Haven’t the two teams from Manchester had fantastic starts to the season?
If you listen to some of the views in the media, you might as well let those two teams scrap it out alone as no one else is in the running this year.
If we look at how they have fared so far, the hyperbole surrounding them could be warranted. Only Chelsea are within three points of them, and Arsenal’s title bid is surely over after only seven matches.
So why have Man Utd and Man City pulled away from the remaining title challengers so quickly? Looking at the fixtures they have had certainly helps to explain this.
Man Utd have had four home matches and trips to West Brom, Bolton and Stoke. Meanwhile, Man City have had three home matches and away matches at Bolton, Spurs, Fulham and Blackburn. Not only this, both teams played Spurs before their significant deadline day signings of Parker and Adebayor, and while Modric’s head was turned towards Stamford Bridge.
Compare these fixtures to Liverpool’s start of three home matches, and trips to Arsenal, Stoke, Spurs and Everton or to Chelsea’s start of three home matches, and away matches to Stoke, Man Utd, Sunderland and Bolton. It is clear that the impressive points totals of Man Utd and Man City are at least partly down to a favourable set of fixtures.
The Alternative Premier League Table currently shows a much closer situation at the top, with only two points separating the top four teams. The two Manchesters are still (deservedly) top with two points more than their par totals, but Chelsea and Liverpool will also be very satisfied by their points totals from their opening seven fixtures.
The next three rounds of matches could have a significant impact on both the real and alternative Premier League Tables, with Man Utd playing away at Liverpool and Everton, sandwiching a home tie to Man City, while Arsenal travel to Chelsea in the third of these rounds.
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