EPL table tightens at both ends after Tuesday’s swings

On Tuesday, February 10, 2026 (ET), a busy Premier League slate nudged the table in significant ways. Arsenal remain clear at the summit, the race for European places stayed congested after mixed returns for the contenders, and crucial results at the bottom dragged one giant closer to a relegation fight while handing a lifeline to another struggler.

Title race: Arsenal maintain a healthy cushion

The leaders hold a firm advantage as the run‑in looms. As of Tuesday evening (ET), Arsenal sit on 56 points, with Manchester City at 50 and Aston Villa at 47. That six‑point gap at the top has proven resilient across the winter, reflecting Arsenal’s blend of defensive control and timely goals. City remain the likeliest pursuers, boasting the league’s best goal difference among the chasers, while Villa’s staying power in third underscores how much Unai Emery’s side has matured into a weekly points machine.

Crucially, the top three have created daylight to manage the inevitable bumps still to come. Any stumble, however, invites pressure: City’s capacity to reel off winning streaks keeps the margin uncomfortable, and Villa’s revival has persisted longer than many expected. With roughly a dozen matches left, the points buffer helps Arsenal, but it hardly guarantees a procession.

Top‑four battle stays crowded after mixed midweek returns

Chelsea’s 2–2 draw with Leeds preserved momentum without delivering the full reward. The point keeps them in the Champions League conversation, just behind Manchester United, who remain on 44 after a damaging defeat in London. Liverpool, currently on 39, are still within striking distance should they string together a run and capitalize on any slips from the teams above. The spread from fourth through seventh remains tight enough that a single good week can transform the picture.

Every club in that band has a different edge: United’s chance creation under their current setup, Chelsea’s improved balance since the turn of the year, and Liverpool’s ceiling when their front line clicks. Yet inconsistency has stalked all of them, which is why the table continues to compress just below the top three.

Tottenham’s slide deepens as mid‑table pack shuffles

Tottenham’s 2–1 home loss to Newcastle was more than a bad night; it was another data point in a long, troubling arc. With only two league wins across their last 17, Spurs sit on 29 points, within reach of the pack hovering above the drop. The performance issues—slow starts, lapses in defensive structure, and reliance on moments rather than sustained control—are now translating into table stress. Newcastle’s win, meanwhile, re‑energizes their push to climb out of mid‑table drift and back into the European mix.

The central pack remains volatile. Brentford’s pragmatism, Fulham’s knack for tight results, and Bournemouth’s surging belief all contribute to weekly reshuffles between eighth and twelfth. Margins are thin enough that goal difference swings can decide whether a club looks upward to Europe or downward at the gathering storm.

West Ham’s lifeline; Leeds’ point; pressure grows on the bottom three

West Ham’s 1–0 win over Manchester United may prove season‑defining. It lifts them to 23 points and, more importantly, reignites belief. The margin to safety remains narrow, but tangible: Nottingham Forest are on 26 and the teams just above are stuttering often enough to keep the door ajar. At the very foot, Burnley (15) and Wolves (8) face steeper climbs, though spring has a way of producing unexpected survival runs.

Leeds’ draw at Chelsea takes them to 29 and, paired with Tottenham’s defeat, slightly eases immediate pressure while sharpening the scramble around the dotted line. Everton’s setback against Bournemouth stalled an encouraging surge, but at 37 they retain a buffer that can hold if home form steadies. The common thread at the bottom: one result now carries outsized weight, and head‑to‑heads among the strugglers will likely determine fate.

What’s next: fixtures that could swing the table

Attention turns to Wednesday’s card (ET), with Liverpool’s trip to Sunderland looming large for both clubs’ aims—top‑four momentum for one, top‑half ambition and a proud home record for the other. Beyond that, the next two weekends assemble a run of six‑pointers that will compress or clarify the table: Tottenham’s derby test, West Ham’s clashes with direct rivals, and a sequence of matches pitting the European hopefuls against one another.

Big picture, the table remains defined by three concurrent races. The title fight is in Arsenal’s hands but still within City’s range. The top‑four battle is a weekly churn likely to last into May. And the relegation struggle now clearly involves clubs that started the campaign with far grander plans. After Tuesday’s swings, every line on the table looks a little tighter—and every mistake will cost a little more.

Sources consulted: The Guardian, NBC Sports, TBR Football