Chelsea and league narratives heading into the summer

5th Chelsea 70 Points, +24 GD

Chelsea are entering a vital period in their history and are daily showing just how unprepared they are for it. The manager situation is far from sorted, a technical director is ever more shamefully absent, the transfer strategy is scattershot and there is zero accountability. More than almost any club this season, Chelsea need to get this summer right. But all the signs point towards another poor year unless many things change quickly.

6th Arsenal 63 Points, +23 GD

Arsenal finally moved on from Arsene Wenger with the most random of replacements: Unai Emery. And actually, it was a really good choice. Emery brings in fresh ideas and will add a modern touch to Arsenal. He will not make them champions by an means, but he can starve off the spiral they have been in for the last two seasons.

7th Burnley 54 Points, -3 GD

Sean Dyche pulled off something special by getting Burnley into the Europa League. How they will do in it is anyone’s guess but it is incredible all the same. But the big work this summer will come in building a squad capable of competing in Europe and the Premier League. Focusing too much on one or the other would be disastrous and Dyche will have to bring more nuance to his selections and tactics next season.

8th Everton 49 Points, -14 GD

Big Sam Allardyce is gone, long live Big Sam! Allardyce did exactly what he was brought in to do; he saved Everton from relegation. He did so almost immediately and then just had them go through the paces for the rest of the season. So he is gone, but he will be back soon like always. Who takes over at Everton will be interesting. They have the cash and now the technical director to make a push up, but they need the right manager to guide them along.

9th Leicester City 47 Points, -4 GD

Things are starting to feel a bit familiar for Leicester City. They hire a new manager who does really well. And then, suddenly, it goes very wrong very quickly at the start of the next season. So they sack that manager and get a new one who does really well the rest of the year until the process repeats. Claude Puel looks set to be next in line and he will need to get Leicester off to a hot start next year to save himself.

10th Newcastle United 44 Points, -8 GD

Rafa Benitez loves Newcastle but hates the owner. He will stay out of love of the club, but he will want to leave constantly till the ownership changes. If a perfect job comes along, and the ownership situation remains unchanging, he will leave. That would doom Newcastle. He is keeping them afloat now and he will need a few more years to keep them that way without him.