The first nine versus the last nine games

The upcoming set of fixtures represents the 19th Matchweek, halfway through the 2024/25 Premier League, where each team will have played each other (apart from the Merseyside derby, which was postponed due to bad weather).

But before we get there, we’ve split the 18 Matchweeks into two sets of nine to see which teams started the season well and who have had a good run of late.

Looking at the tables below, here’s what stands out.

Of course, the biggest transformation at the defending Premier League champions, Manchester City. They were top of the table after nine games, having won seven and drawn the other two games for 23 points. But waiting around the corner was the club’s worst run of form in 18 years, and Pep Guardiola’s worst spell as manager.

City have picked up just five points from their next nine games, a run of form so poor that it places the champions in the bottom three for the final nine gameweeks, with just two promoted, Southampton and Leicester Citybelow them on goal difference.

Other teams that have struggled in their last nine game weeks are Aston Villawho won 18 points from their first nine games and were placed fourth, but added just 10 points from their last nine games, the 15th worst performance. Brighton & Hove Albion have also dropped off, going six games without a win and claiming 10 points from MW10-18, six fewer than in the first nine rounds.

On the back, Wolverhampton Wanderers is the team that has made the biggest improvement.

From the first nine games, Wolves had picked up just two points, but their 13 points in the last nine fixtures, including back-to-back wins under new head coach Vitor Pereira, have given them the eighth-best record in the period.

Meanwhile, both AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United have improved their performance by five points between Matchweeks 10-18.