Top 5 Premier League teams punching above their weight this season

We’re almost halfway through yet another scintillating Premier League season, as the English top flight continues to provide its compelling mix of drama, excitement and controversy. In the absence of the league’s annual winter break, Christmas seems the perfect moment to take stock of a breathtaking 2024-25 campaign.

Whether validating their pre-season tag of ‘dark horses’ or completely defying the odds, these groups have seriously punched above their weight this season. Here are five teams that have performed well beyond expectations.

Nottingham Forest 

Perhaps the most significant surprise is that Nottingham Forest finds itself within a stone’s throw of the Premier League summit. Almost a year after his appointment, Nuno Espírito Santo is now seeing his grand vision come to fruition.

Forest consistently demonstrates steeliness and tenacity in the defensive third whilst boasting a killer instinct at the top end of the pitch. The spearhead of Santo’s dynamic attacking proposition, Chris Woods, has already reached a double-figure goals tally this term. Having accrued plenty of points on the road and made the City Ground an intimidating fortress, the East Midlanders could be playing European football in 2025.

Bournemouth   

After enjoying a welcome season of mid-table mediocrity under the stewardship of highly-rated manager Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth has scaled new heights during the 2024-25 campaign. The Cherries are rubbing shoulders with Manchester City and Aston Villa and will already dream of European nights under the Vitality Stadium lights.

Justin Kluivert has suddenly replicated his legendary father’s goal-scoring prowess, netting five times in 13 league appearances this term. Just under a month ago, the talented Dutchman became the first-ever player to convert three penalties in a Premier League fixture.  

Brentford

Eternally billed as plucky over-achievers, Brentford may soon no longer feature in such lists. Now a part of the Premier League furniture, the Bees are expected to leap forward from their mid-table launchpad imminently. However, we must congratulate the West Londoners on yet another stellar season.

No team has performed better on home soil than Thomas Frank’s men; only West Ham — despite trailing inside 38 seconds thanks to Bryan Mbeumo’s perfectly executed volley — have left the Gtech Community Stadium with a share of the spoils.

Chelsea

Given their deep pockets, star-studded squad and recent decorated history, it seems ridiculous to assert Chelsea could ever be punching above their weight. Given the chaos that encircled Stamford Bridge at the start of the season, the Blues’ current league position is miraculous.

Todd Boehly can thank two men for the Blues’ renaissance: Italian tactician Enzo Maresca and majestic attacker Cole Palmer. Whilst the latter has devastated defenses with his dazzling left foot, the new boss has installed a sense of belief in Chelsea’s ranks — a quality not seen since the Thomas Tuchel era.  

Fulham 

Having failed to finish higher than tenth in the Premier League since the 2011-12 season, Fulham are undoubtedly due a good season. Whilst the high-profile names of that particular campaign — Messrs Dempsey, Murphy and Duff spring instantly to mind — vanished a while back, the Cottagers’ current crop is performing well.

The rejuvenation of English midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe and his former Arsenal teammate Alex Iwobi’s goal-scoring form have been real highlights.

So, there you have it: the top five Premier League teams are punching above their weight this season. Can these high-flyers maintain their trajectory into the business end of the campaign? Time will only tell. One thing’s for sure: we can expect more thrills and spills in the coming months.