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The Premier League this season has seen 22 rounds of breathtaking action, as the teams have battled for their different ambitions. 586 goals have been scored in the 220 games played so far, with some upsets already recorded.
Some teams have been doing spectacularly – either punching above their weight or occupying positions that at the start of the season seemed nigh impossible – and as the Premier League halts its action this weekend to usher in the most prestigious cup competition in England, the FA Cup, we look back at the season so far to talk about 5 teams that have exceeded expectations in the League.
#5 Newcastle United
The Magpies secured an immediate return to the big stage by clinching the Championship title on 7th May 2017 with a 3-0 victory over Barnsley – after being relegated from the league at the end of the 2015/2016 season.
The optimism for the new season quickly dissipated after an underwhelming summer transfer window, with club owner Mike Ashley claiming at the start of the season that the club is not able to compete financially with the league’s ‘big boys’.
The squad available to manager Rafa Benitez was said to be unsuitable for the league with many pundits claiming the players at the club are not Premier League level players.
A record of 2 consecutive losses at the start of the season did nothing to calm the worries of the fans of the club but Benitez has since steadied the ship and Newcastle United are feeling like a Premier League side again.
Although the crisis behind the scene at the club is still very much unsettled – with Ashley putting the club up for sale in October – the performances on the pitch have steadily improved with the team giving a good account of themselves on many occasions.
Currently 13th on the table many Newcastle United supporters will be fancying their side’s chances of avoiding the drop come May.
#4 Brighton and Hove Albion
The Seagulls under manager Chris Hughton secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their 116-year history with a second-place finish in the Championship thus gaining an automatic qualification.
Albion is currently 12th on the table, a position few would have expected them to occupy at this point of the season.
Summer signing from German side Ingolstadt, Pascal Gross has been a revelation for Brighton this season scoring 4 goals and providing 5 assists so far this season. He made history by scoring Brighton’s first ever Premier League goal in a 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion helping them secure their first ever Premier League victory.
The players have reacted well to criticisms this season, as many feared the Seagulls did not carry enough attacking threat – with the likes of Pascal Gross, Glenn Murray and Anthony Knockaert doing their part as the team have so far scored 17 goals in the league.
Brighton’s performances this season have been mightily impressive with their 3-0 victory away to West ham United proving to be a highlight of their season so far.
Fans of the club will be looking for more of the same in the New Year as The Seagulls aim to secure themselves as a Premier League mainstay.
#3 Huddersfield Town
Arguably the most impressive of the newly promoted teams, Huddersfield Town’s high-tempo, attacking brand of football under manager David Wagner – the first person born outside the British Isles to manage the club in their 109-year history – has attracted a lot of admirers.
The Terriers this season despite being one of the smallest teams in the league and also being of one the clubs named as favourites for the drop – they finished 5th in the championship and gained promotion via the playoffs have been very impressive as they are currently 11th in the league.
Huddersfield might have started 2018 on a losing note away to Leicester City but their achievements in the first part of the season cannot be forgotten in a hurry – none more so than their historic 2-1 victory over Premier League giants Manchester United at the John Smith’s Stadium back in October.
There have been points this season when results have not been great for the West Yorkshire club – as a record of 5 losses in 6 games between the end of October and the beginning of December shows – but The Terriers have mostly reacted well and followed up that run of games with a relatively impressive run of results in the festive period.
#2 Burnley
This season’s surprise packages, Burnley have been grinding out result after result in the league.
The Clarets made an immediate return to the Premier League for the 2016/2017 after facing relegation in the 2014/2015 season. They survived their first season back largely due to their impressive home record but their away form this season has been nothing short of sensational as they have faced only 2 defeats on their travels.
Sean Dyche’s men have received a lot of plaudits for their remarkable team spirit and defensive solidity this season – they currently have the fourth meanest defence in the league.
Since their shock defeat of defending champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Matchday 1, the Clarets have kicked on and have a good record against the Top 6 clubs as they have also taken points off the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United all away from home.
The Clarets might not be very potent in front of goal with 19 goals; only Swansea, West Brom, Brighton and Huddersfield have scored less this season but their earlier mentioned defensive solidity sees them currently in 7th place and dreaming of Europe.
Fans of the club have been enjoying the remarkable season and will be hoping their team can push on in the coming months.
#1 Manchester City
Yes, Manchester City.
The fact that the Premier League’s highest spenders are first on the log comes as no surprise to anyone but the manner in which they have achieved this is a totally different story.
22 games played, 20 wins, 2 draws, unbeaten in the league so far, are just some of the achievements of Pep Guardiola’s team this season.
The players have not only adapted almost perfectly to their manager’s brand of attacking football but some of the previously undervalued members of the squad – like Nicolas Otamendi and Raheem Sterling - are performing at levels that could not have been related to them in the past.
The Citizens have been setting new records at quite an unusual rate with a record of 18 consecutive victories only just halted surprisingly by Crystal Palace.
Manchester City are currently 15 points ahead of second-placed Manchester United and are in a world of their own at the moment having recorded victories in all matches against fellow top 6 sides so far this season.
They are the most talked about team in Europe at the moment and are still in the hunt for trophies all 4 competitions they entered for at the start of the season.
The fans of the club are in seventh heaven at the moment as no one expected such an utterly dominant City side at the start of the season.
