Liverpool are this season’s surprise package at the top of the Premier League as they find themselves three points clear.
Jurgen Klopp finally undertook his midfield rebuild over the summer and the project appears to be ahead of schedule.
Fellow gatecrashers Aston Villa are in second, just three points behind them. Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham round out the rest of the top 5.
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Liverpool’s underlying numbers would suggest their defense isn’t stingy enough to sustain a Premier League title challenge. However, in Klopp and the likes of Salah, they have title-winning experience at Anfield.
That’s in contrast to Arsenal, who have been the best team in the league statistically at times this season. Arteta’s team, though, finds itself in the midst of a finishing crisis. They’ve gone from top of the table on Christmas day to five points back in fourth place two games later.
Manchester City are presumably gearing up for their second half of the season rampage, although their squad isn’t as strong as it was last year.
The jokers in the pack are Unai Emery’s Aston Villa and Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs. Villa must be considered in the running for a Champions League place. Spurs’ style under their new manager is suicidal at times, but it has them keeping pace with the league’s best.
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West Ham and Brighton are lurking around the Europa League spots as would have been expected. Meanwhile, Manchester United, Newcastle and Chelsea find themselves in the midst of underwhelming mid-table seasons.
It’s bad news for the newly promoted sides, as all three of them occupy the bottom three positions in the league. It looks as if the jump in quality will be too much for Burnley, Luton and Sheffield United.
