The 2022/23 Premier League season has been incredible and perhaps the talking points that come to define it will only be known once the dust has settled. Will we remember Erling Haaland’s many, many goals, a Man City treble, the greatest relegation battle in PL history, the emergence of Newcastle as a major force, Man United’s return to the upper echelons of English football… or something else entirely?
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Some call the England manager’s role the impossible job, whilst others call it the hardest job in the world. Gareth Southgate seems to be making it look relatively easy – certainly very possible at any rate. That’s a different matter though, because both Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane might well argue that being your country’s captain, hero and record goalscorer is, in fact, an impossible (or certainly a thankless) task.
At the time of writing (21/3/23), Arsenal are sitting pretty eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table with 10 games of the 2022/23 campaign remaining. But Gunners fans are not relaxing just yet, especially with second-placed Manchester City putting in some scarily good displays of late. But as Arsenal focus on marching towards their first title since the 2003/04 season, we’re going to take a look back at when teams have led the way in the top flight, only to fluff their lines. So here we have the worst Premier League title collapses ever – any Arsenal fansout there might prefer not to read this!
The financial might of the Premier League seems to increase every year, with clubs in the bottom half of the table regularly buying players for £10m+. Indeed, we quite often see relatively average players, or certainly unproven ones, move to new clubs for fees of £20m or more. However, even viewed through this lens, and considering that PL sides spent a record £2.8bn on transfers during the 2022/23 season (summer and January windows), Chelsea’s outlay has been startling.
Since the first Merseyside derby was played between Everton and Liverpool in October 1894, the sides have met more than 240 times. The sides have both been in the top division of English football since the 1962/63 season, which means the Merseyside derby has been going on season-on-season in the top flight longer than any other.
The 2023 January transfer window has been nothing short of manic, with Premier League clubs and their respective owners (we’re looking at you Todd Boehly) spending like they’ve never spent before. A jaw-dropping £780.1 million was splashed on 52 permanent transfers, with an enormous number of loan deals also being struck.
At the time of writing, things are looking rather perilous for Everton in terms of their Premier League survival. Just past the halfway point of their league campaign, the Toffees have amassed a mere 15 points from their 20 games. Currently in 19th position on 15 points, they are only above rock-bottom Southampton on goal difference.
Since making the switch to Anfield from Borussia Dortmund back in 2015, Jurgen Klopp has transformed the Merseysiders, turning them into a European powerhouse once again. They also finally ended their long wait to win a Premier League title in 2020 and won both domestic cups in 2021/22.
Everton are objectively and historically one of the biggest clubs in English football. Only three clubs have won the top-flight league title more times than the Toffees and only two have appeared in the semi finals of the FA Cup more often. They have appeared in more top-flight seasons than any other club and were founder members of both the Football League and the Premier League.
Erling Haaland has done what Erling Haaland does and yet many seem surprised by his goalscoring feats at Man City. His stats at every single club he has played for have been phenomenal and he is only likely to get better given he won’t turn 23 until July. Moreover, he has never played at a club as strong as Man City, a side that creates so many chances and dominates almost every game they play.