Every league across the world has big clubs that dominate the landscape in terms of silverware won and revenue generated.
For example, Real Madrid and Barcelona stand head and shoulders above the other clubs in La Liga. The rest of the Spanish top flight is generally an afterthought.
In Germany, it’s a field of one – Bayern Munich. France is similarly dominated by Paris Saint-Germain. However, the landscape in England is a little different.
The clever marketers at Sky Sports decided that a ‘Big One’ or ‘Big Two’ was not enough for the Premier League and created a so-called ‘Big Six’.
The group comprised Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, and remains in place today.
As evidenced by the latest Premier League predictions, that group of teams is expected to dominate the top end of the table next season.
However, given that 2021/22 was the last time those six clubs finished in the top six places, it could be argued that the ‘Big Six’ concept is now flawed.
Premier League – ‘Big Six’ record from 2009-2026
SeasonARSCHELIVMCIMUNTOT2009/103175242010/114263152011/123681242012/134372152013/144321762014/153162452015/1621084532016/175143622017/186541232018/195321642019/208412362020/218431272021/225321642022/2321251382023/242631852024/25241315172025/2611052317
‘Big Six’ – A flawed concept
The 2010/11 season of the Premier League was the first time in the competition’s history that all six clubs finished in the top six. It has happened five times since then.
However, there have been widespread debates in recent years about the ‘Big Six’ concept and whether it should still exist.
It is impossible to argue against the inclusion of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United in the elite group.
However, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur failing to live up to their billing in recent seasons, the notion of a ‘Big Six’ looks increasingly questionable.
Tottenham, in particular, leaps off the page as a club that doesn’t belong in the group. They are the only one of the six clubs never to have won the Premier League title.
Having secured four consecutive top-seven finishes, a strong case can be made for Aston Villa replacing them in the group.
Tottenham have finished 17th in each of the last two seasons, which raises significant questions about their so-called ‘Big Six’ status.
‘Big Six’ have a point to prove this season.
It would be fair to say that each member of the ‘Big Six’ will head into the 2026/27 season with a point to prove, albeit in differing degrees.
Arsenal have only twice finished outside the top eight since the concept was introduced, but success eluded them before last season.
The challenge now is to prove that they can match what Man United, Chelsea, and Man City have previously achieved by retaining the Premier League title.
Man City have never finished outside the top six since 2009, and look nailed on to extend that record after splashing the cash this summer.
However, City must demonstrate that they can maintain their status without legendary manager Pep Guardiola in the dugout.
Man United improved to finish third last term after a couple of underwhelming campaigns, but that still isn’t good enough for a club of their size.
They have not won the title since 2010/11 and desperately need to climb back to the top of the tree this time around.
Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham are each on recovery missions after flopping last season and need to step things up next term.
While Villa and other ambitious Premier League clubs lag behind the ‘Big Six’ in the revenue stakes, they have shown that it is possible to break their stranglehold on the pitch.
If that group of clubs fails to fill the top six spaces for a fourth consecutive season, serious questions will need to be asked about the legitimacy of the ‘Big Six’ concept.
