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October 12, 2022
The theatre surrounding the Premier League is unlike any other top-flight league in the world, and given the competitiveness and unpredictability of the 2022/23 campaign through seven weeks – this season is shaping up to be yet another incredible ten months of football.
There are clubs who are living up to expectations, others who are exceeding them – and then there are some who have been bitter disappointments. With the Premier League currently on international break (at the time of writing), now is a good time to dissect some of the stalwarts, failures and surprise packets thus far this season.
With that in mind, read on as we give a handful of notable teams a letter grade, and highlight where they have succeeded or gone wrong.
Arsenal – A
While it is tempting to give the Gunners an A+, their 3-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford in early September is a blemish on their record worth noting. Nonetheless, Arsenal has started their campaign extremely well, winning six of their opening seven fixtures – and doing so in dominant fashion. They currently sit atop the table on 18 points, just one point clear of heavyweights Manchester City and north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Their acquisition of Gabriel Jesus has proven to be a masterstroke, with the Brazilian providing them the added firepower upfront they desperately needed after the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last season.
However, with four of their wins coming against struggling sides such as Leicester City, Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace – more needs to be seen before determining how good Arsenal can be this season.
Manchester City – A
Unsurprisingly, reigning premiers Manchester City have began their season strong. Arguably one of the greatest teams ever assembled, their addition of striker Erling Haaland has taken the football world by storm. The 22-year-old has scored 11 goals in seven appearances since joining the Pep Guardiola-managed side – with his athleticism and anticipation making him perhaps the most dynamic forward in the game today.
With a squad that includes world-class players in addition to Haaland such as Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Bernado Silva and Riyad Mahrez – it’s easy to see why City are the favourites in the football odds to win the Premier League.
Liverpool – C
Entering this season as a close second to Manchester City in the betting odds to win the league, the Reds have failed to live up to their lofty pre-season expectations. After a disappointing draw to kick off their season, Jurgen Klopp’s side have struggled to return to the form that saw them reach the Champion’s League final and win the FA and League Cups in 2021/22.
Their cohesion and spark has been severely lacking through seven games, with their key men Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and new acquisition Darwin Nunez finding it difficult to stamp their authority on games. The loss of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich could be a major factor in their success last season and lack thereof in 2022/23 – however – with more than eight months of football still remaining, there’s plenty of time to iron out any kinks they currently have.
Brighton & Hove Albion – A+
Arguably the biggest surprise of this season, the Seagulls currently sit in fourth position in the table after kicking off their campaign with four wins in six games. They stunned fans and pundits alike on opening day, defeating Manchester United away from home 2-1 – and while many chose to look at that result as an indication of a poor United rather than a great Brighton & Hove Albion – the East Sussex outfit have continued to toil away and secure wins.
Their success has garnered the attention of the rest of the league – so much so their manager Graham Potter was poached for Chelsea’s top job. The coming weeks will prove a huge moment in the Seagulls’ campaign, as the squad’s response to their newly acquired manager Roberto De Zerbi could be telling in how they will fare for the remainder of the season.
Manchester United – B
After a shocking beginning to the season that saw them record consecutive losses to Brighton and Brentford, there were concerns the famed club would finish outside the top eight for the first time in the Premier League era. They have managed to turn their poor early season form around however, notching up four wins on the trot against Southampton, Leicester City and most notably, Liverpool and league leaders Arsenal.
They will need every ounce of their recent form on October 2nd, when they take on cross-city rivals Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. That fixture will provide a good yardstick for how United are positioned this season – and if they can manage to secure a win of that magnitude away from home, they will be right back in the Premier League title race.
West Ham United – D
After consecutive top seven Premier League finishes and a deep Europa League run last season, there were high hopes that the men in claret and blue would continue to advance in 2022/23. Unfortunately for their fans, they have regressed tenfold so far this season, managing only one win from their first seven games. Currently sitting in the relegation zone, manager David Moyes is under enormous pressure to keep his job.
However, with a talented squad that includes the likes of English internationals Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice, along with Michail Antonio, Kurt Zouma and recent acquisition Lucas Paqueta, don’t be surprised if their form improves as the season progresses.
