Since the dawn of the Premier League, English football’s top flight has been about closed hierarchies that end up broadening out. Once it was the top 2, then the big 2, and now it’s the big 6.
But has the EPL gone as far as it can?
No, there’s space for at least one more team at the top end of the tree — here’s why Everton will be the team that turns the big 6 into a big 7…
Recommended reading: Everton Manager History and Statistics
Why the EPL’s big 6 can become a big 7
Money, money, money that’s all the Premier League is about, right? Sure, it’s a huge part, but, as the great Johan Cruyff said: “I’ve never seen a bag of money score a goal”. The EPL is also about the glory and competing for trophies, both domestic and continental.
The reason the big 4 became a thing was that the Champions League gave four teams the chance to earn vast sums of cash, along with a shot at winning the biggest competition in club football. While Europe’s secondary competition (the Europa League) fumbled at a way of rivalling its richer sibling, there was no breaking the big 4. That all changed when the winners of the Europa League were granted a place in the following season’s Champions League.
As the Europa League became relevant again, the big 6 became a thing – one team is now granted automatic entry to the Europa League by finishing 5th, while all the 6th placed team must do is win one of the two domestic cups. But the reality is that we’re now seeing seven teams qualifying for Europe, giving them a shot at both money and glory.
That’s not all, though – the points gap between 7th and 3rd in the EPL was the same as between 3rd and 7th (25). This is a collection of teams closely matched, fiercely competing for the same honours – the big 6 becoming a big 7 is a real thing.
Why Everton can turn the big 6 into a big 7
Sure, sure, I hear you: “But Wolves finished 7th. Wolves got to the Semi-Finals of the FA Cup. Wolves had a better 2018/19 record against the top six than Man Utd. Wolves have the money of Fosun International. Wolves have the contacts of Jorge Mendes. Heck, Wolves have Nuno Espírito Santo (and we all love Nuno).” I know, and I’m still saying Everton.
Everton have one of the most gifted coaches at the helm in Marco Silva, a man who has already won titles, improved players, and led teams to exceed their expectations – he’s a leader who can get them to perform at their best.
The 2018/19 season didn’t go quite to plan for Silva and Everton. Their form was stodgy until deep into 2019 and questions were asked of Silva. However, by the close of the campaign, Silva had Everton on fire and they closed 2018/19 in better form than some top 6 sides.
Having Marco Silva in charge is one of the main reasons Everton can turn the big 6 into a big 7, but it’s far from the only one. Everton also have the players to go far and the cash to take them further.
From back to front, there’s quality throughout the Everton team – they’ve got England’s number 1 (Jordan Pick; one of the EPL’s most creative full back’s (Lucas Digne); the top midfield tackler in England (Idrissa Gueye); a creative and goalscoring playmaker (Gylfi Sigurðsson); and an attacker so good he’s being linked with Barcelona (Richarlison).
With funding from gambling sponsorship and their billionaire owner, Farhad Moshiri, Everton has the cash to improve their squad – as seen by paying £22 million to turn André Gomes’ loan into a permanent transfer. All of this means Everton is a team that’s only going to get better.
The big 6 is already a big 7 – happened when it became not only possible but likely that the 7th best team in England would compete in the Europa League, gaining a shot at making it to the money and glory of the Champions League.
Wolves might be the club that finished 7th last season, but Everton finished just 3 points behind them (and that was during a transitional season). With money to burn, an improving squad, a gifted manager I’m predicting them to make light effort of overturning the 3 points and cementing their place in the top 7 – after all, they’re the 7th most successful club in England.