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17 games are done and dusted in the Premier League and, even though we are yet to reach the halfway stage, it already looks like we've got a clear winner. Manchester City seem to be running away with the league title with a 11-point lead at the top.
Pep Guardiola's side set a new Premier League record when they beat Swansea 4-0 in the midweek fixtures. It was their 15th league win in a row - enough to break the record set by Arsenal in the early 2000s and Chelsea last season.
The only team that forced City to drop points was Everton - way back in August on Matchday 2. City are still unbeaten in the league. The only game they have lost this season was a dead rubber in the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk - such has been their domination.
City also lead the league with 52 goals scored. The next best is Manchester United with 37. So one would expect Guardiola's side to have created the most chances in the league, right?
Arsenal have created the most chances but sit 7th
Wrong! City are actually second with 228 chances - behind Arsene Wenger's Arsenal (230 chances). Unfortunately for the Gunners, they find themselves in seventh place in the table - 19 points behind the league leaders.
In fact, Arsenal are closer to the bottom of the table (18 points) than they are to City - a stat Wenger will not want to look at.
His squad's profligacy in front of goal has already come back to bite them many times over and even the likes of Burnley, who have created nearly half the number of chances (121 chances) and scored half the goals, are above them in the table.
It's a sorry state of affairs for the north London side as two of their star players - Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez - are among the top five players who have created the most chances in the Premier League.
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne leads the charts (50 chances created) followed closely by Cesc Fabregas (47). Ozil (46) and Alexis (40) have played fewer games but are still up there in the table.
On his part, Alexis has been guilty of losing possession and turning the ball over to the opposition a number of times. But the fact that he has still created so many chances suggest his risky manouevres on the pitch do pay off with 3 assists to his name.
It proves how imperative it is that the Gunners extend their contracts. But in reality, they could be preparing to go on without them - maybe even as early as January if things fall into place.
With no hopes of catching up with a marauding City side, the top four and Champions League next season looks like Wenger's top priority yet again.
But unless they start putting away chances, the top four remains a distant dream. A relatively kind run of fixtures may help them cut the gap to the chasing pack, though.
Other teams that have created more than 200 chances in the league are Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea are fifth with 196.
Although Manchester United are second in the Premier League, the Red Devils have only created 159 chances. However, their ability to put away those chances make them the biggest candidates to reel City in. But Mourinho's side lack attacking instincts in big games and that is where they have failed to make up ground in the league.
All stats via WhoScored
