Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca predicted that the “four, five, six teams” at the Premier League summit must all be considered title contenders.
Arsenal had opened up a six-point lead at the division’s summit before travelling to Stamford Bridge at the end of November. A hard-fought 1–1 draw pegged the Gunners back while threatening to propel Chelsea into the title race. Both London clubs have since dropped points, with Arsenal suffering a dramatic 2–1 loss to Aston Villa hours before the Blues were held to a goalless stalemate by Bournemouth.
Manchester City earned a third straight victory to close the gap to Arsenal to just a pair of points. Villa, back in third, are only three adrift while fourth-placed Chelsea are eight points back.
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Despite his frustration on the south coast, Maresca insisted that there is plenty of time for several reshuffles, with the race for the ultimate piece of silverware including as many as half a dozen clubs.
“The table is so tight,” he told assembled media. “You win two games in a row and you are there. Lose two and you drop. I still think four, five, six teams that are at the top, [can win two] and will all be close.”
Premier League Table
|
Team |
Goal Difference |
Points |
|---|---|---|
|
1. Arsenal |
+19 |
33 |
|
2. Man City |
+19 |
31 |
|
3. Aston Villa |
+7 |
30 |
|
4. Chelsea |
+10 |
25 |
|
5. Everton |
+1 |
24 |
|
6. Crystal Palace |
+7 |
23 |
|
7. Sunderland |
+1 |
23 |
|
8. Liverpool |
0 |
23 |
Correct as of end of Dec. 6, 2025.
Reigning champions Liverpool find themselves outside the top six after a dramatic equaliser from Leeds United condemned the waning title holders to a 3–3 draw. A visibly exasperated Dominik Szoboszlai admitted: “Last year we became champions, now I don’t even know which position [in the table] we are.” Eighth is the answer, 10 points back from Arsenal even after the Gunners were defeated at Villa Park.
Villa are only one win away from the current leaders but Unai Emery is adamant that his royally in-form outfit are not in the title fight—yet. “After 15 matches it’s very difficult,” the former Arsenal boss warned after orchestrating a cathartic win over his former employers. “We are not contenders. If we are still [in the race] in game 35 then maybe I can speak about it.”
Mikel Arteta bluntly disagreed with his fellow Basque manager. “They are [in the title race],” he declared. “When you look at where they are, the way they play, they have beaten some big teams, especially at home. Everybody is going to have to play everybody, so at the moment they are where they are and we are there as well.”
As Maresca pointed out, there is still more than half the season to play and Arteta is very much playing the long game himself.
“If [you] think we are going to be in this moment with 10 points clear, I think we’re living in a different world,” he sniffed. “We’ve been 18 games unbeaten and still we are there, very close to each other. That’s the level of the league and we know that. That’s the opportunity that we have ahead of us and that’s it. Now it’s time to bounce back.”
Manchester City arguably endured more heart-in-mouth moments over the last week than either Arsenal or Chelsea, yet Pep Guardiola’s side still—somehow—emerged with a perfect nine points. Leeds overturned a two-goal deficit at the Etihad before conceding a last-minute winner while Fulham racked up four goals in a bonkers defeat in west London under the lights.
After a more routine 3–0 win over Sunderland on Saturday, Guardiola did not get ahead of himself. “Many things are going to happen still,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s down to the way we play, not how many points behind we are. It’s the way you perform. The players are not stupid, consistency doesn’t come from one result.
“In the last nine to 10 games, we have been good. We have suffered a lot but we have to learn from it so it doesn’t happen again. When you score five goals against Fulham, you are doing good things.”
