The Premier League is full of twists and turns each year, making it one of the most unpredictable and exciting leagues in the world for not just the fans but also the players. The randomness of the English top flight could be compared to spinning an online roulette UK wheel, but there are a lot of patterns that we have witnessed this season that could provide hints as to how the league could pan out going into 2026. So today, we will be taking a look at 9 things we have learned from the Premier League season so far.
Long Throws Are Back
In the late and early 2010s, the long throw came into fashion, directly putting pressure on the opposition’s defence from a throw-in hurled towards the goalkeeper’s 6-yard box. Some teams often thought they were more dangerous than corners, especially against Rory Delap, but they are well and truly back in fashion. The likes of Sunderland’s Nordi Mukiele and Brentford’s Michael Kayode are 2 players who favour this style of attack.
A Shift From Flair
It was quite often last season to see teams attempting to play out from the back, keeping a hold of the ball and relying on the holding midfielder to orchestrate the manoeuvre; however, this is slowly changing. Teams are now opting to play long and balls behind the back line, taking a more direct approach. This has been incredibly effective this season, potentially as a result of teams simply not expecting it.
A Wide Open Title Race
Although Arsenal may be comfortably ahead in terms of points and momentum, the title is still completely wide open, with the gap being closeable as a result of being so early into the season. The large amount of games and injuries Arsenal are facing could result in them slowing down, giving opportunity to the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea who follow behind. It will be interesting to see how teams approach the second half of the season, with bottom half of the table teams being able to compete against some of the top sides.
New Signings Taking Over
When a player comes to the Premier League or even just shifts environments, it can take time to adjust, sometimes seasons, but this year, players have seemed to hit the ground running. Players such as Martin Zubimendi and Gianluigi Donnarumma have impressed after making the move, with the return of Granit Xhaka arguably the best new signing of the season.
Early Manager Changes
It’s not uncommon to see a managerial change during the season, especially in the modern age of football, but so far in the 2025/26 season, we have seen 4 manager sackings already, which have had some huge impacts on clubs. Nuno Espirito Santos, Graham Potter, Ange Postecoglou, and Vitor Pereira have all been let go, with Nuno finding a new role at West Ham and the return of cult hero Sean Dyche.
The Big 6 Is Crumbling
The big 6 consist of the teams that often feature around the top 6 positions each season, including Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur, but as last season and the beginning of this season have shown, some of these clubs are massively underperforming, making way for the likes of Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and so far this season, Sunderland.
Set Piece Troubles
Corners and free kicks are becoming more dangerous than ever, often resulting in a goal or at least an attempt at a goal. Last season, Arsenal dominated when it came to set-piece dominance; however, more teams have begun to take advantage, highlighting how some defences have been struggling with managing them. Going into the second half of the season, it will be interesting to see if any approaches change.
New Boys Causing Problems
In the Premier League, it is common to see the newly promoted sides drop straight back down to the Championship, but this may not be the case this year. Looking at Sunderland, it is very unlikely to see them come near to relegation, taking points from Liverpool and Arsenal, even beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. But even Leeds and Burnley, who sit towards the end of the table, have a chance to survive, with some strong performances from each team and underwhelming starts for Wolves, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham.
Late Winners
Dramatic twists are almost guaranteed when it comes to Premier League matches, but so far this season, it seems we have seen more late goals deciding games than ever before. At the start of the season, Liverpool looked in a strong position to reclaim their title thanks to many late winners, while we have seen plenty of other teams all net late goals, which have salvaged points and even been crucial to league positions.