The on-field degradation of a couple of Premier League behemoths has made a mockery of the 'Big Six' tag.
The denotation instead reflects the financial might of England's top dogs as opposed to their current performance. The likes of Newcastle and Brighton have each tested the Premier League's aristocracy in recent years, with only Manchester City offering an impressive level of consistency at the summit of the division.
Liverpool finished outside the top four last season, Tottenham were eventually miserable under Antonio Conte, it took Arsenal several years to get going amid Mikel Arteta's project, while the future remains uncertain for both Chelsea and Manchester United.
Despite their on-field struggles, the 'Big Six' tag still remains. Meetings between the members can prove to be season-defining, especially down the stretch, but the current 'Big Six' table suggests that success in these fixtures isn't necessarily the be-all and end-all.
2023/24 Premier League 'Big Six' table
Pos | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Arsenal | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 9 |
2. | Tottenham | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
3. | Chelsea | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
4. | Man City | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
5. | Man Utd | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -6 | 5 |
6. | Liverpool | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
The Premier League's current table toppers, Liverpool, sit bottom of the 'Big Six' table having failed to win any of their five meetings so far. The Reds, however, have lost just once and that came rather controversially at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Draws have certainly been a theme of these encounters so far this term. Of the 16 games played by the time of writing, nine have ended all square. Four of Liverpool's games have ended without a victor.
Man Utd haven't fared much better than the Reds, but they have won one of their six 'Big Six' matchups. Their victory arrived at Old Trafford against the unpredictable Chelsea, who are level on points with Man City with six.
United are the only team to have lost more than one 'Big Six' meeting, being defeated in three.
Arsenal are the only unbeaten side and they top the table with nine points from five games. The Gunners beat both Manchester clubs at the Emirates and picked up draws away at Liverpool and Chelsea. Their north London rivals, Tottenham, have also been impressive on the big occasion with Ange Postecoglou.
Spurs' only defeat arrived on that chaotic night against Chelsea where they were reduced to nine men all while losing James Maddison and Micky van de Ven to injuries. Ange's spritely outfit secured excellent points at the Etihad and Emirates, while they were the better side in their 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.
2023/24 Premier League 'Big Six' fixtures & results
Team | Arsenal | Chelsea | Liverpool | Man City | Man Utd | Tottenham |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arsenal | - | 16/03/24 | 04/02/24 | |||
Chelsea | 2-2 | - | 03/04/24 | 23/02/24 | ||
Liverpool | 1-1 | 31/01/24 | - | 09/03/24 | 04/05/24 | |
Man City | 30/03/24 | 17/02/24 | - | 02/03/24 | ||
Man Utd | 11/05/24 | 06/04/24 | - | |||
Tottenham | 27/04/24 | 20/04/24 | - |
*kick-off dates are subject to change
Top goalscorers in 2023/24 Premier League 'Big Six' matches
Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
Erling Haaland | Man City | 5 |
Son Heung-min | Tottenham | 4 |
Cole Palmer | Chelsea | 3 |
Nicolas Jackson | Chelsea | 3 |
Declan Rice | Arsenal | 2 |
Dejan Kulusevski | Tottenham | 2 |
Scott McTominay | Man Utd | 2 |
Marcus Rashford | Man Utd | 2 |
Phil Foden | Man City | 2 |
