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The Premier League is an intensely competitive league for the clubs involved and for the players who compete against each other. It also generates the highest revenue among all the football leagues across the world and consists of some of the richest and highest-valued football clubs on the planet.
Every football league has its perennial big dogs, and the Premier League is no different as well. However, there has been a definite shift in the pecking order in recent times. Certain so-called less powerful clubs have substantially improved to stiffen the competition.
The 'Big 6' of the English Premier League
The famous 'Big 6' in the Premier League still exists though and, financially, are some way ahead of the rest of the division.
The 'Big 6' describes the six biggest clubs to play in the Premier League. The group is made up of clubs that used to dominate both on and off the pitch. This group used to be of 4 clubs until Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur rose to prominence.
Today, the big 6 in the Premier League refer to Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur.
Some of these teams may have been underperforming in recent Premier League times, but they still enjoy dominance on the financial side. As a result, these Premier League clubs can acquire some of the biggest names from all over the world.
Sadly, some players often cannot make it into the starting eleven. This can happen due to the abundance of footballers in that position or because the player has struggled to fit in. On that note, we rank the best bench-warmers from each of these six Premier League clubs at the moment:
#6 Giovani Lo Celso
Tottenham Hotspur are presently going through a lot of turmoil. Transfer speculation about Harry Kane marred their pre-season and new manager Nuno Espirito Santo could only survive 10 Premier League matches. Giovani Lo Celso suddenly finds himself in the same boat as Tanguy Ndombele under Jose Mourinho..
Lo Celso has made seven Premier League appearances this season, but he has managed only two starts. He played only 213 minutes and hasn't managed a goal or an assist.
The role of a substitute does not help Lo Celso's case. The Argentine certainly has more ability and can show a much better version of himself if given a steady run.
#5 Bernd Leno
Goalkeeping is probably the toughest position in football as goalkeepers are not as substitutable as other positions. Bernd Leno is slowly becoming a victim of the same. The German has lost his starting role to Aaron Ramsdale, who has already given a set of impressive performances for Arsenal in the Premier League this season.
Leno has only made three appearances in the Premier League this season but conceded nine goals. He has a save percentage of only 50, which isn't too high either. However, much of his shortcomings can also be due to Arsenal's mediocrity at the back. With more protection from his backline, Leno could have been a better performer.
But as things stand, it seems very difficult for Leno to reclaim the No.1 spot at Arsenal in the Premier League this season.
#4 Saul Niguez
Saul Niguez's primary objective for the summer was to secure a move away from Atletico Madrid at any cost. So far, his loan stay at Chelsea has been forgetful. He got his maiden start against Aston Villa but was dreadful.
Since then, Saul has made only one appearance and hasn't even managed 60 minutes of Premier League football. Things do not look too bright for the Spaniard at the moment as performances suggest he isn't good enough, despite not even completing a single football match cumulatively.
There is no denying Saul's overall ability though. Not long ago, the midfielder earned rave reviews and close attention from many big clubs in Europe. Irrespective of how his Chelsea stint has gone so far, Saul still has it in him to resurrect his career.
#3 Konstantinos Tsimikas
Konstantinos Tsimikas may not be a high-profile name like the former ones in the Premier League, but he has shown better abilities on the pitch this term.
Tsimikas was a regular in the first month of the Premier League for Liverpool. He made solid defensive contributions and even notched up an assist as well and incidentally, Liverpool are yet to lose with Tsimikas on the pitch.
Tsimikas sadly finds it extremely difficult to replace the world-class Andy Robertson. The Scot has quickly gained stature and reputation as one of the world's premier left-backs.
As such, Greek full-back Tsimikas has been restricted to only six appearances and 391 minutes in the Premier League season.
#2 Donny van de Beek
It is hard to imagine a player like Donny van de Beek making zero starts and playing just 62 minutes for Manchester United this season. This is despite the fact that Fred and Scott McTominay are lacking in creativity and ball-progression.
With Pogba picking up an injury, fans expected Van de Beek to start a few games in the Premier League.
What should frustrate Manchester United fans is that despite the limited chances, the midfielder has looked sharp. In a shocking 4-1 loss against Watford, Van de Beek looked like the only player giving a performance that was worth looking at.
With Ole Gunnar Solksjaer having left the managerial role, fans will be hoping to see Van de Beek in action regularly.
#1 Riyad Mahrez
Many clubs do not have the luxury of having several world-class players among their ranks. Manchester City are on the opposite end of the spectrum with such players in numbers.
Riyad Mahrez seems to have become an involuntary sufferer because of that. The Algerian is a genuinely world-class player in every sense of the word, but sadly, Manchester City are highly stacked in the right-wing department.
Mahrez has been restricted to mainly substitute appearances in the Premier League this season. Gabriel Jesus has reinvented himself in a wider role, while Bernardo Silva has also rekindled his best form. This has forced Mahrez to wait patiently on the bench at times.
He has notched up nine appearances, but seven of them have been off the bench. However, Mahrez has scored twice and grabbed an assist in the Premier League so far this season, displaying his abilities whenever called upon.
