The Premier League's big six: split by only two points, but which team has had it toughest so far?
With three Premier League teams locked on 20 points after eight games, and two on 18, it has been a tight and competitive start to season 2018-2019.
Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea led the way, but who have they actually faced? Could any of those three pace-setters claim that they have had a tougher start than their peers?
As for Tottenham and Arsenal, which of the North London rivals can claim that their neighbours have had a soft beginning to their campaign?
And is there any excuse for Manchester United and their manager Jose Mourinho?
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By analysing the quality of opponents so far, we bring you the definitive verdict as to which big six Premier League team had really been the most impressive so far this year.
Manchester City
Teams Played So Far
Beat Arsenal 2-0 away
Beat Huddersfield 6-1 at home
Drew with Wolves 1-1 away
Beat Newcastle 2-1 at home
Beat Fulham 3-0 at home
Beat Cardiff City 5-0 away
Beat Brighton 2-0 at home
Drew with Liverpool 0-0 away
Record So Far
Played 8, won 6, drawn 2, lost 0. GD 18
Analysis
No-hopers faced: Have played all three of the promoted clubs (Wolves, Cardiff, Fulham), as well as Brighton and Huddersfield, who were third and second favourites to go down respectively. Have also played Newcastle, which is effectively a bye-week at the moment.
Rivals faced: Have played two of the big six, taking four points off them on the road, including Sunday’s draw at Anfield which they would have won had Mahrez not greedily grabbed the penalty duties and made a berk of himself by missing. Opened with an authoritative defeat of Arsenal in London.
Wallopingsdished out: Nothing gets the good vibes flowing for a Championship tilt like a good thrashing: Huddersfield (six) and Cardiff (five) have assumed the position so far. City have the fear factor that the others do not.
Chelsea
Teams Played So Far
Beat Huddersfield 3-0 away
Beat Arsenal 3-2 at home
Beat Newcastle 2-1 away
Beat Bournemouth 2-0 at home
Beat Cardiff 4-1 at home
Drew 0-0 with West Ham away
Drew 1-1 with Liverpool at home
Beat Southampton 3-0 away
Record So Far
Played 8, won 6, drawn 2, lost 0. GD 13
Analysis
No-hopers faced: Have played only one promoted side, and most opponents have come from the league’s rump of never-going-to-win-but-they're-probably-safe sides from Bournemouth through to West Ham and Southampton. Collected the now-traditional three points against Newcastle.
Rivals faced: Drew with Liverpool at home (and also have the psychological boost of having beaten Liverpool in the League Cup). Beat Arsenal 3-2 at Stamford Bridge in a minor classic, with Alonso getting the late winner.
Wallopings dished out: None so far but with Eden Hazard seemingly getting better by the week after a slowish, World Cup hangover start, somebody is going to get got soon.
Liverpool
Teams Played So Far
Beat West Ham 4-0 at home
Beat Crystal Palace 2-0 away
Beat Brighton 1-0 at home
Beat Leicester 2-1 away
Beat Tottenham 2-1 away
Beat Southampton 3-0 at home
Drew 1-1 with Chelsea away
Drew 0-0 with Man City at home
Record So Far
Played 8, won 6, drawn 2, lost 0. GD 12
Analysis
No-hopers faced: Only Brighton were really fancied to go down before the start of the season; otherwise the teams Liverpool beat in a blistering six wins out of six start were five of solid Premier League fare, and one of them was Spurs.
Rivals faced: Have faced three rivals: that's more tough matches than anyone else in this list. Beat Tottenham 2-1 away in an eye-catching result and then came back from Stamford Bridge with a perfectly acceptable point. As to the home point against Man City: not a dream result, but Klopp would have probably taken it with James Milner going off early, Roberto Firmino anonymous and Mo Salah still not quite firing. The sort of situation that they would have lost in over the last couple of years, perhaps?
Wallopings dishedout: None really, but the fact that they have conceded just three goals all term will be more satisfying than running up a big bar bill against the cannon fodder.
Arsenal
Teams Played So Far
Lost 2-0 to Man City at home
Lost 3-2 to Chelsea away
Beat West Ham 3-1 at home
Beat Cardiff 3-2 away
Beat Newcastle 2-1 away
Beat Everton 2-0 at home
Beat Watford 2-0 at home
Beat Fulham 5-1 away
Record So Far
Played 8, won 6, drawn 0, lost 2. GD 9
Analysis
No-hopers faced: A few. The happiest fans this weekend were definitely Gooners, with widespread spontaneous chants of “We’ve got our Arsenal back” breaking out in the artisan bakeries and organic trouser boutiques of Islington. While six wins out of eight is nothing to sneeze at, they managed only to squeeze past Cardiff and Newcastle, and then had their way with a Fulham side this weekend who lost the plot.
Rivals faced: Have played two decent sides, and have lost twice to them. These are the facts. However, it should be said that those were the first two games of the season and the first two with a new manager. But clearly it is against the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea that Arsenal’s Revolution will ultimately be judged.
Wallopings dished out: Tonked a woeful Fulham in glorious style, meaning that the good vibes are officially back.
Tottenham Hotspur
Teams Played So Far
Beat Newcastle 2-1 away
Beat Fulham 3-1 at home
Beat Manchester United 3-0 away
Lost to Watford 2-1 away
Lost to Liverpool 2-1 at home
Beat Brighton 2-1 away
Beat Huddersfield 2-0 away
Beat Cardiff 1-0 at home
Record So Far
Played 8, won 6, drawn 0 , lost 2. GD 8
Analysis
No-hopers faced: Although they sit just a goal behind Arsenal with an otherwise identical record, Spurs fans are not feeling the love as much as Gunners so far this season. Have played all four of the bottom four. Their defeat at the hands of Watford is the worst result that one of the top five in the League has had to endure so far: only the Hornets from outside the top five have beaten a top five side this season.
Rivals faced: On the other hand, Spurs’ trip to Manchester United, when they dismantled Mourinho’s mob 3-0 proved that the days of “Lads. It’s Tottenham” are over for good. That being said, Liverpool had their number in a 2-1 win at Wembley last month. A slightly muddling start to their race.
Wallopings dished out: United as discussed.
Manchester United
Teams Played So Far
Beat Leicester 2-1 at home
Lost to Brighton 3-2 away
Lost to Tottenham 3-0 at home
Beat Burnley 2-0 away
Beat Watford 2-1 away
Drew 1-1 at home to Wolves
Lost to West Ham 3-1 away
Beat Newcastle 3-2 at home
Record So Far
Played 8, won 4, drawn 1, lost 3. GD -1
Analysis
No-hopers faced: To be fair to Mourinho, United have only played one of the bottom five. Have had fixtures against solid-enough Leicester, Brighton, Burnley, Watford and Wolves. Managing to lose to Brighton was bad, losing to West Ham arguably worse. By which most of us mean: funnier.
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Rivals faced: Given that they have only played Spurs of the top five, you would expect that things could get even more grim before they get better. Their next assignment is away to Chelsea, who will fancy their chances of putting another nail in the coffin of their former manager.
Wallopings dished out: None. Have only won one match by more than the single goal.
Verdict
A margin call, but Liverpool could reasonably claim to have had the toughest start to the 2018-2019 Premier League season. They have played three of the big six, beating Spurs away and battling for points against City and Chelsea. If Salah and Firmino can get back to or near to their levels of last season, they could go on a powerful run.
Tottenham, who produced the season’s biggest statement so far by thumping Man United 3-0 at Old Trafford, have had a slightly tougher start than rivals Arsenal, whose positive vibes must be tempered with the suggestion that they have had some gentle engagements. Manchester United’s struggles, meanwhile, should just be laughed at by everyone else.