At around the same time last year Manchester’s City and United were about to meet each other in the derby, the loss of which was to be followed by a change in fortune for United.
Having started the season, along with City and Chelsea on a 100% winning run they were to go on and draw many games they should have won and finish the season in sixth, whilst the other two, as we all know, finished first and second.
Here we look at the opening few games of the so-called “big six” and compare them, where possible, to results against the same opposition last season.
Arsenal
The Gunners are 2 points down on their total from games against the same teams last season. They managed a fairly rare win at Stoke and, this year, lost the game 1-0. This, to an extent, was counter-balanced by drawing at Stamford Bridge in a game which was a 3-1 defeat last year, but the deficit is still two points.
They have also scored three goals less and conceded one more.
2016/17 Played – 5 Points – 9
2017/18 Played – 5 Points – 7
Chelsea
Chelsea are also two points down on their games from last year having dropped home points against Burnley, (a 2-3 defeat) and Arsenal, (a 0-0 draw). Both of these are games they won easily last term. They did, however, manage to beat Tottenham at White Hart Wembley, a feat they couldn’t achieve at White Hart Lane last season.
They have scored six goals less and conceded 2 more.
2016/17 Played – 5 Points – 12
2017/18 Played – 5 Points – 10
Liverpool
Yet another team who are two points down on last season. They failed to beat Watford and Burnley this time out yet took six points from them last term. They managed to turn round the Crystal Palace result by winning the game at Anfield this season. They lost it last.
Jürgen Klopp, similar to Arséne Wenger, needs to find some consistency in performance and also needs to start taking points from teams they are expected to beat.
They have scored one goal more this time out but have conceded four more than last season.
2016/17 Played – 5 Points – 10
2017/18 Played – 5 Points – 8
Manchester City
We are comparing four games for City due to the fact that Brighton were not in the Premier League last season so, obviously, City didn’t play them.
At last we find a team who has improved on last year. This time City are two points better off against the same four teams than they were last time out. The reason is that they managed to turn what was a draw against Liverpool last season into a 5-0 win this season which also resulted in a decent turnaround in the goals scored.
The caveat for Pep Guardiola is that City have started in a similar fashion for the last three seasons and have, as yet, not won the title in any of them.
This season they have scored five more goals than last and conceded the same, two.
2016/17 Played – 4 Points – 8
2017/18 Played – 4 Points – 10
Manchester United
United have the best differential having gained six points this year on last. This is entirely due to turning home draws against West Ham and Everton last season, into 4-0 wins this season. Now they just have to do the same with the likes of Burnley, Bournemouth, Stoke, Swansea and West Brom and, if they do, they could become unstoppable.
They have also managed to score six more goals and concede two fewer than last season.
2016/17 Played – 5 Points – 9
2017/18 Played – 5 Points – 13
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs are suffering more in this comparison than any of the others and it would appear to be because of their inability to win at their new “home“. They are five points worse off against the same teams from last year and have only collected two points from their three home games so far. They dropped less points at home during the whole of last season than they have done already this one!
They have also scored five goals less and conceded one more in a poor start to the campaign.
As with Manchester City, we have only been able to compare four games as Newcastle weren’t in the Premier League last season.
2016/17 Played – 4 Points – 10
2017/18 Played – 4 Points – 5
So United and City are better off than they were last season whilst the others are worse off. Does this mean anything in the long run?
Whilst doubtful, this comparison cannot be completely disregarded and fans of the two Manchester clubs will be hoping that their team will remain better off than the rest at the end of the season.
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 