Premier League’s best of the rest: Will Man United struggle again to finish in top four?
Craig Burley feels Liverpool strengthened in all the right areas this summer after being critical of Arsenal’s David Luiz and Dani Ceballos. (1:13)
Three games into the 2019-20 Premier League season and the top of the table already looks ominously familiar, with Liverpool and Manchester City having claimed the top two spots. Meanwhile, the chasing pack have all stumbled during the opening three weeks and done little to suggest that they can challenge European champions Liverpool or back-to-back Premier League winners City for the title.
So are the best of the rest simply fighting to finish third and fourth? Or is the battle now more about seeing off the challenge of ambitious clubs such as Wolves and Leicester to keep hold of a place in the top six?
– Weekend Review: Are Tottenham getting stale?
– O’Hanlon: Should we be worried about “superteam” Man City?
– Jones: Sheffield United prove heart can beat talent
ESPN FC has assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the teams most likely to challenge for the top six, and it is not just about Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Strengths: With two wins out of three so far, Unai Emery’s team have made a sound start to the season but Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool proved to be something of a reality check. However, Arsenal have a wealth of attacking options, increased by the summer purchase of Nicolas Pepe, and they have the ability to outscore less well-resourced teams. Emery is also showing signs of good progress in the second year of his reign in charge.
Weaknesses: The defeat at Anfield exposed some familiar Arsenal frailties in defence, ones that have seemingly not been helped by the acquisition of David Luiz from Chelsea. Emery’s tactical plan was also picked apart by Jurgen Klopp, so the biggest question mark over Emery and Arsenal is whether they can find a way to beat the top teams away from home. Or at least find a way not to lose.
Strengths: Man United have bolstered their defence with the summer signings of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and the addition of winger Daniel James has added blistering pace and given Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team greater threat on the counterattack. The much-maligned Paul Pogba — penalty miss aside — has started the campaign well.
Weaknesses: There is a worrying over-reliance on Pogba, Maguire and Marcus Rashford. How will United cope if any of them are injured or suspended for a period of time? Solskjaer’s squad lacks quality and experience, and in terms of creativity, there is no potential game-changer in the final third. David de Gea‘s ongoing battle for form in goal is another concern that has now been an issue for more than six months.
Strengths: Stability and consistency under Mauricio Pochettino is Tottenham’s biggest asset. They also have the goal threat of Harry Kane, with Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura also capable of weighing in with double figures. Summer signing Tanguy Ndombele has added quality in midfield, and although they can blow hot and cold, Spurs have proved over the years under Pochettino that they can quickly bounce back from setbacks.
Weaknesses: The uncertainty surrounding Christian Eriksen‘s future is already becoming a distraction, with the Dane being omitted from the starting lineup twice already this term. The player looks out of sorts, and Spurs miss his creativity. Defensively, there are also concerns in both full-back positions and Hugo Lloris has been unconvincing in goal for the majority of 2019. Spurs still need more depth in their squad, despite the summer spending spree.
Strengths: The appointment of Frank Lampard as manager has brought a feelgood factor to Stamford Bridge, which has enabled the former Chelsea midfielder to be bold enough in handing chances to young stars like Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham. There is a freedom to Chelsea’s play this season, but they also have the experience and quality of N’Golo Kante in midfield to hold it all together. Chelsea are in transition, but the mood is upbeat.
Weaknesses: Every strength is a potential weakness at Chelsea. Can the youngsters be relied upon to perform all season? How long will Lampard’s honeymoon period last? And when Kante doesn’t play, Chelsea have a hole in midfield that they simply cannot fill. The summer exits of Gary Cahill and David Luiz have left Chelsea light on experience at centre-back and the two-window transfer embargo means they will be unable to sign a proven goal scorer until next summer.
Strengths: Brendan Rodgers inherited a vibrant young team when he succeeded Claude Puel as manager late last season, and the likes of James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, Hamza Choudhury and Ben Chilwell are all developing into top-class players at the King Power Stadium. Jamie Vardy continues to score goals at the highest level, and Wilfred Ndidi has become an outstanding defensive midfielder. No European commitments will also play in Leicester’s favour.
Weaknesses: Leicester have yet to replace Harry Maguire at centre-back after his world-record £80m transfer to Manchester United this summer and Rodgers’ commitment to attacking football may yet expose the frailties in Leicester’s defence without their most commanding defender. If Vardy is injured, Leicester could also struggle for goals.
Strengths: Wolves have yet to win this season, but they are also undefeated and Nuno Espirito Santo’s team have twice come from behind to draw at home, against United and Burnley, which points to the belief and quality within the Molineux squad. Raul Jimenez has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most reliable strikers, while goalkeeper Rui Patricio and midfielders Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho are all proven performers at the top level.
Weaknesses: They must find a way to juggle their domestic commitments with a Europa League campaign, and that has been a challenge that even the biggest clubs have struggled to master in recent years. Depth of squad may be the biggest problem once the games mount up and, as last season’s FA Cup semifinal defeat against Watford highlighted, questions still remain over Wolves’ ability to deliver when the pressure is on.
While Wolves and Leicester remain outsiders to break into the top six, the shortcomings of Arsenal, Spurs, United and Chelsea have made it a genuine possibility this season.
United’s meeting with Leicester at Old Trafford on Sept. 14 is a game between the team most likely to drop out of the top six against the one with the best prospect of breaking into it. And when the season reaches its climax, it could boil down to United and Leicester slugging it out for sixth while City and Liverpool pull even further away from the rest at the top.