The EPL has entered a crucial stage. Title fight is heating up, relegation battle is a looming for most teams and fight for Champions League places gets even tougher.
The 2024/25 English Premier League season is past the halfway mark and like in most cases, January is a reflection month regarding targets set at the start of the season. While certain teams have performed below expectations, others have risen to the occasion and produced some impressive results with the next three months crucial to their season.
Pulse Sports takes a look at title contenders, mid-table dwellers and the tug-of-war five-team relegation battle that is expected to heat up as the season draws to a close.
Fight for the title – To start with, league leaders Liverpool have seen their lead at the top reduced to four points after drawing their last two matches against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. The Reds boast 47 points against Arsenal‘s 43, although the Anfield outfit have one game in hand. Liverpool will look to end their four-year title hiatus.
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Mikel Arteta has moved swiftly to address his midfield with both Thomas Partey and Jorginho out of contract at the end of the season.
Liverpool’s most recent league title was won during the 2019–20 season, handing the club their first domestic title after thirty years, the last time being in the English First Division season of 1989-90. They are favorites for the title unless Arne Slot’s charges hit poor form in the remaining fixtures.
Top Four Battle – Currently, six teams are fighting to finish in the top four to secure Champions League football next season. Aside from Liverpool who look like they are guaranteed a top-four finish even if they don’t win the title, Arsenal, Forest, Newcatle, Chelsea, Man City and Aston Villa will likely fight for the remaining three positions.
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City’s title defense so far seems to have hit a brick wall, Chelsea’s early-season blistering form has waned while arsenal is blowing hot and cold. Newcastle is the only team to have rediscovered the winning formula, after piecing together seven consecutive wins to climb to fourth on the log.
The remaining fixtures will likely be intriguing with late goals, priceless last-gap wins expected in the tail-end of the season. Champions League football would be vital especially for Chelsea after splashing over 1 billion pounds to sign players since Todd Boehly took over in May 2022.
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Surprise package – Ups and downs were expected even before a ball had been kicked but Nottingham Forest‘s resurgence has taken many by surprise. The West Bridgford-based side is currently third with 41 points, three above fourth-placed Newcastle. Coached by former Spurs tactician Nuno Espirito Santo, Forest have proved a bogey team to the so called ‘top four’.
With shrewd signings and a strict transfer budget, Forest are proving that money cannot buy success. Nuno has used the meagre resources at his disposal to craft a team that are genuine contenders to finish in the top four if their 1-1 draw against Liverpool on January 15 is any barometer.
Disappointing team – A lot has been said about Manchester United from being the most successful club in England to the best team in the world but the Red Devils are a pale shadow of their former selves. Improvement was expected following their FA Cup triumph over city rivals Man City last season but United seem to have regressed even further after the departure of beleaguered coach Erick Ten Hag.
Ruben Amorim has taken charge but United currently look to be in a hole still. The Bruno Fernandes-captained team have managed six wins, nine losses and five draws to languish at 15th position. They are closer to relegation battle than fighting for the top four. The draw against Liverpool and the penalty victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup is a confidence booster to the side in their bid to climb up the table.
Relegation fight – After just one season, both Leicester City and Southampton are destined to return to the Championship. The duo is 19th and 20th respectively with 14 and six points in that sequence.
The remaining slot will be battled among Everton, Ipswitch and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The latter two have shown remarkable improvement in recent weeks and their fate lies in their own hands. It might take until the penultimate match to see which teams will grace the second tier next season.
