In fact, the only thing that looks set is Swansea City, Stoke City and Newcastle United will be stuck in mid-table from now until the end of the season.
At the top, Chelsea and Manchester City are fighting it out for the title. A seven-point gap separates Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea from reigning champions City. That’s a gap that has been fluctuating in recent weeks, from eight to five, down to two and now at seven.
In the race to be in the Champions League next season it’s clear five teams can’t fit in to two places, third and fourth. Southampton and Manchester United are the current occupants but with Louis van Gaal trying to lose a ‘long ball’ tag and Southampton in untested waters, there is a chance for Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool to pounce.
After the mediocrity of the mid-table, there are plenty of sides struggling at the bottom, from Sunderland currently in 15th to rock-bottom Leicester City, it looks as if any of the three teams can go down.
The two sides unfortunate enough to sit above Leicester are Aston Villa and Burnley. Villa relieved manager Paul Lambert of his duties in midweek and placed Andy and Scott Marshall in charge.
Above the bottom three Sunderland, West Brom, QPR and Hull City will be looking over their shoulders rather than up the table, just four points separate 14th-placed West Brom from 18th-placed Villa.
QPR have recently lost Harry Redknapp as manager, with Chris Ramsey and Kevin Bond in charge until the seemingly destined appointment of Tim Sherwood. It looks like QPR will make an immediate return to the Championship.
Last season’s FA Cup finalists Hull City have been in a desperate run of form this season, and injuries to strikers have played a major role in Steve Bruce’s side lying in 16th place. Bruce will hope a recent draw with Manchester City is a catalyst to lifting his side further from safety.
Three teams without a mention so far, Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham, have all disappeared in to the shadows this season. Palace had been struggling at the bottom under Neill Warnock but the appointment of former Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew in January sparked a revival. Indeed, three wins in five moved The Eagles up the table and, with 27 points so far, another year in the top-flight surely beckons.
Roberto Martinez will wondering what has happened since last season, in 2013/14 Everton surprised many by fixing themselves in the top six with one of the league’s best defensive records as Martinez enjoyed a stellar first year at Goodison Park finishing fifth.
This season it is West Ham who have surprised a few. Sam Allardyce’s side sit eighth and seem to have taken up the role played by Everton last term. In the early stages of the season, the Hammers found themselves in the top four. Allardyce might have found himself with a nose bleed, as a manager mocked for his long ball football found a new style which was even pleasing the fans at Upton Park.
Things have slowed down recently for Big Sam as injuries have hit his squad. It would seem West Ham are going to miss out on those European dreams they had earlier in the season but a top half finish is definitely on the cards. However, they will need to turn around their form of just one league win in their last eight.
All that is not to say there is no need to play the last 13 games of the season.
While the top two may be all but over, the fight for the top four and the scrap at the bottom of the table is sure to keep football fans entertained.
A recent 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Manchester City showed the two teams were closely matched but the two sides were missing key figures. City will hope Yaya Toure and new signing Wilfried Bony, returning from Africa Cup of Nations victory, can inspire a fight back in the last third of the season. Indeed, betfair currently offers 13/2 at the time of writing that Toure and Bony can help inspire Manuel Pellegrini’s side to consecutive league titles.
It looks like a two horse race for the title but those with an eye for a real outsider can go for fourth-placed Manchester United at 50/1, or Southampton at 250/1. United and Saints would seem to fans to be more likely to finish in the top four than at the top of the league. Despite currently occupying third-place, Ronald Koeman’s side are 2/1 to secure a Champions League place next season.
A late season charge from Liverpool last season saw Brendan Rodgers’ side come close to lifting the league but a slip from Steven Gerrard saw the Reds fall short. A run of good form has brought Liverpool back in to contention for the top four as they sit five points off rivals Man United.
West Ham, Swansea, Stoke and Newcastle look set to fight it out for eighth place and neither is likely to drop any further down the league than 11th. The only team that can upset the mid-table party is Everton in 12th but Martinez’s side look to have plenty to do to get in the top half, after just one win in nine league games which has highlighted their inconsistent season.
Leicester are currently bottom with a four-point gap to Burnley in 19th.The Foxes are 13/8 to end the season in the bottom spot. This season could be the second time all three promoted sides have gone straight back down, after 1997/98 saw Barnsley, Bolton and Crystal Palace relegated.