PREMIER LEAGUE WEEKLY is going to make a bold prediction here.

We are only 14 games into the Premier League season but I expect Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs to make up the top six.

Wow! I bet you did not guess that one and it is hardly sticking my neck out, as these are the six clubs with the best squads and the most financial muscle.

But where is the balance of power within that top six? Does it lie with the three clubs in the capital or the three in the North West?

One way I have decided to compare is by drawing up a composite team consisting of the best from London against the Northern powerhouse and seeing how a potential match would go.

THE PRIDE OF LONDON

I have decided to base this system around the 3-4-3 formation that Antonio Conte has employed to such spectacular effect at Chelsea with eight wins out of eight following the switch at the end of September.

The big three London clubs are blessed with excellent goalkeepers, but for me Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris edges out Thibaut Courtois for his ability to play out from the back. Toby Alderweireld is arguably the best centre half in the Premier League and when he was absent with injury recently, Spurs did not look as comfortable.

(Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny has become a very consistent performer at The Emirates and his partnership with Shkodran Mustafi has given the Gunners a more solid look this season. The back three is completed by Cesar Azpilicueta who is always solid for Chelsea. The wing-backs are real speed merchants with Tottenham’s Danny Rose down the left and Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin on the right pipping Kyle Walker and Victor Moses to that spot.

N’Golo Kante would never win any awards for creative ability, but his importance to a team is without question. Look at his contribution at Leicester and their subsequent struggles without him and his impact on Chelsea, who desperately needed a defensive midfield player. Claudio Ranieri described Kante as like having two players, so he can do the leg work alongside Mesut Ozil, who may not be the hardest worker for Arsenal, but offers that ability to play the killer pass.

The front three is where it gets really exciting. There is no one hotter than Alexis Sanchez right now and the Chilean has been dynamic since he was shifted into the main striking role for Arsenal. In this team, he occupies one of the wider berths along with Eden Hazard, who is back to his best after his disappearing act last season at Stamford Bridge. The main centre forward is probably the hardest choice of all. Diego Costa leads the Premier League’s scoring charts with 11, but I find it hard to look beyond Harry Kane. The Spurs striker has bagged 53 league goals in a little over two years and scores all types of goals, as well as being the best English striker since Alan Shearer.

THE NORTHERN POWERHOUSE

THE team comprising players from Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United will be set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, although just like with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and City under Pep Guardiola, the emphasis will be on attack, and hopefully imbued with that Klopp spirit.

The goalkeeping choice here is easy. David De Gea picks himself as there is no competition. Claudio Bravo and Loris Karius do not even look as good as the people they replaced. Again, the defence is noted for a lack of options where players’ faults have been shown up at Premier League level time and again.

Pablo Zabaleta may not be the player he was when he won two league titles for Manchester City, but he just pips Nathaniel Clyne to the right-back spot. In central defence, Vincent Kompany is naturally ruled out through injury, while the rest rule themselves out because of frequent mistakes. That leaves Manchester United’s Eric Bailly and Joel Matip of Liverpool, partly because we have not seen enough of them to pick holes in their game. At left back, again the choice is flimsy. It says more about the others that somehow I feel compelled to select James Milner to do a job in that position, just as he is doing for Liverpool under Klopp.

In the two central midfield roles, Fernandinho is a given. He can both defend and attack for Manchester City and he has blossomed into one of the best midfielders in the league. Alongside him, it’s hard to look beyond Paul Pogba. He hasn’t quite shown all of his talent yet for Manchester United since his world record £89 million transfer but we know the talent is there. United fans may not like to hear this, but basically they need Pogba to perform the role that Yaya Toure did so brilliantly for City, combining sheer physical strength with supreme technical ability.

Liverpool’s vibrant attack is represented here by Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane. The Brazilian’s stock continues to rise while Mane has added a thrilling burst of speed to Klopp’s attack and he is a superb weapon on the counter attack. The third spot goes to Kevin De Bruyne, who edges out his City colleague David Silva. It’s a close one but De Bruyne’s greater ability to make that killer final pass gets him the nod. Up front, and barring his incredible burst of indiscipline last Saturday, is Sergio Aguero due to his supreme scoring record in his five years in England.

CONCLUSION

LOOKING at these two sides, the London team is far more balanced between defence and attack. All three of the North West sides have notable weaknesses in defence, which their attacking play has to over compensate. In many ways, it would probably be similar to the game between Manchester City and Chelsea last Saturday. City were equal if not better in attack, but there was no comparison in defence where the Londoners exploited big gaps to come away 3-1 victors. That is the same scoreline I would go for in my London versus the North showdown.

Liverpool or Manchester City could end the season as Champions (I find it harder to make a case for Manchester United), but defensive problems mean that Chelsea and Arsenal look the stronger choices at the moment, with Spurs’ lack of squad depth ruling them out despite having an excellent first XI.