Arsenal – B
The Gunners have been the side to push Manchester City every inch of the way over the last two seasons, so the disappointment among their fans that they haven't been able to fully capitalise on City's downturn in fortunes in palpable.
A lengthy injury to Martin Odegard and a lack of creativity from the rest of the midfield during his absence has been Arsenal’s main problem but they’ve suffered from a lack of consistency and disciplinary issues also.
They have turned things around since the return of Odegard, winning four and drawing three of the seven games he’s featured in since the start of November, but their over reliance on him speaks to bigger issues.
Aston Villa – B+
It’s all ticking along nicely for Unai Emery’s side. They’re right in the mix-up for the top four places and on course to finish in the top eight of the Champions League group stage, progressing automatically to the round of 16.
Having overcome a shaky November period when Villa have picked up just one point from four games, they appear to be exactly where they want to be heading into the busy Christmas period.
Bournemouth – B+
Bournemouth fans celebrated their 3-0 victory over Manchester United singing of European qualification and well they may.
The Cherries continue to defy the odds in the Premier League and despite a slow start to the season, they’re up the fifth in the table, a position which could conceivably see them into the Champions League if they maintain it.
A lack of a focal point to their attack had threatened to be an issue but the way they’ve spread goals around the team means that the exit of Dominic Solanke has barely been felt.
Brentford – C
Twelfth in the table and already more than halfway to 40 points, Brentford will be pleased with their start to the campaign.
The Bees have been scoring goals for fun with attacking duo Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo on 19 goals between them, ensuring that the Ivan Toney’s absence has hardly been felt.
The only real fly in the ointment is their continued openness at the back, but if manager Thomas Frank can find a way to tighten up, another top-half finish looks certain.
Brighton - C
After an impressive start to the campaign, the wheels have come off slightly for the Seagulls who have now won just two games in their last ten.
Appointed in the summer, the initial signs were impressive for manager Fabian Hurzeler, but their defensive woes have seen them concede 19 goals in their last ten games and they haven’t kept a clean sheet since the middle of October.
The return of Joel Veltman and Adam Webster from injury should help however and they’re unlikely to be drawn into any kind of relegation scrap.
Chelsea - A
Last year's banter club are this year's title challengers. Todd Boehly's expensive scattershot transfer policy, which was the subject of so much derision last season, has been wrangled into a coherent and impressive team under the stewardship of Enzo Maresca.
An opening day loss to Manchester City and a reversal to Liverpool are the only defeats that Maresca's side have suffered as he's turned an expensive group of youthful promise into an exciting attacking team.
Defensive issues may ultimately come back to haunt them but make no mistake, Chelsea are genuine title challengers.
Crystal Palace - D
With just three wins on the board and a lack of consistency throughout the season, Crystal Palace are firmly in a relegation scrap.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. Finishing 10th last season, the hope among supporters was that they'd build on that and push for European football this season. However they've failed to properly replace Michael Olise who joined Bayern Munich in the summer and Joachim Andersen, while new arrivals like Eddie Nketiah and Maxence Lacroix have yet to make an impact.
Everton - C-
'Survive until '25' appears to have been the approach at Everton and with new owners finally in place and the threat of further points deductions now receding, the Toffees appear to have achieved that aim.
A dreadful start to the season, where they lost their first four games, had Everton rooted to the bottom of the table and questions being asked about Sean Dyche. While Dyche may not be their long-term future, he's turned things around somewhat and has taken them out of the relegation zone as they edge towards safety.
A lack of goals is their biggest issue and only Southampton have scored fewer times, which could be resolved in the January transfer window.
Fulham – B
A scoreless draw against Southampton on Saturday was only the second time this season that Marco Silva’s side have failed to score, following their opening day defeat to Manchester United.
Silva has turned a workman like side into a team of entertainers and with likes of Raul Jimenez and Alex Iwobi up front feeding off the work of an attack-minded, possession-based set-up, they’ve been able to push into the top half of the table and stay there.
Taking points from Arsenal and Liverpool already this campaign, Silva’s side have impressed throughout and if they can resist the lure and transfer exits in January, should push for a European spot come May.
Ipswich Town - D
This season's Burnley? Kieran McKenna’s side have earned a lot of admirers for their style of play and their commitment to playing attacking football, but the results haven’t really followed.
It took until mid-November for McKenna’s side to claim their first victory and they followed that up with just one point from their next four games. A 16th placed finish and another season in the Premier League would represent success but they go into the Christmas period second from bottom and have it all to do to get out of trouble.
Leicester – D
Hovering just above the relegation zone, Leicester’s return to the Premier League has been far from plain sailing.
Losing manager Enzo Maresca to the Chelsea in the summer was a blow but replacing him with Steve Cooper left many shaking their heads. It was no surprise that Cooper lasted only five months, but his replacement was a shock – Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy started with a win but claimed just a point from his next three games and whether such an unexperienced manager is the right fit for a relegation battle is very much in question.
Liverpool - A+
It's only four months since Arne Slot started the season in a job that most considered to be a poisoned chalice. Succeeding Jurgen Klopp, the man who won everything there is to win at Anfield, was considered an impossible task.
With no significant summer spending, expectations were that Slot would mount a top four finish and maybe have a decent run in the Champions League. Instead Liverpool are four points clear in the Premier League with a game in hand over the chasing pack.
Slot has revitalised the Liverpool squad with minimal fuss and has them looking every inch favourites for the title.
Manchester City - D
Things fall apart very slowly and then all at once. The seeming demise of the team that won the last four Premier Leagues has left plenty of people scratching their heads.
The absence of key players through injury, an ageing squad without proper succession planning and a general inability to maintain such sky-high standards have all been blamed for City’s collapse, but with nine defeats in their last 12 games, there doesn’t appear to be any quick fix.
City have lost their fear-factor, look bereft of ideas and energy on the pitch and a couple of high-profile January signings are unlikely to move the needle enough. A top four finish is now in question.
Manchester United - F
Sitting in the bottom half of the table, on their second manager this season and with their worst start to a campaign since Ron Atkinson was in charge, it's safe to say that Manchester United are not where they want to be.
Keeping Erik ten Hag beyond the summer has proved to be a major error and while United have remedied that with the appointment of Ruben Amorim, it's not going to be an easy fix.
There's been no 'new manager bounce' and United have won just two of Amorim's first six games. He has a huge job on his hands and one that will take years to get right. For now, a top four challenge looks unlikely.
Newcastle United – C
A strong start to the season for Newcastle in which they won three of their opening four games, gave way to more middling form and they have struggled to put together any kind of winning run. Back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Nottingham Forest were followed by a defeat to West Ham and Eddie Howe's men have yet to claim three wins of the bounce this term.
Consistency has been their biggest issue but if they can't put together a string of results over the festive period, they're still in touch for a top four finish. January reinforcements could help that, if the Magpies can navigate the Profit and Sustainability Rules minefield.
Nottingham Forest – A
Brought in as a firefighter just over a year ago, Nuno Espírito Santo dragged Forest to Premier League survival with a final day escape act and since then, has exceeded all expectations.
Sitting inside the Champions League places, Espírito Santo’s side have become one of the toughest sides to beat in the league and have developed a knack for coming up with big goals at just the right time.
That they’re the only side to beat league leaders Liverpool this season says it all.
Southampton – F
Promoted back to the Premier League via the play-offs last season, Southampton’s summer transfer business spoke of a side that was preparing to be back in the Championship next year.
With a thin squad in need of reinforcement when they came up, manager Russell Martin would have been disappointed with the players he could bring in, and it was little surprise when he was relieved of his duties a week ago.
Former Roma manager Ivan Juric is the man tasked with keeping them up but with just one win all season, the Saints are adrift at the bottom of the table and likely to stay there.
Tottenham – D
Ange Postecoglou is a man under pressure. Handed a young squad that has suffered from years of underinvestment, his summer reinforcements were Dominic Solanke and a handful of teenagers.
Postecoglou’s gung-ho approach has won plenty of admirers, but his lack of pragmatism and game control has seen Tottenham on the wrong end of some high-scoring games.
An injury crisis that has left the bulk of their first choice 11 on the sidelines hasn’t helped but patience appears to be wearing out among fans and with only four points from their last five games, time may be running out too.
West Ham - D
The proverbial monkey's paw may well have curled when West Ham fans got their wish and saw manager David Moyes leave, only to be replaced by Julen Lopetegui.
Irons supporters had long decried the dull, safety-first football under Moyes but it's been replaced by dull, safety-first football, with slightly worst results. The Hammers are ten points worse off than this time last season and have yet to put together back-to-back wins.
Lopetegui is the heavy favourite in the odds for the next manager to be sacked and with a tricky Christmas fixture list, he could be out of a job come the new year.
Wolves - D
Wolves certainly haven’t had it easy. A horrendous fixture list to start the season, which saw them take on five of the current top six team, left the Molineux side with just one point from eight games.
They manager to turn things around slightly with two wins and two draws from the next four games but another run of defeats after that saw Gary O’Neill pay with his job.
The fiery and much-travelled Vitor Pereira is the man tasked with saving their season and a 3-0 win away to Leicester was a dream start, but they remain in the relegation zone and have another tricky run of fixtures on the way.
