Does the Premier League ‘Big Six’ still exist?
The Premier League’s traditional “Big Six” still have major financial clout, but their collective grip on the top places has weakened. Tottenham and Manchester United have struggled, while clubs such as Aston Villa, Newcastle and Brighton have challenged higher up the table.
Between 2010-11 and 2018-19, the six clubs occupied the leading positions five times; in only one of the six seasons since have they all finished in the top six. In the past three years, five top-six places have gone to other clubs, as Newcastle’s investment and Brighton’s data-led recruitment have helped narrow the gap. Brighton signed Moisés Caicedo for £4m and sold him to Chelsea for £115m, while also making large profits on Marc Cucurella and Alexis Mac Allister.
- The Big Six’s on-field dominance has faded.
- Rivals have taken five top-six places in three years.
- Newcastle’s investment and Brighton’s recruitment have helped close the gap.