September 11, 2026, 6:43 AM
Manchester City are closing in on Tottenham Hotspur in the all-time Premier League table, with a change in the historical top five likely before the end of the season. City began the campaign sixth on 1,967 points, only 26 behind fifth-placed Tottenham on 1,993, underlining the scale of their rise since the Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008.
When the takeover was completed in September 2008, City stood 14th in the cumulative Premier League standings, between Southampton and Bolton Wanderers. By the time Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016, they had climbed to ninth, behind Newcastle United and ahead of Blackburn Rovers. Their sustained success during Guardiola’s era transformed that position, with City collecting at least 64 more Premier League points than any other club over his time in charge.
The current league picture makes the contrast sharper. Manchester City have opened the 2026–27 campaign with three wins from three and sit top of the table on nine points, having scored seven goals and conceded two. Tottenham, meanwhile, have taken one point from their opening three matches, scoring no goals and conceding five.
Tottenham’s difficult opening has intensified scrutiny of Roberto De Zerbi, while Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United each face their own questions around form, recruitment and squad balance. The established “Big Six” remain central to the Premier League’s landscape, but their positions in the all-time standings continue to evolve as City’s modern dominance translates into long-term historical progress.
Manchester United have sought to reshape their attacking options with the additions of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, while their forthcoming Manchester derby against City will provide an early test of both clubs’ ambitions. City arrive with momentum and the opportunity to extend their perfect start, whereas United will look to use the fixture as a measure of their progress under a rebuilt attacking structure.
Liverpool are also navigating a defensive reshuffle. Ronald Araújo joined on loan from Barcelona with an option to make the move permanent for about £47 million, and he has been used at right-back in recent matches. His versatility has become especially valuable as Liverpool attempt to manage the absence of Conor Bradley and concerns over the defensive adaptation of Jeremie Frimpong.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock said the club could regret not signing another natural right-back during the summer. He suggested that Araújo could remain in the role, potentially allowing Liverpool to use a back three in possession and give Milos Kerkez greater freedom on the left. Warnock also said both Kerkez and Frimpong appeared short of confidence in the early stages of the season.
The shifting all-time table does not alter the immediate battle for league points, but it illustrates how dramatically English football’s hierarchy has changed. Manchester City’s imminent move above Tottenham would be another marker of a transformation that has taken them from the middle reaches of the Premier League’s historical standings to the edge of its traditional top five.
