IN TERMS OF the quality of the elite teams, it feels like one of the weakest Premier League seasons in recent memory.
Often hailed as the best league in the world, and without question the richest, just one English side, Arsenal, have made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
And if the Gunners do not triumph, it will mean an English club has won Europe’s premier club competition five times in the last 20 years — an underperformance when you consider the Premier League’s financial might. Spanish teams, by contrast, have triumphed 10 times in the last two decades, and have a chance of adding to that tally, with Atletico Madrid making the competition’s final four.
In the unlikely scenario that Arsenal win all of their six remaining top-flight fixtures, they will finish on 88 points.
That tally would have been enough to win only three of the last 10 Premier League titles.
The Gunners even managed a higher points tally of 89 in 2023-24, but still finished two points adrift of Man City.
Arsenal need four wins from six to better the lowest points tally for an English champion of the last 10 years — Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City memorably triumphed with 81 points.
Mikel Arteta’s men will almost certainly eclipse the 1996-97 Man United side, who finished with a historically low (in the Premier League era) 75 points, which was still seven more than nearest rivals Newcastle.
On an aesthetic level, the football this season has been difficult to watch, too, with defence and set pieces to the fore, and ‘ball-in-play time’ becoming an increasingly in-vogue phrase.
Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler summed up the frustration of many neutrals when he said of Arsenal: “I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way. Of course, every team will manage and waste time, but there has to be a limit, and the limit has to be set by the Premier League. The limit has to be set by the referees. At the moment, they [Arsenal] just do what they want.”
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Conversely, though, you could argue it has been one of the best Premier League seasons in recent memory.
English football has rarely felt so competitive.
Wolves, ostensibly the weakest team in the division as they sit in bottom place, are among the sides to take points off the table toppers.
The Premier League’s mid-level clubs have seldom looked stronger — the likes of Everton, Brentford, Brighton and Sunderland could still conceivably secure a top-five finish and Champions League football next season. Just six points separate the Black Cats in 10th position and fifth-place Liverpool.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (right) and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola are set to go head to head once again. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Aston Villa are favourites to win the Europa League, while relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest have also made the semi-finals, with one of those set to feature in the final as they meet in the semis.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are in the final four and favourites to succeed Chelsea in winning the Conference League, despite manager Olivier Glasner confirming that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
Tottenham, the ninth richest club in the world, according to Forbes, are in a relegation fight.
There looks set to be drama at both ends of the table as the season approaches its climax.
It feels like a long time since there was such a thrilling ending to a campaign.
Three of the last 10 title races have been decided by less than three points, so it is not as if intriguing Premier League conclusions have been especially rare.
Two of those involved Pep Guardiola’s Man City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool — undoubtedly two of the greatest sides ever to grace England’s top flight.
But both times in question, each of these teams picked up 90-plus points.
As well-matched and brilliant as they were, there was a lack of drama in those title races because the teams were so much better than anyone else in the division.
There was a lack of real tension, owing to how they continually dispatched teams with a ruthless, robotic efficiency.
This year, the title race feels much messier, more human and nerve-ridden.
You get the sense that in almost any game that Man City or Arsenal play, they could drop points, given their relative inconsistency compared with past champions and the strength of their rivals.
If the Gunners do not prevail, having had such a commanding lead for long portions of this season, it will feel like a throwback to the Blackburn and Newcastle sides of the mid-90s, who both suffered dramatic collapses with the finishing line in sight, although the former still emerged as champions.
With Arsenal, the degree of doubt feels inevitable, given that they have had to settle for the runners-up spot — having looked like contenders — in the last three successive seasons.
Beating or even drawing with City on Sunday, and going on to end a 22-year wait for Premier League glory, would arguably be just as remarkable a story.
Consequently, 2025-26 promises to be one of the most fascinating title run-ins for years, and with a similarly intriguing World Cup to come in the summer as well, it feels like a good time to be a football fan.
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Arsenal psychodrama has created one of the most compelling title races in years
IN TERMS OF the quality of the elite teams, it feels like one of the weakest Premier League seasons in recent memory.
Often hailed as the best league in the world, and without question the richest, just one English side, Arsenal, have made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
And if the Gunners do not triumph, it will mean an English club has won Europe’s premier club competition five times in the last 20 years — an underperformance when you consider the Premier League’s financial might. Spanish teams, by contrast, have triumphed 10 times in the last two decades, and have a chance of adding to that tally, with Atletico Madrid making the competition’s final four.
In the unlikely scenario that Arsenal win all of their six remaining top-flight fixtures, they will finish on 88 points.
That tally would have been enough to win only three of the last 10 Premier League titles.
The Gunners even managed a higher points tally of 89 in 2023-24, but still finished two points adrift of Man City.
Arsenal need four wins from six to better the lowest points tally for an English champion of the last 10 years — Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City memorably triumphed with 81 points.
Mikel Arteta’s men will almost certainly eclipse the 1996-97 Man United side, who finished with a historically low (in the Premier League era) 75 points, which was still seven more than nearest rivals Newcastle.
On an aesthetic level, the football this season has been difficult to watch, too, with defence and set pieces to the fore, and ‘ball-in-play time’ becoming an increasingly in-vogue phrase.
Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler summed up the frustration of many neutrals when he said of Arsenal: “I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way. Of course, every team will manage and waste time, but there has to be a limit, and the limit has to be set by the Premier League. The limit has to be set by the referees. At the moment, they [Arsenal] just do what they want.”
Conversely, though, you could argue it has been one of the best Premier League seasons in recent memory.
English football has rarely felt so competitive.
Wolves, ostensibly the weakest team in the division as they sit in bottom place, are among the sides to take points off the table toppers.
The Premier League’s mid-level clubs have seldom looked stronger — the likes of Everton, Brentford, Brighton and Sunderland could still conceivably secure a top-five finish and Champions League football next season. Just six points separate the Black Cats in 10th position and fifth-place Liverpool.
Aston Villa are favourites to win the Europa League, while relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest have also made the semi-finals, with one of those set to feature in the final as they meet in the semis.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are in the final four and favourites to succeed Chelsea in winning the Conference League, despite manager Olivier Glasner confirming that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
Tottenham, the ninth richest club in the world, according to Forbes, are in a relegation fight.
There looks set to be drama at both ends of the table as the season approaches its climax.
It feels like a long time since there was such a thrilling ending to a campaign.
Three of the last 10 title races have been decided by less than three points, so it is not as if intriguing Premier League conclusions have been especially rare.
Two of those involved Pep Guardiola’s Man City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool — undoubtedly two of the greatest sides ever to grace England’s top flight.
But both times in question, each of these teams picked up 90-plus points.
As well-matched and brilliant as they were, there was a lack of drama in those title races because the teams were so much better than anyone else in the division.
There was a lack of real tension, owing to how they continually dispatched teams with a ruthless, robotic efficiency.
This year, the title race feels much messier, more human and nerve-ridden.
You get the sense that in almost any game that Man City or Arsenal play, they could drop points, given their relative inconsistency compared with past champions and the strength of their rivals.
If the Gunners do not prevail, having had such a commanding lead for long portions of this season, it will feel like a throwback to the Blackburn and Newcastle sides of the mid-90s, who both suffered dramatic collapses with the finishing line in sight, although the former still emerged as champions.
With Arsenal, the degree of doubt feels inevitable, given that they have had to settle for the runners-up spot — having looked like contenders — in the last three successive seasons.
Beating or even drawing with City on Sunday, and going on to end a 22-year wait for Premier League glory, would arguably be just as remarkable a story.
Consequently, 2025-26 promises to be one of the most fascinating title run-ins for years, and with a similarly intriguing World Cup to come in the summer as well, it feels like a good time to be a football fan.
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