Fatigue has shaped the balance and madness of today’s Premier League

A constant feature of this season has been a background grumble of dissatisfaction. Social media is full of moans about the quality of play and the sense that everything has gone backwards since the tactical focus shifted away from the pure possession and positional football of the peak Pep Guardiola years to something more direct and focused on set plays.

Yet, as the run-in begins, there appears to be a proper Premier League title race and an extremely competitive battle to finish in the top five. Four teams are scrapping to avoid the last relegation slot while another three look nervously over their shoulders. The newly promoted sides have, as a group, managed the transition to the Premier League far better than for some time, and that has helped create greater balance — one reason Tottenham, almost unthinkably, find themselves in real relegation danger after their heaviest home derby defeat to Arsenal since 1978.

England

premier league, title race, relegation battle, tottenham, arsenal, promoted sides, pep guardiola, possession football, set plays, derby defeat