than last, possibly Manchester United, but with caveats and I would not have suggested them three weeks ago! Definitely now Villa despite their lofty position. Those that have played at a similar level to last season IMO, Brentford and Fulham for example, are better placed than 12 months ago.

 

This is a little weird as EPL teams have absolutely thrived in Europe, filling 5 of the top 8 places in the Champions League table, with the 6th entrant finishing 12th. In the Europa League league Villa took 2nd spot, with EPL strugglers Nottingham Forest qualifying as a seeded knockout stage team and only two points shy of top 8 and in the Conference League, European debutants Crystal Palace finished 10th and both they and Villa are quoted as fairly strong favourites to win those competitions. That is perhaps easier to explain as there are no easy games in the EPL, perhaps even fewer than ever and teams have built deep squads to do battle week after week and it stands clubs in good stead in Europe. 

 

Anyway, at least for now, I am clear in my own mind that there has been a levelling off in terms of ability in the EPL and no result(s) should really surprise.

 

Good luck!