Liverpool’s good run of form under Jurgen Klopp came to a screeching halt at Newcastle as the Magpies claimed a 2-0 win over the Reds on Sunday
Newcastle’s 2-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon at St James Park underlined the unpredictable nature of the Premier League.
Liverpool has hit form under Jurgen Klopp in recent weeks, having scored ten goals in their last two games.
They were expected to head to the north east and beat 19th place Newcastle with ease.
However the Magpies raised their game and the Reds struggled to find a way past a usual very leaky Magpies defence. This result was not the first surprise result of the weekend, as Stoke had already beaten then Premier League leaders Manchester City 2-0 at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.
Bournemouth had also won 1-0 at reigning champions Chelsea on Saturday evening, with experienced striker Glenn Murray grabbing the only goal of the game.
League levelling out
The thing about the Premier League in recent years is that there has been such an influx of money that the traditionally smaller clubs financially are all of a sudden able to bring in very good players.
Leicester topping the Premier League table is maybe a surprise, but the Foxes have some quality players, in the likes of Riyad Mahrez and of course the electric Jamie Vardy.
They are the perfect example of how the rest of the clubs have caught up to the big spending teams in recent seasons. The Foxes are now odds of 25/1 to win the Premier League, their performances this season has saw those odds slashed from the start of the campaign.
Stoke are another typical example of how they have spent their money wisely in the past few windows and signed quality players. Under Tony Pulis they were functional, but at times difficult on the eye. However Mark Hughes has changed the style of the team by signing quality players with bags of technical ability.
Stoke were always a well-run club, who never really progressed that far because there were financial barriers. However, the Potters have been able to splash cash on the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Bojan and Marko Arnautovic, all highly-rated, if mercurial performers.
To be fair to Stoke though, Bojan and Arnautovic have proven to be bargains. The signing of Shaqiri was an eye-catching one for the Potters. It proved that even clubs that are not considered as major players in the Premier League can attract quality players.
Crystal Palace is another example of how the influx of cash has helped a club that was financially stricken in recent history, but are currently thriving in the top-flight. One of the most eye-catching signings of the summer was the Eagles signing French international midfielder Yohan Cabaye.
Cabaye has enjoyed a decent start to his career at Palace and the Eagles are in the top-half of the Premier League. In fact if Alan Pardew’s side defeat Everton at Goodison Park tonight they will move up to sixth in the table.
No consistency from top teams
The big teams from previous years have just not been able to find any consistency this season. Even Manchester City who looked like dominating the Premier League in the early weeks of the campaign has struggled for any sort of consistency.
The Citizens have experienced big injuries to the likes of star trio of Sergio Aguero and David Silva, but even a club of City’s resources will find it difficult to replace such key players.
Arsenal has their usual full treatment room, with key players like Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin all currently crocked. Those injuries may prove crucial in the Gunners challenge for the Premier League title.
Manchester United have made watching paint dry look like an attractive proposition at times this season. They did create chances against West Ham last time out, but they failed to take them so dropped more points.
The less said about reigning Premier League champions Chelsea the better for Jose Mourinho and Blues fans sake. They just seem to slump from one defeat to another at the moment. A surge for the top four now seems like a job for Tom Cruise, as it is looking like mission impossible.
Nice and open
The open nature of the Premier League this season is good for the fans. The Premier League has always been fairly unpredictable, but this season seems to be one of the most unpredictable seasons in the Premier League era.
Teams are massively overachieving and teams massively underachieving, which can only lead to a far more entertaining and interesting campaign. The surprise results are likely to continue for the rest of the season and the league is all the better for it.
Is the unpredictability of the Premier League good for fans?
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