It is January 18, 2026, and if you haven’t looked at the English Premier League table standing this morning, you might want to sit down. The mid-winter grind is officially here. It’s that weird, slushy part of the season where squad depth matters more than tactical genius and the transfer window is wide open like a frantic bazaar.
Honestly, the table looks a bit upside down compared to what we expected back in August.
Arsenal are flying while everyone else stumbles
Arsenal currently sit at the summit with 50 points after 22 matches. They’ve been ridiculously consistent. Mikel Arteta has basically turned them into a winning machine that doesn't care about style points anymore, though they still have plenty. They just came off a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest—a game they probably should have won if Matz Sels hadn't decided to play like prime Lev Yashin—but even that minor slip hasn't hurt them too much because Manchester City actually lost to Manchester United the same weekend.
City are stuck on 43 points. Seven points is a big gap in this league.
You’ve got to wonder if Pep is overthinking it again or if the departures from last summer are finally catching up. They have the goals, obviously. Erling Haaland is sitting on 20 goals already. It's barely past New Year and he's already reached a tally most strikers would retire happy with. But the defense? It's leaking. 21 goals against is a lot for a City side that usually suffocates teams into submission.
The Aston Villa problem
Nobody is talking enough about Unai Emery. Villa are tied with City on 43 points, though they have a game in hand. If they win that, they are the clear and present danger to Arsenal. They have this weird ability to just hang in games they have no business being in.
Liverpool and Manchester United are trailing further back in 4th and 5th. It’s a dogfight for the Champions League spots.
- Arsenal - 50 pts
- Manchester City - 43 pts
- Aston Villa - 43 pts
- Liverpool - 36 pts
- Manchester United - 35 pts
The gap between 3rd and 4th is seven points. That’s huge. It suggests we might be looking at a three-horse race for the title, while the rest of the "Big Six" are basically just fighting for the leftovers. Chelsea are hovering in 6th with 34 points after a chaotic period that saw Enzo Maresca leave by mutual consent on New Year's Day.
📖 Related: Heisman Trophy Nominees 2024: The Year the System Almost Broke
Why the English Premier League table standing is a nightmare for West Ham
While the top of the table is all glitz and glamour, the bottom is a total graveyard.
West Ham United are in serious, serious trouble. They are 18th. 17 points from 22 games. For a club that was winning European trophies not that long ago, this is a massive collapse. Nuno Espírito Santo took over from Graham Potter back in September, but the "new manager bounce" never really arrived. It's been more of a "new manager thud."
They are seven points away from Nottingham Forest in 17th.
That is a mountain to climb in the Premier League. Especially when you’ve only won four games all season. The fans are restless, the London Stadium is becoming a toxic environment, and the players look like they’ve forgotten how to defend a set-piece.
Burnley and Wolves are down there with them.
Wolves are basically gone. 7 points. That’s it. One win in 21 games. It’s statistically one of the worst seasons we’ve seen in the modern era. They’ve already sacked Vítor Pereira and brought in Rob Edwards, but you can’t coach your way out of a talent deficit this large.
The Sunderland surprise and the mid-table mosh pit
Can we talk about Sunderland?
👉 See also: When Was the MLS Founded? The Chaotic Truth About American Soccer's Rebirth
Coming up from the Championship and sitting in 8th place in January is insane. They have 33 points, level with Brentford. Most experts had them pinned for a straight trip back down to the second tier, but they’ve been stubborn. They’ve drawn nine games—the most in the league—which basically means they are just really hard to beat.
Then you have Tottenham. 14th place.
It’s been a disaster for Ange Postecoglou’s successor. They’ve lost nine games. They have a positive goal difference (+2) but they can't stop losing by one goal. It’s the kind of season that makes a fan base want to delete social media for six months.
The Haaland factor vs. the Team approach
Stats tell a story, but they don't tell the whole thing.
Haaland has 20 goals, but Manchester City are 7 points off the lead.
Arsenal’s top scorers are Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard, both with only 5 goals.
This tells you everything you need to know about why the English Premier League table standing looks the way it does. Arsenal are sharing the load. They have goals coming from everywhere—Gabriel Magalhaes has 3 from center-back. City are becoming overly reliant on the big Norwegian. If you stop Haaland, you stop City. Or at least, you slow them down enough to grab a point.
Brentford’s Igor Thiago is the unsung hero of the season so far. 16 goals. He’s the only one even remotely keeping pace with Haaland. Without him, Brentford would likely be down there in the mud with West Ham.
✨ Don't miss: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
What to look for in the next four weeks
The winter transfer window is the "Panic Buy" window.
Manchester United just sacked Ruben Amorim on January 5th. Darren Fletcher is holding the fort as an interim, and the rumors are flying that they are going to spend big to secure that 4th spot. They need a midfielder who can actually run, which has been a problem for them since about 2018.
Watch the gap between 17th and 18th. If Nottingham Forest (22 points) wins their next two games and West Ham keeps sliding, the relegation three might be settled before we even get to March.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of the Season:
- Watch the "Goal Difference" trap: Tottenham are 14th but have a better GD than 10th-place Fulham. They will likely climb back into the top ten if they can find a way to turn those narrow losses into draws.
- Bet on the Draws: Sunderland and Manchester United are drawing nearly 40% of their matches. In a league this tight, the "Draw" is often the smartest play for a neutral observer.
- Squad Depth Check: Arsenal have the fewest injuries of the top four. If Declan Rice or Martin Ødegaard go down in February, that seven-point lead will evaporate in a fortnight.
- Transfer Watch: Keep an eye on West Ham's activity. If they don't bring in a proven Premier League goalscorer this month, they are playing Championship football next year.
The table as it stands is a snapshot of a league in transition. The old guard is struggling, the new money at Villa is working, and Arsenal are finally showing the maturity that escaped them in previous title charges. It's going to be a long, cold path to May.
Check the fixtures for the upcoming "Double Gameweeks" if you're playing Fantasy Premier League, as the rescheduled matches from the December cup runs are about to hit the calendar and shift these standings significantly.