The Premier League, has already moved into the second half of the 2022-2023 season, a season of balance on all fronts.
Next weekend, the Premier League schedules the 24th round of fixtures, but without two of the top 6 teams, Manchester United and Newcastle United. The two will fight this Sunday for the first trophy of the season, the EFL Cup!
The title battle continues in England, although at one point it seemed to be decided in favour of Arsenal London. Mikel Arteta’s squad looked unstoppable on their way to the title. But then came the shocking 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park on 4 February, 1-0 to Everton, and Arsenal faltered. Then came the 1-1 draw with Brentford, but above all the 3-1 defeat at the Emirates against their main rivals Manchester City, a result that saw the champions climb to the top of the standings. Last weekend’s round saw Nottingham Forest draw 1-1 with Manchester City and a dramatic 4-2 win for the gunners at Villa Park against Aston Villa. Arsenal is once again top of the Premier League, two points ahead of City but is also one match short. Arsenal will play on Saturday 25 February away to Leicester, currently in 14th place, while City will play at Dean Court against Bournemouth, with the two title rivals having one objective, victory.
After two consecutive victories, Liverpool is hoping for a UEFA Champions League place next season. Jürgen Klopp’s team is in eighth place with 35 points, seven points behind fourth place, the last Champions League spot. LFC plays Saturday at 15th-placed Crystal Palace, who have won just one of their last 12 games in all competitions.
After a 1-4 away win over Leicester, Tottenham Hotspur bounced back last weekend with a convincing 2-0 home win over West Ham United to move up to 4th place. Next up, however, is a fiery match against Chelsea on Sunday 26 February, also at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Chelsea, who has spent over half a billion pounds since the summer, is on a disappointing 10th position in the Premier League table, 23 points behind leaders Arsenal London!
There will also be interesting clashes in Fulham v Wolves, Everton v Aston Villa, Leeds v Southampton and West Ham United v Nottingham. Despite the win at Stamford Bridge, Southampton’s decline continues, with the Premier League’s last-placed team hiring their third manager this season: Ruben Selles.
