Leicester City



Verdict so far As good as it gets. Top of the league despite many pre-season predictions of doom, and playing with a thrilling style that helps give their home the most vibrant atmosphere in the league. Doubts remain about how long they can continue scoring more than they concede – no one in the top half has let in more goals so far and they have had to recover from going two down three times – but if they manage to do so between now and the end of the year, then even Claudio Ranieri will have to admit his team can finish much higher than just above relegation.

Player who must stay fit Jamie Vardy.

Squad depth Gokhan Inler has yet to make an impact but other summer recruits, notably Ngolo Kanté and Shinji Okazaki, have. The squad is good enough that Ranieri has been able to leave out players such as Riyah Mahrez and Jeff Schlupp occasionally but long-term losses to Mahrez or Vardy seriously deplete creativity. The central defenders Robert Huth and Wes Morgan and the midfielder Danny Drinkwater have given Leicester what solidity they have, featuring in every match so far, and their absences would cause concern. PD

Next five Premier League fixtures Manchester United (h), Swansea (a), Chelsea (h), Everton (a), Liverpool (a)

Manchester United



Verdict so far The eight clean sheets offer a clue to why Louis van Gaal’s team are in second place and should be counted, at the moment, as favourites for the championship. United have conceded only nine times and have lost a game fewer than City’s three. A side lacking superstars (though Anthony Martial is on the way to becoming one) relies on the team ethos their manager constantly espouses, meaning injuries do not hurt United as much as, say, City. They need more goals, of course, so might Van Gaal try a cheeky bid for Jamie Vardy in January?



Player who must stay fit Martial. In a low-scoring outfit – only 19 thus far – the Frenchman’s pace stretches opposition, and he can also be lethal.

Squad depth United need a prolific striker and a jet-heeled forward. JJ

Next five Premier League fixtures Leicester (a), West Ham (h), Bournemouth (a), Norwich (h), Stoke (a)

Anthony Martial’s pace and goalscoring threat make him the player Manchester United can least afford to lose to injury. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Manchester City



Verdict so far Despite a stellar squad led by Sergio Agüero, David Silva, Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Joe Hart, there can be no confident prediction City will claim the title. Liverpool’s 4-1 rout of Manuel Pellegrini’s side before their own crowd was extraordinary but no real surprise. Three steps forward and one step back might be City’s motto. A prime factor is the injuries the big three of Kompany, Agüero and Silva can suffer. Southampton, Stoke, Swansea and Arsenal are all played before Christmas. All four could be won comfortably or vital points could be dropped.

Player who must stay fit Silva can run a match with ease, meaning the ball is kept away from City’s creaky rearguard.

Squad depth De Bruyne should be the natural Silva replacement but he is yet to fully settle and Wilfried Bony can be an unconvincing stand-in for Agüero. So, too, Eliaquim Mangala for Kompany. They all need to improve. JJ

Next five Premier League fixtures Southampton (h), Stoke (a), Swansea (h), Arsenal (a), Sunderland (h)

Kevin De Bruyne should be the natural replacement for David Silva when the Spaniard is injured but he has yet to fully settle at Manchester City. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Arsenal

Verdict so far Petr Cech has been a boon, Mesut Özil has found his groove and, from his semi-permanent residence in the red zone, Alexis Sánchez has been freakishly remorseless. When things have clicked for Arsenal, as they did, for example, in the 3-0 destruction of Manchester United, they look like champions-in-waiting. But those lunges towards the self-destruct button continue to undermine them, and they have not been confined to the Champions League.

Player who must stay fit Sánchez gives the team their cutting edge and a go-to outlet. A player who makes things happen on his own terms.

Squad depth It is possible to paint Arsenal themselves as the biggest obstacle to a title triumph and that takes in their tendency to carry seven or eight injuries. Any team would struggle to cope with their casualty rates. How Arsène Wenger must pine for a clean bill of health. DH

Next five Premier League fixtures Norwich (a), Sunderland (h), Aston Villa (h), Manchester City (h), Southampton (a)

Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez, here scoring against Dinamo Zagreb, has been freakishly remorseless. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters

Tottenham Hotspur



Verdict so far The top four was not supposed to be within reach – few Tottenham supporters thought it would be – and particularly not when the club exited the summer transfer window with only one recognised striker in Harry Kane. But optimism is overflowing because Mauricio Pochettino has shaped an energetic team who are playing high-tempo, pressing football, and it is getting results. Unbeaten since the opening day, there is steel and a collective sense of purpose.

Player who must stay fit An injury to Kane remains unthinkable.

Squad depth Pochettino has two players for every position, apart from striker, although he maintains that Son Heung-min or Clinton Njie can play there but the Europa League is a notorious stretcher of resources. The good news is the fitness regime Pochettino has overseen has helped to keep injuries to a minimum. DH

Next five Premier League fixtures Chelsea (h), West Brom (a), Newcastle (h), Southampton (a), Norwich (h)

The striker Harry Kane and manager, Mauricio Pochettino, have been key to Tottenham’s impressive form. Photograph: Arfa Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images

West Ham United



Verdict so far Slaven Bilic won the approval of West Ham’s supporters thanks to victories over Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City but performances against the supposed lesser sides have been less encouraging and they defended appallingly in Sunday’s 4-1 thrashing at Tottenham. The jury is out on Bilic and West Ham, who could struggle without their best player, Dimitri Payet, who is out until February. However they have a chance to bounce back in upcoming home fixtures against West Brom and Stoke.

Player who must stay fit Alex Song. The midfielder returned from injury against Tottenham.

Squad depth There are doubts over whether Michail Antonio, Nikica Jelavic and Mauro Zárate can step up in absence of Payet and Enner Valencia. JS

Next five Premier League fixtures West Brom (h), Manchester United (a), Stoke City (h), Swansea City (a), Aston Villa (a)

The loss of Dimitri Payet to injury until February is a significant blow to West Ham. Photograph: BPI/REX Shutterstock

Everton



Verdict so far Roberto Martínez has said Everton need to achieve something tangible this season and they must capitalise on an inviting run of games ahead to do so in the Premier League. Results have been inconsistent but his team have lost only to Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal, and form plus belief is improving at the right time. The defence has coped well with a series of injuries and despite scoring more goals from open play than any other team in the league, a more clinical edge would have secured more points away from home.

Player who must stay fit Romelu Lukaku.

Squad depth Stronger than it has been for a long time. Phil Jagielka guided an injury-hit defence through the early months before succumbing to a knee problem but summer recruit Ramiro Funes Mori has settled in alongside John Stones. AH

Next five Premier League fixtures Bournemouth (a), Crystal Palace (h), Norwich City (a), Leicester (h), Newcastle (a)

Everton’s Ramiro Funes Mori has filled in effectively in Phil Jagielka’s absence, showing the greater depth to the squad. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

Southampton

Verdict so far After another summer in which key players departed – Morgan Schneiderlin, Nathaniel Clyne and Toby Alderweireld – and others had their heads turned – Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mané – it felt as though it would be difficult for the club to match last season’s achievements. But they recruited well, with Virgil van Dijk being the pick of the bunch and, apart from a couple of setbacks, namely Everton and Stoke City at home, they can be well pleased. Mané, Graziano Pellè and Dusan Tadic have been impressive up front. Unbeaten away from home, the high point has been giving Chelsea the run-around at Stamford Bridge.

Player who must stay fit Mané has provided the magic but Pellè absolutely has to stay fit as he is such an effective spearhead in Ronald Koeman’s formation.

Squad depth The club sought to bolster their ranks because they intended to go far in the Europa League, which did not happen, and Koeman believes the squad is deeper than last season and equipped to fight on more than one front. He thinks glory is there for the taking in the Capital One Cup; they face Liverpool in the quarter-finals next week. DH

Next five Premier League fixtures Manchester City (a), Aston Villa (h), Crystal Palace (a), Tottenham (h), Arsenal (h)

Virgil van Dijk has been the pick of an impressive bunch of summer recruits at Southampton. Photograph: Adam Holt/Reuters

Liverpool



Verdict so far Pre-Klopp: drifting aimlessly. Post-Klopp: back on course and developing nicely. The new manager has improved Liverpool’s confidence, team spirit and defensive solidity rather than adopting a radical tactical overhaul since replacing Brendan Rodgers. Last Saturday’s emphatic 4-1 win at Manchester City was the clearest indication yet that Liverpool’s players are on board with Klopp’s instructions, although that devastating form has not been replicated at Anfield so far. Liverpool have won four of their past five games in all competitions and do not face an opponent in the top 11 of the Premier League until Boxing Day.

Player who must stay fit Philippe Coutinho.

Squad depth It has been stretched this season, particularly at the start of Klopp’s reign when he was left with only Divock Origi in attack, but results in the Capital One Cup and Europa League reflect well on the back-up options. AH

Next five Premier League fixtures Swansea (h), Newcastle (a), West Brom (h), Watford (a), Leicester (h).

Jürgen Klopp’s arrival as manager has improved Liverpool’s confidence, team spirit and defensive solidity. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Crystal Palace



Verdict so far Palace have won at Chelsea and Liverpool, sit 10 points above the cut-off, are close to securing major investment from the American businessmen Josh Harris and David Blitzer and yet will have been frustrated by a run of one win in six in all competitions. That is an indication of inflated ambition, though some realism has to be retained. Home form remains a real problem but a second successive top-half finish would represent another season of eye-catching progress.

Player who must stay fit Scott Dann

Squad depth The injuries have come in swathes, with the ping of a hamstring increasingly common. Although this is arguably the best squad Palace have had, it will be stretched by the demands of the division in the months to come. DF

Next five Premier League fixtures Newcastle (h), Everton (a), Southampton (h), Stoke (a), Bournemouth (a)

The central defender Scott Dann is the player Crystal Palace can least afford to lose to an injury. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Stoke City



Verdict so far The season has been a slow burner for Mark Hughes’s men, with their first win not coming until late September, when they beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium. They have gone on to win four of their next six league fixtures, including a 1-0 triumph over the champions, Chelsea. Overall, Stoke’s problem has been scoring goals – they are the division’s second-lowest scorers with 11 – and this will need to be improved if they are to better last season’s ninth-place finish. On the flipside, they are looking typically strong at the back, with Ryan Shawcross particularly impressing.

Player who must stay fit Bojan Krkic. The Spaniard has got steadily stronger since returning from a cruciate ligament injury that curtailed his debut season for Stoke - having arrived from Barcelona - in January. Positioned in the No10 role, the 25-year-old remains a creative, incisive presence – as seen with his goal in Stoke’s 1-0 weekend win at Southampton.

Squad depth Reasonably strong if Stoke’s substitutes bench at St Mary’s last Saturday is anything to go by – Stephen Ireland, Ibrahim Afellay, Mame Biram Diouf and Peter Crouch were among those Hughes could call upon. One thing that appears to be lacking is a genuine high-class centre-forward, although Diouf could prove to be a notable source of goals now he has returned from compassionate leave. SN

Next five Premier League fixtures Sunderland (a), Manchester City (h), West Ham (a), Crystal Palace (h), Manchester United (h)

Stoke City will hope Mame Biram Diouf can provide a regular supply of goals now he has returned from compassionate leave. Photograph: Graham Wilson/ActionPlus/Corbis



