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We’ve put together a Premier League ‘big six’ mini league for the 2026-27 season, tracking the results between Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham.
The concept of the ‘big six’ feels increasingly outdated. Newcastle United and Aston Villa have challenged the established order in recent years, while Man United, Chelsea and Tottenham have all endured miserable campaigns miles off challenging at the top.
The last time all six clubs actually finished in the top six was back in 2021-22, and it doesn’t appear likely to happen again soon, with the likes of Brentford and Brighton threatening to upset the apple cart this time around.
But the distinction still holds some weight. These six clubs remain among the Premier League’s biggest spenders in terms of wages and transfer fees, and their financial muscle means they’re rarely far from the conversation. For now, we’ll stick with the traditional definition.
Last season, Manchester United topped our 2025-26 ‘big six’ mini league, despite finishing well behind champions Arsenal in the actual table. The Red Devils took 22 points from their 10 matches against their fellow heavyweights, including doubles over Liverpool and Chelsea, with Michael Carrick landing the job on a permanent basis in large part due to some statement victories.
It’s been a different story this season. United have taken just one point from their first three ‘big six’ encounters, losing the Manchester derby 1-0 at Old Trafford, drawing 1-1 with Tottenham and suffering a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea. Their struggles sum up the drop-off they’ve suffered under Carrick this season, and his job is surely hanging by a thread at this point.
Manchester City, meanwhile, have made a flying start in these fixtures. Enzo Maresca’s men followed up their controversial derby victory by thrashing Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield, an emphatic statement from a team looking to reclaim their Premier League crown after finishing runners-up to Arsenal last term – admittedly with a cloud hanging over their results as we await the repercussions of their charges.
Tottenham have also made an encouraging start, taking four points from their first two outings. A late equaliser earned them a draw at Old Trafford before they registered a particularly impressive 2-0 victory away to Chelsea. Things finally seem to be headed in the right direction under Roberto De Zerbi, with a rare victory at Stamford Bridge potentially a turning point.
Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea have endured a mixed start, losing 2-1 at Arsenal and suffering a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham before bouncing back with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United.
Liverpool were competitive against Manchester City until Ryan Gravenberch’s red card, but the game got away from them after that. They’ve now failed to score in either ‘big six’ outing, with no shots on target against Arsenal underlining that Andoni Iraola’s project remains a work in progress, despite encouraging signs such as their strong Champions League form and League Cup victory over Chelsea.
Mikel Arteta’s champions, meanwhile, have maintained their perfect record with a statement 1-0 victory at Anfield, their first league win there since September 2012 and the first under the current boss.
Kai Havertz’s early goal proved decisive, with the Gunners producing something of a Mourinho-esque defensive masterclass to keep Liverpool at arm’s length. Six points from six against Chelsea and Liverpool is an excellent return, and it shows their big-game mettle after their excellent display in the Community Shield curtain-raiser against Manchester City.
Here’s how the Premier League’s ‘big six’ head-to-head table stacks up so far in 2026-27, with each team ranked by their points per game:
Played: 2
Won: 2
Drawn: 0
Lost: 0
Goals For: 4
Goals Against: 0
Goal difference: +4
Points: 6
Played: 2
Won: 2
Drawn: 0
Lost: 0
Goals For: 3
Goals Against: 1
Goal difference: +2
Points: 6
Played: 2
Won: 1
Drawn: 1
Lost: 0
Goals For: 3
Goals Against: 1
Goal difference: +2
Points: 4
Played: 3
Won: 1
Drawn: 0
Lost: 2
Goals For: 3
Goals Against: 4
Goal difference: -1
Points: 3
Played: 3
Won: 0
Drawn: 1
Lost: 2
Goals For: 1
Goals Against: 4
Goal difference: -3
Points: 1
Played: 2
Won: 0
Drawn: 0
Lost: 2
Goal difference: -4
Points: 0