Premier League leaders Arsenal are among this season’s most-improved teams, while Liverpool have suffered the biggest drop-off in a wild turnaround from last season.
We’ve taken a look at the Premier League at the same stage last season – 11 games played, the November international break – to see which sides are performing best and worst in comparison to last term.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have made great strides after their early-season stumbles in 2024-25, paying the price and never quite recovering ground on eventual champions Liverpool from that point on.
Arsenal are all-round much better. They’ve picked up seven points compared to the same stage last season, have scored a couple more goals and have been particularly improved defensively.
Liverpool, by contrast, have picked up a massive 10 points fewer than the same stage last term, having suffered five league defeats already.
They’re scoring marginally fewer goals, despite the riches invested in attack, but it’s the defence that offers the most stark contrast – conceding a whole goal per game more than this time last year.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace have quietly been the Premier League’s most-improved this season.
Ten more points, six more goals scored and six fewer conceded have launched them eight places higher than this stage last year – given how triumphantly they ended the season, it’s easy to forget that the Eagles were slow starters under Oliver Glasner last term.
Everton are also doing noticeably better with David Moyes taking Sean Dyche’s place in the dugout, while Manchester United, Bournemouth and Tottenham are making marginal gains on last term.
Manchester City, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brentford are the clubs performing more-or-less to the same standard as last term. Keith Andrews can chalk that up as a major win given his inexperience and the notable churn in the Bees’ squad over the summer.
Wolves might find themselves adrift at the foot of the Premier League table, but they were slow starters last term and can take inspiration from dragging themselves out of the mire after changing manager in 2024-25.
Four clubs have actually taken fewer points than Wolves in comparison to the same stage last year, with Newcastle United, Fulham and Nottingham Forest suffering the biggest falls alongside Liverpool.
We’ve ranked every club in the Premier League compared to the same stage last season:
1. Crystal Palace
Points: +10
Goals for: +6
Goals against: -6
Position: +8
2. Arsenal
Points: +7
Goals for: +2
Goals against: -7
Position: +3
3. Everton
Points: +5
Goals for: +2
Goals against: -3
Position: +3
4. Manchester United
Points: +3
Goals for: +7
Goals against: +6
Position: +6
5. Bournemouth
Points: +3
Goals for: +2
Goals against: +3
Position: +3
6. Tottenham
Points: +2
Goals for: -4
Goals against: -3
Position: +5
7. Manchester City
Points: +1
Goals for: +1
Goals against: -5
Position: =
8. Chelsea
Points: +1
Goals for: =
Goals against: -2
Position: =
9. Aston Villa
Points: =
Goals for: -4
Goals against: -7
Position: +3
10. Brentford
Points: =
Goals for: -5
Goals against: -5
Position: -1
11. West Ham
Points: -2
Goals for: =
Goals against: -3
Position: -4
12. Brighton
Points: -3
Goals for: -2
Goals against: =
Position: -5
13. Wolves
Points: -4
Goals for: -9
Goals against: -2
Position: -1
14. Newcastle United
Points: -6
Goals for: -2
Goals against: +3
Position: -6
15. Fulham
Points: -7
Goals for: -4
Goals against: +3
Position: -8
16. Liverpool
Points: -10
Goals for: -3
Goals against: +11
Position: -7
17. Nottingham Forest
Points: -10
Goals for: -5
Goals against: +10
Position: -14
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