Arsenal are finally doing it. Seriously. If you’ve spent any time staring at the English Premiership league table over the last few weeks, you’ll see the North London side sitting pretty at the summit with 49 points after 21 games. It’s been 22 years of hurt for the Gunners, but Mikel Arteta’s squad looks different this time. They aren’t just winning; they’re controlling.
People always talk about the January "wobble." We’ve seen it a hundred times where a team leads at Christmas and then falls off a cliff once the frost hits the grass. But right now, Arsenal holds a six-point cushion over Manchester City and a surprisingly resilient Aston Villa. It’s tight. One bad weekend and the whole narrative shifts.
The Reality of the English Premiership League Table Right Now
Forget the "Big Six" for a second. That old label feels kinda dusty when you look at how the standings actually look in mid-January 2026. Manchester City and Aston Villa are neck-and-neck for second place, both sitting on 43 points. City has that familiar, terrifying goal difference of +26—the same as Arsenal—but they’ve drawn three of their last five matches. Erling Haaland is still a cheat code with 20 goals already, but even he’s had a bit of a quiet spell by his standards.
Then there’s Unai Emery. What he’s doing at Villa Park is basically a miracle. Despite the underlying stats suggesting they should be mid-table (Opta’s xG table has them 13th, believe it or not), they keep finding ways to win. They’ve got 43 points from 21 games. They’re defying logic, mainly thanks to Emi Martinez being a brick wall and Ollie Watkins consistently popping up when it matters.
Liverpool sits in fourth with 35 points. Arne Slot’s first full season has been a bit of a rollercoaster, but a 10-match unbeaten run has stabilized the ship. They’re leading a chasing pack that includes some very unexpected names.
The Rise of the "Others"
- Brentford (5th - 33 pts): Keith Andrews has done the unthinkable. Losing Ivan Toney and Thomas Frank in previous windows was supposed to kill them. Instead, Igor Thiago has 16 goals and the Bees are dreaming of Europe.
- Newcastle (6th - 32 pts): Life after Alexander Isak (who left in the summer) was supposed to be grim. It’s not. Harvey Barnes just scored a 102nd-minute winner against Leeds—the latest goal in the league's history.
- Sunderland (10th - 30 pts): The Black Cats are back in the big time and comfortably top half. They’ve drawn nine games—the most in the league—but they’re incredibly hard to beat.
Why the Top Four Isn't a Lock
Honestly, the middle of the English Premiership league table is a chaotic mess. Only seven points separate Brentford in 5th from Bournemouth in 15th. It’s claustrophobic. One week you're eyeing the Europa League; the next, you're looking over your shoulder at the relegation scrap.
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Chelsea and Manchester United are the big stories here, mostly for the wrong reasons. Both clubs have hit the reset button... again. Chelsea sacked Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day and brought in Liam Rosenior. They’re in 8th. Manchester United let Ruben Amorim go after a falling out with the recruitment team, leaving Michael Carrick to steady the sinking 7th-placed ship.
It’s weird seeing Spurs down in 14th. They’ve lost eight games already. For a club with that stadium and that squad, being below Crystal Palace and Everton in January is a genuine crisis.
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The Scrap at the Bottom
If you want to see pure stress, look at the bottom three. Wolves are in serious trouble. One win in 21 games. Seven points total. It’s looking like one of those historically bad seasons unless Rob Edwards can pull off a Great Escape for the ages.
Burnley (13 pts) and West Ham (14 pts) are the ones currently joining them in the red zone. West Ham’s fall has been shocking. They sacked Graham Potter earlier in the season, and the squad just hasn't responded. Nottingham Forest (21 pts) and Leeds United (22 pts) are hovering just above, but they aren't safe by any stretch. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been huge for Leeds lately, bagging eight in his last nine to keep them afloat.
Breaking Down the Numbers
- Total Goals: The league remains high-scoring, but defensive solidity is winning titles. Arsenal has only conceded 14 goals all season.
- The Draw Kings: Sunderland (9) and Manchester United (8) are the reasons your weekend parlays are failing. They just won't go away.
- Home Advantage: It's mostly a myth for the bottom half this year. More away wins have been recorded in the bottom ten matchups than in the previous three seasons combined.
What to Watch For Next
The January transfer window is still open until February 2nd. This is where the English Premiership league table usually gets its final shape. Arsenal needs to stay healthy; their depth is better than before, but an injury to William Saliba or Bukayo Saka could still ruin everything.
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Manchester City usually goes on a 15-game winning streak around February. If they do that again, 49 points won't feel like much of a lead for Arsenal. Watch for Brentford, too. If they can keep Igor Thiago through the winter window, they might actually secure a Champions League spot.
Keep an eye on the "six-pointers" coming up. West Ham vs. Burnley in late January will likely decide who stays within touching distance of safety. If Wolves don't pick up six points in their next three matches, they are mathematically staring at the Championship by March.
Check the fixture list for February. The European competitions restart, and that’s when squad depth—or the lack of it—really starts to show in the domestic standings. Monitor the injury reports for Arsenal and City specifically, as the point gap is narrow enough that one muscle tear could decide the title. Look at the disciplinary records as well; several key midfielders are one yellow card away from a two-match ban, which could disrupt the rhythm of the top four.