Wolves, Everton and Leicester look to smash Premier League’s glass ceiling as best of the rest

The likes of Leicester, Everton and Wolves have turned their gaze upward in the hope of shaking up the league – but are such expectations unrealistic?

As the leading runners in the Premier League’s second frontier, Leicester, Wolves and Everton all head into the new season with aspirations of breaking the glass ceiling and challenging the supremacy of the big six. Not content with fighting for the moniker of ‘best of the rest’, all three sides have turned their gaze upward in the hope of shaking up the league. But are such expectations unrealistic? Are these clubs suffering from an excessive serving of optimism? Or does the trio pose a genuine threat?

If their run-in towards the end of last season and recent summer signings are anything to go by, Everton hold great potential in chasing down the league’s big hitters. The Toffees won five of their final eight matches, keeping six clean sheets, including home victories against Chelsea, Arsenal and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United.

That last victory – Everton’s biggest win over the Manchester outfit in 35 years – was a notable highlight to the club’s late flourish. Although the sorry state of their opposition that day must be taken into account, it showcased the talent on offer through the likes of Richarlison, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lucas Digne and Bernard, and highlighted how effective the side can be when it works as one.

Idrissa Gueye and Kurt Zouma may have since moved on but Everton have reinforced in a way that shows intent. Juventus striker Moise Kean was signed for £27m, a no-fuss permanent deal for Andre Gomes was secured, and Fabian Delph has been brought in to strengthen the side’s midfield with a focus that was found wanting at times last season. Add into the mix a potential £50m+ move for Wilfried Zaha, and it’s clear to see that Everton are serious about rebuilding and pushing on from mid-table mediocrity.

Leicester, too, hold the potential to shake-up the elite. Under Claude Puel, the Foxes fell short of a full-blown reboot as the Frenchman tried in vain to shape the side into a more rounded package. Lacking the personality and support to engineer such an evolution, his appointment always seemed destined to fail.

But with Brendan Rodgers now at the helm – and a number of key signings to boot – there’s hope that Leicester’s transformation will be finally completed. The addition of Ayoze Perez could prove to be an inspired bit of business. A low-key signing worth £30m, the Spaniard should offer some much-needed support to Jamie Vardy, who looked lost at sea last season when deprived of space and cut off from the main supply line. Effective in front of goal and able to offer link-up play from a wider position out on the flanks, Perez can add an extra dimension to Leicester’s attack.

Securing Youri Tielemans’ services on a permanent basis is further testament to the club’s ambitions. On loan from Monaco, the 22-year-old impressed last season with his exquisite passing, refined vision and unpredictability in the final third. If he can maintain that sort of form in the months ahead, Leicester’s midfield department, already flowing with quality in the shape of James Maddison, Wilfried Ndidi and Hamza Choudhury, can help the side take that next step forward.

Harry Maguire’s departure complicates matters but with Lewis Dunk and Nathan Ake linked to the club, there’s hope the right man will be brought in to plug the gap. Time for Rodgers – a more personable, charismatic leader than Puel – to prove he’s the manager to energise this group of young players and give them the direction they need.

For Wolves, the 2018/19 campaign – their first season in the Premier League since 2011 – defied all expectation, with the club finishing seventh to secure a place in Europe. Nuno Espírito Santo was key to that, showing his flexibility of thinking to make the slightest of tweaks where necessary while serving as a central, trusted figure his players and fans could rally around. João Moutinho’s experience will be key again, as will Raúl Jiménez’s threat in attack, while Diogo Jota, after a change in position, showed his true colours by the end of last season. Leander Dendoncker has signed on a permanent deal – as has Jiménez – and Patrick Cutrone, one to watch, has been brought in from AC Milan. Crucially, all the key figures from last season remain on the books.

Youri Tielemans‘ contributions will prove vital for Leicester in the season ahead (Getty Images)

In all, it’s been a quiet summer for Wolves but it’s unclear how such an approach will pan out. On the one hand, there’s much to be said for not rocking the boat and flooding a settled, tight-knit squad with a number of new players who could disrupt a winning formula. But with the demands of Europe to take into consideration this season, there’s the danger that Wolves might lack the necessary depth to compete on multiple fronts. Their inconsistency against the league’s lesser teams last season is another concern but, given their victories against four of the big six, there’s no doubt what this club is capable of. Consistency is vital.

The respective causes of these three teams will no doubt be emboldened by the state of affairs among the so-called ‘big six’. In reality, football is facing a duopoly not seen since the United and Chelsea days of 2006 to 2011, with Liverpool and Manchester City now head and shoulders above their rivals. And even then, Pep Guardiola’s men remain the firm favourites to lift the title for a third consecutive time, a feat not achieved since Sir Alex Ferguson’s United in 2009.

Outside of this two-team dynamic, the chasing pack will feel they can make ground on the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, United and Tottenham. Indeed, while 25 points separated Liverpool in second to Chelsea in third last season, the gulf between United in sixth to Wolves in seventh was only nine. With United in a state of transition, Chelsea an unknown entity, Arsenal vulnerable at the back and Tottenham prone to bouts of inconsistency, there will be ample chances for Leicester, Wolves and Everton to punch above their weight. It’s just a case of grasping those opportunities when they arise.