The 2025/26 Premier League season has reached its most volatile stretch. While Arsenal maintained their status as “Christmas Number One,” the once-comfortable seven-point cushion has vanished. With Manchester City hitting their traditional winter gears and Aston Villa emerging as the ultimate “dark horse” with a historic 10-match winning streak, the title race is no longer a solo act—it’s a three-way brawl. Meanwhile, the battle for the final Champions League spot is a logjam, with Chelsea, Liverpool, and a resurgent Manchester United all within striking distance.
The Premier League Table (Live Update)
# Logo Team W D L FOR Points 1 
Arsenal 14 3 2 37 45 2 
Manchester City 13 2 4 43 41 3 
Aston Villa 12 3 4 30 39 4 
Liverpool 10 3 6 30 33 5 
Chelsea 8 6 5 32 30 6 
Manchester United 8 6 5 33 30 7 
Sunderland 7 8 4 20 29 8 
Everton 8 4 7 20 28 9 
Brentford 8 3 8 28 27 10 
Crystal Palace 7 6 6 22 27 11 
Fulham 8 3 8 26 27 12 
Tottenham Hotspur 7 5 7 27 26 13 
Newcastle United 7 5 7 26 26 14 
Brighton & Hove Albion 6 7 6 28 25 15 
AFC Bournemouth 5 8 6 29 23 16 
Leeds United 5 6 8 25 21 17 
Nottingham Forest 5 3 11 18 18 18 
West Ham United 3 5 11 21 14 19 
Burnley 3 3 13 20 12 20 
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 3 16 11 3
The Week’s Biggest Movers
The most significant shift this week comes from Aston Villa, who have officially transitioned from “top-four hopefuls” to genuine title contenders. Their 2-1 victory over Manchester United—driven by a brace from the sensational Morgan Rogers—kept them within three points of the summit. Villa’s consistency is the talk of the league; they haven’t dropped a point in weeks, exerting immense pressure on an Arsenal side that has looked uncharacteristically vulnerable due to recent injuries.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Wolverhampton Wanderers are sinking into historical territory for all the wrong reasons. With only 2 points from 17 matches, their movement is stagnant at the bottom, but the gap between them and safety is widening to a chasm. Conversely, Leeds United and Fulham have been the week’s “survival specialists,” picking up crucial points to distance themselves from the bottom three, leaving West Ham and Burnley sweating in the drop zone.
Key Takeaways: What You Need to Know
- The Leaders: Arsenal (39 pts) lead by a narrow 2-point margin over Man City (37 pts). The Gunners’ defensive solidity has wavered slightly, while City has regained clinical form, winning five on the bounce.
- The Danger Zone: Wolves (20th), Burnley (19th), and West Ham (18th) occupy the relegation spots. Wolves’ 0.1% “survival chance” according to Opta metrics suggests a miracle is needed at Molineux.
- The “Villa Factor”: Unai Emery has turned Villa Park into a fortress. Their win against United was their 10th consecutive victory in all competitions—their best run since 1914.
- Injury Crisis: Liverpool and Manchester United are reeling from massive blows; the Reds lost Alexander Isak to a leg fracture, while United talisman Bruno Fernandes is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Future Outlook: Matchweek 18 & 19
The upcoming fixtures are set to define the New Year hierarchy. Chelsea vs. Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge is the “Game of the Week”—a Villa win could effectively end Chelsea’s title dreams and cement Emery’s men as the primary challengers to the status quo. Arsenal hosts Brighton in a potential “banana skin” match, while Manchester City travels to Nottingham Forest, a venue that has historically frustrated the giants.
