Heading into the November international break, Liverpool lead the rest of the Premier League sides by a comfortable margin, as only Leicester City, Chelsea, and defending champions Manchester City are within 10 points of the European Champions.
The Reds have surprised everyone with their fantastic form, dropping just two points in their opening 12 games of the season.
The likes of Leicester, Chelsea, and Sheffield United have surprised many, performing much better than even what their fans would have expected. But, there are 3 sides that have been underwhelming this season, and have underachieved heavily.
Here’s a look at 3 sides who have underachieved so far this season in the Premier League:
3 Premier League sides who have underachieved so far
#3 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham had a decent 2018-19 season, reaching the Champions League final, only to lose to Liverpool, and finishing fourth in the Premier League. Many expected Mauricio Pochettino’s side to push on and challenge at the top of the Premier League table, especially after signing a few players at the start of the season.
But, it hasn’t quite gone that way for the North London side. Spurs are 14th in the league after 12 games, registering just 3 wins and losing 4 games. Spurs are now 20 points away from the top of the table.
Pochettino’s men were knocked out of the League Cup by League Two side Colchester United, while also losing heavily to Bayern Munich at home.
There have been rumblings about Pochettino leaving the club, which may mean that they would have to start from scratch once again.
#2 Everton
Everton have spent heavily in the last few seasons and hired Marco Silva last season to possibly challenge for a top 6 slot. During his first season in charge of the club, the Toffees finished 8th in the league, 3 points from a Europa League spot.
But, it seems like finishing in the top 8 would in itself be a difficult task for Everton this season, as they are 15th in the league.
The Toffees brought in more players in the summer, spending in excess of €100 million, and the pressure is now on Silva to deliver. All is not lost for Everton as the mid-table is closely packed, and they could crawl their way back to the top 10 if they get a string of good results.
#1 West Ham United
West Ham United had the toughest start possible as they faced defending champions Manchester City on the opening day of the season, losing 5-0 at home. But, Manuel Pellegrini’s side turned things around and went on a good run following that game, where they were undefeated in six games.
Many fans and pundits predicted the Hammers to challenge for a top 6 or top 8 position, but those hopes have now vanished after losing four of their last five games.
What would be disappointing for West Ham fans is that none of these games was against the “big” teams. They’ve now dropped to 16th in the table, and are just five points above the relegation zone.
Considering the calibre of players they signed in the summer and those already at the club, Pellegrini’s side need to do a lot better after the international break.