<div>
<p>Ranking Every Club</p>
<div>
<p>
<img alt="Which Premier League clubs have had the easiest and hardest starts to the season?" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/amorim-slot-and-arteta-1763483522-183112.png" title="Which Premier League clubs have had the easiest and hardest starts to the season?">
</img>
</p>
<p><span></span></p>
</div>
<p dir="ltr">The Premier League returns this weekend for matchday 12, marking nearly a third of the current season. While it might be premature to definitively identify which teams are in danger of relegation or which might be close to clinching the title, we've seen enough action to gauge the performance of each club thus far.</p>
<br></br>
<br></br>
<p dir="ltr">Fixture difficulty, however, varies significantly across clubs. Some teams have had manageable starts, while others have faced tough competition right from the beginning. By utilizing <em>Transfermarkt's</em> market value data to analyze the strength of matchday squads across the first 11 matches, we can assess which clubs have encountered the toughest challenges and which have had a smoother journey. Let’s dive into the details.</p>
<br></br>
<h2 dir="ltr">Which Clubs Have Had the Easiest Start to the Season?</h2>
<br></br>
<p dir="ltr">When examining the clubs that have faced the least valuable squads thus far, the results may surprise some fans. Surprisingly, despite sitting at the bottom of the league table with only two points from their initial 11 matches, Wolves have had the easiest run of any Premier League team this season. According to <em>Transfermarkt</em>, the average market value of their opponents has been just €446 million, confirming why they’ve faced teams like Leeds United, Sunderland, and Burnley, resulting in the sacking of Vítor Pereira after failing to earn a win against them.</p>
<br></br>
<p dir="ltr">Following Wolves are Nottingham Forest, whose opponents' squads have an average market value of €446 million. Leeds United stands slightly higher at €448 million, and Tottenham follows at €461 million. For Forest and Leeds, the low squad values underline their struggles near the bottom of the table. Tottenham's average suggests they may have had a favorable schedule, allowing them to climb to fifth place.</p>
<br></br>
<p>
<img alt="PL toughest opponents" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/pl-toughest-opponents-1763483479-183111.png?lm=1763483497" title="PL toughest opponents" width="503">
</img>
</p>
<br></br>
<h2 dir="ltr">Which Clubs Have Had the Toughest Start to the Season?</h2>
<br></br>
<p dir="ltr">On the other end of the spectrum, Manchester United has faced the strongest competition in their opening 11 games. With fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham, their opponents boast an average squad market value of €609 million. This number is €164 million higher than the average of Wolves' opponents, highlighting the challenging nature of Manchester United's schedule.</p>
<br></br>
<p dir="ltr">Just behind Manchester United are newly-promoted Burnley, who also faced fixtures against several "Big Six" clubs, resulting in an average opponent squad value of €571 million. They are followed closely by Liverpool (€541 million), Brentford (€538 million), and Bournemouth (€530 million), indicating the intense competition they have faced, thereby explaining Burnley's slow start and providing context for Brentford's and Bournemouth’s performances so far this season, as well as Liverpool's struggles.</p>
<br></br>
<div>
<p>Club Comparison</p>
<div>
<p>Premier League</p>
<p>Premier League</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>€1.31bn</p>
<p>Market Value</p>
<p>€1.21bn</p>
</div>
<br></br>
<div>
<p>First Tier</p>
<p>League Level</p>
<p>First Tier</p>
</div>
<br></br>
<div>
<p>€293.50m</p>
<p>Expenditures 25/26</p>
<p>€206.80m</p>
</div>
<br></br>
<div>
<p>Mikel Arteta</p>
<p>Managers</p>
<p>Pep Guardiola</p>
</div>
<br></br>
<p><span>Full Club Comparison</span></p>
</div>
<h2 dir="ltr">What About the Title Contenders?</h2>
<br></br>
<p dir="ltr">Liverpool fans will note that their schedule has been one of the toughest. Based on <em>Transfermarkt's</em> market value data, Liverpool's opponents have an average squad value €54 million higher than Arsenal’s and €21 million higher than Manchester City’s. While it remains uncertain if this fully explains why Arne Slot's side is currently in eighth place, it suggests more significant challenges lie ahead for title contenders Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola.</p>
</div>