Manchester City, it was said, were going to run away with the Premier League after signing Erling Haaland. Some feared it would be boring. It does not quite work like that here. That is why we have the best league in the world.
Entering 2023, I wanted to use this column to take stock of where the big seven are at, and I have to include Newcastle given the brilliant job Eddie Howe has done and the form they are in.
Who would have thought we would arrive at New Year's Eve and City, with Haaland having scored 20 league goals, would be five points off top?