With 39 matches gone of the 2023/24 Premier League season, the table is beginning to take shape, with champions Manchester City at the top. But how much do the current standings have a relationship with the table at the end of the season?
We have looked back at past seasons and history shows that Man City's chasers should have hope, while those in the relegation zone also have plenty of reasons for optimism.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Man City
MCI
|
38 | +62 | 91 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
38 | +62 | 89 |
| 3 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
38 | +45 | 82 |
| 4 |
Aston Villa
AVL
|
38 | +15 | 68 |
| 5 |
Spurs
TOT
|
38 | +13 | 66 |
| 6 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
38 | +14 | 63 |
Pep Guardiola's indefatigable City machine keep rolling on and are the only side to boast a perfect record of four wins in 2023/24 so far. But in the past eight seasons, only one team that have topped the table at the end of Matchweek 4 have gone on to be crowned champions.
That was in 2019/20 when Liverpool were leaders and, like Man City, were the only team in the league to have claimed four wins from their opening four matches.
It is a similar tale when looking at MW4's top four and the teams in the same position come the season's end. In only one season have the same four teams placed first to fourth at this stage remained in the top four at the end of the season.
The only exception came in 2012/13, but there was plenty of change within the positions of those four teams.
Matchweek 4 leaders Chelsea dropped to third by the end, while Manchester United jumped from second to first. Man City climbed from fourth to the runners-up position and Arsenal dropped from third to fourth.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 |
Everton
EVE
|
38 | -11 | 40 |
| 16 |
Brentford
BRE
|
38 | -9 | 39 |
| 17 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
38 | -18 | 32 |
| 18 |
Luton
LUT
|
38 | -33 | 26 |
| 19 |
Burnley
BUR
|
38 | -37 | 24 |
| 20 |
Sheffield Utd
SHU
|
38 | -69 | 16 |
At the other end of the table, there is a mixture of hope and fear for the bottom three teams - Everton, Luton Town and Burnley - who have yet to register a win between them.
In nine previous seasons since 1992/93, all three clubs occupying the relegation spots at the end of Matchweek 4 have gone on to escape the bottom three and retain their Premier League status.
But in three of the last four seasons, two of the teams in the bottom three at this stage have gone on to be relegated.
Never have all three teams in the relegation zone at the end of Matchweek 4 gone down that season.
If last season is anything to go by, there will be plenty of twists and turns throughout the campaign. In 2022/23, not one club finished in the same position that they were in after Matchweek 4.