The first month of the Premier League season is in the books and while we still have a long way to go, there is a lot that we have learned already in terms of the expectations for certain clubs. The consensus was that Chelsea would have a very difficult time repeating after last year’s dominant championship season but few would have expected such a rough start at Stamford Bridge. Jose Mourinho’s men aren’t the only ones facing an uphill climb early on as already everybody is chasing Manchester City at the top of the table. Here is a look at four things we have learned early on this Premier League season.
Manchester City Is The Favorite
Their 3-0 win over Chelsea made it clear that City deserved to be considered the favorite in the Premier League this season and there has been absolutely no letup since. They’ve gone on to notch consecutive 2-0 wins over Everton and Watford in their last two outings. City is the only club with a perfect record through four contests.
The most impressive aspect of their dominance has been the fact that they have never looked at risk of letting a point slip from their grasp as they’ve been comfortably ahead for most of their matches. Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Yaya Toure lead a deep cast up front and while it might still be early, it’s clear already that every team in the Premier League is chasing Manchester City at the top. They currently have a three-point lead on second-place Crystal Palace.
Chelsea Will Face Uphill Climb
As if the lopsided loss to City wasn’t bad enough for Chelsea fans, the Blues followed up their first victory of the season by losing 2-1 to Crystal Palace this past weekend. Mourinho’s men battled back after falling behind 1-0 in the 65th minute and Radamel Falcao provided hope when he evened the score at 1-1 in the 79th minute. However, just two minutes later, it was Joel Ward that buried Chelsea with the winning goal in the 81st.
Chelsea isn’t playing with nearly the same sense of focus or urgency as they had last season and it’s clear they will face an uphill climb as they try to turn things around after earning only four of a possible 12 points to open the year. After leading the EPL from wire to wire last season, they’re already eight points behind just four games into the season.
[related_post_one]
Manchester United Needs More Help
United was very fortunate to open the year with consecutive 1-0 wins over Spurs and Aston Villa, but it didn’t take long for the club to get a major wakeup call as they have earned just one of a possible six points in their last two games. United followed up an uninspired 0-0 draw with Newcastle by dropping a 2-1 loss to Swansea and it’s clear they could use more help up front. The Red Devils have been held to three goals combined through four games, including an own goal by Tottenham in their opener. With Wayne Rooney held off the board through four games, it’s clear he can’t carry the offense on his own.
Consistency Still Key For Arsenal
The Gunners seemed unable to resist disappointing their fans with a 2-0 loss to West Ham in its season opener but they have bounced back with seven of a possible nine points in three games since. Now it’s become clear they have the potential to challenge for a league title this season. Arsenal is absolutely loaded up front but the main challenge for them will be consistency. The Gunners were unlucky to have a goal called back against Liverpool and they have to be better at home in particular the rest of the way. They have shown enough early on to believe Arsenal is a legitimate Premier League title contender this season.
