Brentford

Brentford are a team based in London. They are commonly known as the Bees, given their logo. They sit seventh in the premier league table and have scored the most goals this season. This is a shock because they sold arguably their best player and best striker, Ivan Toney, in the summer. However, they have played exceptionally well this season. Cameroonian winger Bryan Mbeumo has been in stunning form, scoring nine and assisting in two in 15 premier league outings this campaign. Forward Mikel Damsgarrd is also having a career resurgence, with two goals and five assists this season, a premier league high for the Dane. They are in the race for Europe, given how seventh place in the Premier League gains Europa Conference League action the following season and places fifth-sixth gain Europa League soccer. Meanwhile, one-fourth of them have the unique privilege of playing in Europe’s premier club competition, the UEFA Champions League. 

Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo

(Credit: New York Times)

Aston Villa

Aston Villa is a team based in Birmingham. The team is playing in the Champions League, where they have played relatively well. They are placed sixth and looking to improve to a fourth-place finish last season. Their form last year and this year has been centered around star striker Ollie Watkins. A formidable presence in attack, he has seven goals and three assists this season. Fellow striker Jhon Durán is also a key contributor to Villa’s success. He has scored only five goals this season, but only being 20 only proves his immense potential. 

Aston Villa’s Jhon Durán

(Credit: BBC)

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest is a team based in Nottingham. This team needs to perform more from the previous season since they placed a low 17th last year. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has the Trees playing incredible defensive soccer. New transfer Nikola Milenkovic and Brazilian Murillo have formed a formidable center-back partnership with goalkeeper Matz Sels, who has only conceded 18 goals this season. Forrest has defeated strong opposition to reach this position in the table, the most notable being a 1-0 win against league leaders Liverpool. The clean sheet in this game shows how resilient their defense has been in the 24/25 season. Are they genuine challengers for the title? 

Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo

(Credit: Nottingham Post)

Manchester City

Manchester City is a team based in Manchester. They are the current holders of the Premier League title and are looking for their fifth consecutive league win. This season, however, has yet to go according to plan for the Sky Blues. Their star midfielder and current Ballon d’Or holder, Rodri, is out for the season with an ACL tear. Manchester City has looked fragile, especially in defense, without their midfield anchor. Despite being fourth in the league (thanks mainly to league top scorer Erling Haaland), they have struggled to meet their insane expectations. “Their chances are not good,” said junior Julianna Sweberg. 

Manchester City’s Rodri getting injured

(Credit: CNN)

Arsenal

Arsenal are a team based in London. They have placed second in the last two Premier League seasons behind Manchester City. Their starboy, Bukayo Saka, leads them. The English winger has a whopping ten assists to go with five goals.  Their third-place standing is primarily thanks to Saka’s brilliance in this campaign. They have faltered at times during this year but, overall, look like a solid team. Their fans maintain their complete faith in the Gunners. “I think Arsenal are strong contenders and have a chance to win the league this season based on their form so far,” said sophomore Elliott Kane. 

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka

(Credit: ESPN)

Chelsea

Chelsea is a London-based team. Their new Italian manager, Enzo Maresca, has led them to immense heights and improvements from their sixth-place finish last year. They are currently second in the Premier League. Chelsea has a massive depth of play in every position, and its star player is Cole Palmer. He has scored nine goals and had six assists this campaign. Their manager keeps the pretense that they are not title contenders, but their league position suggests otherwise. 

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer

(Credit: Goal.com)

Liverpool

Liverpool is a team based in Liverpool. They have massive success in a new era under manager Arne Slot. They have convincingly defeated heavy opponents in the Premier League and Champions League. The resurgence of midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, along with winger Mohammed Salah, is the main factor for their success. Liverpool are the current favorites for the Premier League title, being at the top of the table, but as previously mentioned, many teams are still in the race. 

Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah

(Credit: Sporting News)