Sizing up the Premier League table: Boxing Day and the 15-point rule

5. Tottenham Hotspur: 37 Points, 11-4-5, – 2 places, Possible Finish: 2nd-14th

Spurs are not putting the pressure on at all this season and seem to have focused their efforts on the Champions League and possibly the FA Cup. That switch in focus offers its own risks but the biggest is their stuttering Premier League form. They are keeping pace with rivals Arsenal but are not pulling ahead in the battle for top four. Harry Kane and other starters will not stay forever without trophies, so the club will be desperate for anything in the new year.

6. Arsenal: 34 Points, 10-4-5, -1 places, Possible Finish: 2nd-14th

This season’s Arsenal is mixing their traditional bad half and good half of each season into one. They will look great one week and awful the next, with no consistency to speak of. Normally, the fans would be on the #WengerOut bandwagon by now, but the sense is that he is untouchable after surviving not making Champions League.

Winning the Europa League is possible and may represent the best chance for next season’s Champions League, but few Arsenal fans will be happy with the current state of affairs.

7. Burnley: 33 Points, 9-6-5, No Change, Possible Finish: 2nd-17th

Burnley continue to defy gravity as they stay towards the top of the table despite almost every stat saying they should be closer to the relegation battle. And yet Sean Dyche has them persevering and snapping at the heels of the traditional top six. He did not let the Everton rumors stop what he was doing in the present and kept the club clicking along. If they can sustain this pace they could end up in Europe next season despite the odds.

8. Leicester City: 27 Points, 7-6-7, +4 places, Possible Finish: 2nd-20th

Leicester was deeply worried about relegation when Craig Shakespeare was sacked. Claude Puel was eventually hired to heavy criticism after his Southampton stint last year. Since then, Puel has turned Leicester into his personal revenge project. The Foxes are playing with a confidence that they have not had since their title winning season (and the Champions League that followed). They feel like genuine giant killers. Any team in the league should be afraid of a match against them.

9. Everton: 27 Points, 7-6-7, +6 places, Possible Finish: 3rd-20th

Everton did circles around managers for weeks before changing their mind and hiring Sam Allardyce like they should have done in the first place. The move was as inspired as expected.

Allardyce took Everton back to basics. He made a disorganized squad of individuals into a team capable of competing once more. They have risen up the table faster than any team, and may just take their island at seventh back by season’s end.

10. Watford: 25 Points, 7-4-9, -1 place, Possible Finish: 4th-20th

Marco Silva is a good manager who nearly saved Hull City and then spun that into a job at Watford. He also nearly turned a strong start with Watford into a job at Everton. Since then the wheels have gone off a bit and the worry signs are going to start appearing.

Quique Flores had a similar season and was sacked. Add in Silva flirting with Everton and his time at Watford may not extend beyond the end of the season.