Photo via BBC Sport

Does the Premier League 'Big Six' still exist?

The Premier League’s so-called 'Big Six' clubs—Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, and Manchester City—have long dominated the top spots, but their grip on the title race appears to be loosening. Between 2010-11 and 2018-19, these teams secured five of the top six finishes and frequently occupied the top seven or eight positions.

However, since 2018-19, their collective dominance has waned significantly, with only one season in the last six where all six clubs finished in the top six. This season, Manchester United sit in 13th place, while Liverpool are ninth, and Tottenham—once a consistent top-four contender—are currently second from bottom after a dismal start, failing to win any of their first six games.

Chelsea and United have both finished outside the top six twice since 2021-22, and Spurs have missed out three times, including a 17th-place finish in one campaign. In the past three years alone, five of the top six spots have been filled by clubs outside the traditional elite group, a shift that mirrors the broader trend of smaller clubs closing the gap through smarter recruitment and financial investment.

Newcastle United, for instance, rose from 11th in 2021-22 to fourth the following season after a £305 million takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, while Brighton & Hove Albion have thrived by identifying undervalued talent—such as Moisés Caicedo, signed for £4 million and later sold to Chelsea for £115 million—and leveraging data-driven strategies to compete financially with bigger clubs. Brighton’s sporting director, Mike Cave, has emphasized how their recruitment philosophy, rooted in efficiency and global scouting, has become a key factor in challenging the old order.

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