While the NFL is reaching the midpoint of its season, it is a good time to look across the Atlantic to the English Premier League. The Premier League has just finished its first 11 matches of the season before entering an international break during World Cup qualifiers across the world.
Now for those that do not understand how the Premier works, and most soccer leagues in general, they play a total of 38 games over the course of their season. At the end of a match, a team can get three points for a win or both teams can get a point for a draw; no points are awarded for losing.
The goal is, by the end of the season, to be at the top of the table in order to win the league by having the most points. Let’s start this look at the Premier by checking in on last season’s champions: Liverpool.
The champions started off the season hot, winning their first five matches of the season, including a 3–2 win at St. James Park against Newcastle, followed by a 1–0 win against Arsenal. Things started to fall apart quickly, though, as following a 2–1 loss against Crystal Palace, Liverpool went on a four-game losing streak.
They bounced back slightly as they beat Aston Villa 2–0, but were quickly brought back down by Man City, who dismantled them 3–0.
All this losing has obviously had a negative effect on Liverpool’s standing in the table as they now sit at eighth place. They have a chance to bounce back following the break as their next two matches are against Nottingham Forest and West Ham, both battling to stay out of relegation.
The club currently sitting at the top of the table is Arsenal, who have thus far only lost their only game of the season to Liverpool. Arsenal sits four points clear of second place Man City with 26 points so far. They have been excellent all season, especially in their defense of the goal.
Arsenal’s defense has only conceded five goals in 11 matches, the two most recent being in a draw against recently promoted Sunderland. That excellent defense has been led by Brazilian national Gabriel Magalhães, a player who always seems to be right where he needs to be to shut down any goal attempts.
Once they are back from break, they will face some stiff competition as they host fifth place Tottenham in a London derby. Following that, they will play against a red-hot Chelsea, who currently sits third in the table, looking to win the league after their fourth place finish last season.
Forest has been a shock so far this season as after finishing last season seventh in the table, and even being third at one point, they are currently fighting to get out of the relegation zone.
A big part of that reason could be the carousel that the manager position is currently dealing with at the club. The manager at the start of the season was Nuno Espírito Santo, the manager responsible for their great 2024-25 season, was let go just three matches into the season.
The reason being a breakdown of relations with ownership due to poor activity in the transfer market.
Santo was replaced by Ange Postecoglou. Postecoglou was a former manager for the Australian National team and Tottenham, the first Australian to ever be a manager in the Premier. He was sacked after eight games due to not managing to win a single match in that time.
He has now been replaced by Sean Dyche. Dyche was a long-time manager for Burnley, coaching that club from 2012–22, and had just been let go from managing Everton. What makes the Dyche hire special for the club and its fans was the fact that he came up in the Forest youth system and played the first two years of his career as a player there.
In the three games he has had control, the team has gone 1–1–1, beating Leeds 3–1 just before the start of the current break.
Another shock in terms of poor play has been Newcastle United. Newcastle finished last season fifth in the league and won their first trophy in 70 years by winning the Carabao Cup. Yet they are currently 14th, with some absolutely poor play away from St. James Park.
The biggest reason for this is the lack of strikers that Newcastle is currently facing. They have had great buildup play, controlling the midfield and getting scoring chances, but they have had trouble finishing in front of goal.
Last season, Newcastle could count on Swedish international Alexander Isak to be a machine in front of goal, as he finished second in the league with 23 goals. He caused a lot of drama all offseason and even through the first couple matches of this season, as he wanted to leave to go to a “better club.”
Due to his refusal to play and his poor communication with the club, it was decided to let them go.
So Newcastle sent him to Liverpool with a record-breaking £125 million transfer fee. Since signing with Liverpool he has barely seen the field due to injury problems.
This is only 11 matches through the season though, things are very likely to change and quickly. Tune in for what will be a great season.