We have all heard the story of the so-called ‘big six’ or the ‘big four’ who always put up a fight to be genuine title contenders.
While that happens season after season, true excitement emerges from unpredictable situations. And the Premier League is all about unpredictability, especially when you hear the stories of the underdogs.
The 2015-16 season of the Premier League, where Leicester City won the title cannot be forgotten and will always remain as one of the greatest tales in football history. So the hunt to look out for more underdogs is on and we have set our sights on the ongoing 2021/22 season of the Premier League.
So here’s a list of underdogs that could leave us surprised by the end of the current season.
- West Ham United
- Manager – David Moyes
David Moyes has been doing a wonderful job at West Ham, season after season. Be it guiding them to the UEFA Europa League or ending Liverpool’s unbeaten streak at the London Stadium, West Ham seem confident under the former Manchester United Boss. Thus, the underdog tag suits them and they are turning out to be a hard club to beat.
With the likes of Michail Antonio, Kurt Zouma and Declan Rice covering up the ground and ensuring to leave with three points, West Ham is more than capable of causing nightmares for the big spenders of the league. Moreover, they are also well within reach of the top four and could end up doing a Leicester City title win.
- Leicester City
- Manager – Brendon Rodgers
Leicester City will always be regarded as one of the biggest clubs to have ever broken the dominance of the top six. They have collectively produced results and showed great progression under Brendon Rodgers. And with a squad composed of Youri Tielemans, Jamie Vardy and James Maddison among others, the club looks set for the future.
However, they are yet to get off to the kind of start that they are used to. While the 4-2 victory over Manchester United did seem like their turning point, they went forward to lose a game against Arsenal and a draw against Leeds United at Elland Road.
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Manager – Graham Potter
The 2021-22 season could very well be Brighton & Hove Albion’s most successful season with the Seagulls sitting well within the reach of the top four. So far this season, Graham Potter has been able to work out his magic and help the Seagulls withstand any 90-minute game against the big clubs of English football.
Due to all that, the Seagulls are on a good run of form and if they happen to remain there, by the end of the season, they could see themselves qualify for Europe.
- Brentford F.C
- Manager – Thomas Frank
The Premier League is now used to having one side from the Championship coming in and dominating the biggest teams in English football. Sheffield United, Wolves, Leeds and now Brentford have all done the same with the latter surprising the league with wins over Arsenal, West Ham and a draw against Liverpool at Brentford Community Stadium.
The club’s success can be directed towards their system of play and smart recruitment which have paved off in the hunt to try and dominate in the Premier League. While back-to-back defeats are upsetting, Brentford could soon be seen picking things up. So stay tuned for their upcoming clashes, as Thomas Frank’s men try to gain back some momentum.
Notable Games of the Underdogs
Picking out the underdogs is no easy feat. However, observing a few games and looking out for notable ones can help you get things going. On that front, we have made a list of notable games where the underdogs outperformed the favourites during the current season of the Premier League.
- West Ham United Vs Liverpool (3-2)
- Date – 7th November 2021
- Stadium: London Stadium
The international break did not really end well for Liverpool but it did so for West Ham United. The underdog sensation not only managed a complete 90-minute game with one of the top-ranked clubs in all of Europe but also managed to end their unbeaten run.
With an error coming in from Alisson Becker and being counted as an own goal, along with goals from Pablo Fornals and Kurt Zouma, West Ham breezed past Liverpool.
- Leicester City Vs Manchester United (4-2)
- Date – 16th Oct 2021
- Stadium – King Power Stadium
Manchester United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season has been a different story altogether. Sitting outside the top four and arguably losing out on the title is not the kind of situation that United fans would have hoped for. And to top it all, a game against Leicester at the King Power Stadium ended up being a humiliating affair.
Four goals from Tielemans, Soyuncu, Vardy and Patson Daka saw the Foxes stand clear of the Red Devils and ended up handing them an away defeat. With the action bowling up, we are pretty sure that the game ended up being an important one for bettors as it went on to change the usual state of affairs with football betting UK.
- Brighton & Hove Albion vs Liverpool (2-2)
- Date – 30 Oct, 2021
- Stadium – Anfield
Settling for a draw at Anfield was certainly not in the books for Liverpool but they were forced to do so when the Seagulls took things their way. While Liverpool did lead the affair before the start of the second half, Brighton was able to score their second goal at the 65th minute, ensuring that the scores were equalised.
By the end of the 90th minute, both teams went home with a point each, while Brighton were the only ones who were happy about it.
- Brentford FC Vs Liverpool (3-3)
- Date – 25th Sep 2021
- Stadium – Brentford Community Stadium
One of Brentford’s notable games this season took place in their backyard when they welcomed Liverpool and forced them to leave with only a single point. A tight affair that saw the likes of Ethan Pinnock, Vitaly Jannelt and Yoane Wissa score goals for Brentford, ended up being a memorable game of football.
Brentford had four clear shots on target and three of them were goals. Hence, it was a tight affair that once again saw a big club settle for a draw against an underdog.
