The Premier League table has few surprises so far. Liverpool have bulled their way to the top spot with 43 points, owing to 14 wins, one draw and zero losses. Leicester City are in second place with 35 points, closely followed by Manchester and Chelsea. It’s not too late for the tables to turn, however, as previous astounding seasons can confirm.
This keeps other teams’ hopes still burning bright as their performance is expecting some much-needed upgrades. Aston Villa, Norwich City and Sheffield United are sitting in very different, even precarious, positions on the board, so it will be interesting to see how and if they manage to stay in the Premier League 2019-20.
Teams and Players Turning the Tide
Aston Villa faced down some tough opponents and currently hold the 16th spot in the table. After their recent 2-1 defeats to Liverpool and Wolves, Dean Smith’s players more than made up for it by winning the match against Newcastle by 2-0. With Tom Heaton and Jack Grealish back in play after their injuries, the latter showing his best self yet in central midfield, Aston Villa is gearing up to climb the table after two tough away matches at Man United and Chelsea.
Norwich City have seen less luck this season. The Canaries count nine crucial injuries, including Christoph Zimmermann, Onel Hernandez, Timm Klose and Grant Hanley, that have affected the team’s dynamics and performance. Now in 19th place, the outlook is grim for 29% of 1000 Norwich supporters. The Eastern Daily Press does highlight the positivity of the other 62% that believes in the club’s potential of finishing 17th at the very least. But, once again, miraculous comebacks are common in the Premier League. We may yet see the surviving players rally for some wins, particularly when they host the Blades. That should lift everyone’s spirits.
Of the three clubs, Sheffield United have played the best and rightfully earned the 9th spot. Four losses aside, the rest of their journey is marked with more draws than victories, but resulting in an overall upward trajectory. Considered one of the season’s top teams, its good impression is not just due to the skill of its members, Lys Mousset’s four goals praised by the BBC, but their unified and determined spirit too. This and Chris Wilder’s smart signings and defence strategies are seen as key features leading the Blades to a potentially even higher standing in the League. The next matches to look forward to are against their fellow promoted teams.
So how do we see each of these teams faring? Norwich City will need a major boost to its scores and morale, if only to avoid relegation. Fans, however, still seem to believe in the team, judging by its absence among Premier League relegation odds, which have so far accurately predicted Southampton’s spiral to the English Championship by 4/1. At this point, the Canaries may not be candidates for the outright winner odds, but they have pulled off wanders before, so all hope is not lost for at least a better position in the League table. Aston Villa is only a few steps above Norwich and has been experiencing enough losses to make fears of potential relegation perfectly valid. But the team’s skill is holding strong and, as long as further injuries to key players are avoided, has the power to carry them higher up the ranks. And then we have Sheffield United, which has the least to worry about. A tight-knit group of passionate players, the Blades will definitely remain at the top of the table. A shot at an ultimate promotion may even be within their grasp.
This season, like any other, has seen its ups and downs, its miracles and disasters. The experiences so far for Norwich City, Aston Villa and Sheffield United are very different, with one or two within relegation range. The fight for the League, however, is far from over.