Does Anyone Want To Win The Premier League?

Does Anyone Want To Win The Premier League?

What on the surface seems like a stupid question to ask has progressed into a talking point the further we dive into the season. The most recent round of Premier League fixtures has shown why no team is yet to take this title fight by the scruff of the neck, something that us fans haven’t seen in a few years.

Arsenal

Despite sitting top of the pile by seven points, The Gunners have yet to show any real killer instincts. The north London based side have drawn their last two Premier League encounters 0-0, facing Liverpool and Nottingham Forest respectively.

With both games ending goalless, it’s clear to see that Arsenal lacks an out and out goalscorer, something they have struggled with in the past. Their leading talismans in the Premier League so far this season are Viktor Gyökeres and Leandro Trossard with five goals each.

To put that into perspective, there are 14 clubs whose highest goalscorer has scored more than five Premier League goals. For a team sitting at the top of the highest league in England to have their leading marksman on five domestic goals from 22 games is mind boggling.

However where Arsenal lacks a focal point up front, they make up for it with by having an abundance of players who can chip in with goals. The Gunners have had 13 different goalscorers this campaign, with only Brighton (15) having more.

This is the reason why Mikel Arteta’s men have scored the second highest number of goals in the Premier League this season, as their squad depth and quality enables them to never purely rely on one individual player.

However there’s always a downside, and in this case it means Arsenal don’t have anyone to step up to the plate to find decisive goals in scrappy games. Their last two league matches are perfect examples of this, as The Gunners haven’t shown the killer instinct required to become champions.

Although this year, they might just get away with it...

This title race is tough to predict 😅@Arsenal have a seven-point lead despite consecutive 0-0s against Liverpool and Nott'm Forest pic.twitter.com/NzzcxaxHe3

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 18, 2026

Manchester City

Just when you thought City had found their rhythm after their festive period of dominance, the Premier League has shown us once again why it’s the best league in the world.

Manchester City went on a rampant eight-game winning streak in all competitions over the Christmas period. It looked as though Pep Guardiola’s team had started their all too familiar charge to the top of the table. Their last Premier League victory seems like a distant memory, with The Citizens now winless in their last four top flight encounters.

The Manchester derby defeat on the weekend has only added salt into the ever-growing gashing wound within the club. Defensive injuries have resulted in more chances being conceded than usual, with United generating over two expected goals (xG) on Saturday.

What hasn’t been weakened is City’s attack, in fact it has only grown stronger through the addition of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth this January.

Despite the high quality of players in attack, Manchester City only generated 0.45 xG against Manchester United, their second ever lowest xG created in Guardiola’s 364 Premier League games with The Citizens.

For a team that has scored the most goals in the Premier League so far this season, they certainly aren’t acting like it. There have already been two missed opportunities in the last two weeks to capitalise on Arsenal dropping points, however City have only lost ground to their title rivals.

Manchester City's last four Premier League games:

❌ 0-2 defeat vs. Man United
🤝 1-1 draw vs. Brighton
🤝 1-1 draw vs. Chelsea
🤝 0-0 draw vs. Sunderland pic.twitter.com/iPOBX6emGk

— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) January 17, 2026

Aston Villa

It’s still up to debate as to whether Aston Villa are in this title race or not, but from what we’ve seen from them so far there’s no reason to suggest why they can’t be. However their 1-0 loss at home to Everton on the weekend signifies another missed opportunity to chase down Arsenal.

The Villans experienced a torrid start to the new season, waiting six games to pick up their first win of the Premier League campaign. However from the start of November until the end of December, Villa went on an 11-game winning streak in all competitions.

Eight of those victories came in the league, catapulting the club into the top four of the table. Unai Emery’s men currently sit on the same number of points as Manchester City (43) and are seven points adrift of Arsenal.

When taking into consideration Aston Villa’s form at the beginning of the campaign, it’s incredible to think how they are in a potential title race. It shows that if a club can go without a win for their first five games in a season and sit comfortably within the top four, what’s to stop other teams entering the race for the Premier League trophy.

Perhaps the answer lies within the competitive nature of all three promoted clubs, as the trio who came up from the Championship have all shown that they can compete in England’s highest division.

This has in turn made life more difficult for those hunting down the Premier League title, as anyone can take points off anyone.

FT: Aston Villa 0-1 Everton

The Toffees bring Aston Villa's 11-game winning streak at Villa Park to an end 🔵#beINPL #AVLEVE pic.twitter.com/7IlFrwgnkZ

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) January