This Premier League season has thrown up several surprises, arguably none more so than among those teams between sixth and tenth in the table. Our mid-season round-up continues into the top half of the standings…
6th place: Brighton
How their season has gone so far
Few would have expected Brighton to be in this position come the halfway point of the season. That is testament to the work behind the scenes at the south coast club, from manager Roberto De Zerbi to chairman Tony Bloom and the rest of the board. They have had to deal with the departures of former manager Graham Potter and star players Leandro Trossard and Yves Bissouma, but have not been phased by this. A fantastic achievement so far by the club.
Embed from Getty ImagesHow could the rest of the season pan out?
After Arsenal tried to tempt the Seagulls late in the transfer window with huge bids for midfielder Moises Caicedo, it remains to see what frame of mind the Ecuadorian will be in for the rest of the campaign. Should the Seagulls manage to take advantage of the games in hand they have on those around them, a European spot will look well within reach come the end of the season. Kaoru Mitoma has been in astonishing form of late and a continuation of his goalscoring exploits will be of enormous importance to Brighton if they are to get into Europe.
7th place: Brentford
How their season has gone so far
After heavy away defeats at Newcastle and then Aston Villa in October, many worried that the Bees might get dragged into a relegation fight. But their form stretching from prior to the World Cup break and since the season resumed has been phenomenal. Only Manchester United have taken more points than Brentford since the resumption of the season, a run which has included wins over West Ham, Liverpool, Bournemouth and Southampton.
Embed from Getty ImagesREAD MORE: Premier League mid-season round-up: 11th-15th
How could the rest of the season pan out?
Like Burnley in the campaign of 2017/18, Brentford are within reach of European qualification in just their second Premier League season since winning promotion. The Bees have a solid foundation at the back along with potency in attack through striker Ivan Toney, who has scored 13 goals in 19 league games. But their talisman is waiting to hear on whether he will be punished for allegedly breaching FA betting rules, and should Toney receive a ban this season it would likely scupper hopes of European qualification.
8th place: Fulham
How their season has gone so far
Fulham and boss Marco Silva have exceeded all expectations this season, much like their west London rivals Brentford. After three previous attempts managing in the Premier League with Hull City, Watford and Everton, Silva seems to have found solace at Craven Cottage. After blowing the Championship aside last season, Fulham have kicked on this season, with shrewd transfer business and star players continuing their form from the previous season. Talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic in particular has been a revelation for the Cottagers, who sit above neighbours Chelsea, while defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha has proved to be an inspired signing.
Embed from Getty ImagesHow could the rest of the season pan out?
Fulham reinforced their central midfield options in January by bringing in Sasa Lukic from Torino to provide some much needed depth behind the reliable duo of Harrison Reed and Palhinha which should help their chances of finishing in the top half. That will also depend on the fitness of Mitrovic, however, having struggled with an ankle issue for much of the campaign. But should he continue to score at the rate he has done so far, a top-half finish at the least looks a possibility. European qualification would be a big ask but is by no means impossible.
9th place: Chelsea
How their season has gone so far
It’s been a time of enormous change for Chelsea. The club was taken over by an American consortium fronted by Todd Boehly last year which was followed by a spending spree of which football has not seen the likes of before. Thomas Tuchel was also replaced by Graham Potter as head coach, who is tasked with developing a crop of new young talent including Enzo Fernandez, Wesley Fofana, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke. The signings of senior players Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly have not worked out as hoped though, and this season has been a huge disappointment.
Embed from Getty ImagesREAD MORE: Premier League mid-season round-up: 16th-20th
How could the rest of the season pan out?
The appointment of a new head coach in Potter and a huge influx of new players means it was always going to take time for Chelsea, but there has to be signs of progress on the pitch during the rest of the campaign if faith in this project is to be retained among the fans. The lack of goals so far has been a big problem for the Blues, with their 23 goals scored ranking them just 13th in the league. Potter needs to find a way to get his attack firing and to gel his new look squad together heading into next season, which will be of much bigger importance. Breaking into the top four looks unlikely at this stage.
10th place: Liverpool
How their season has gone so far
Once again expected to be locked in a title race with Man City, this season has been a disaster for Liverpool. A 3-0 defeat to Wolves last time out perfectly encapsulated the problems they have had this season – leaking goals, defensive errors, and a lack of clinical finishing. Injuries to Virgil Van Dijk and Luis Diaz have not helped, but there is enough talent in this Liverpool side to be performing much better. Mo Salah has been way off his spectacular best and the attacking acquisitions of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo have not worked out thus far.
Embed from Getty ImagesHow could the rest of the season pan out?
It will take a massive turnaround for Liverpool to finish in the top six, let alone the top four come the end of the season. The Reds need more from the likes of Nunez, Salah and Gakpo if they are to push for European football in the second half of the season. Van Dijk’s return will help a struggling defence but the problems at Liverpool have been so big that it is difficult to see them making the huge improvements required for this to be a successful season. A summer rebuild is needed.