Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes the days of the Premier League’s conventional ‘Big Six’ are over.
The Gunners have fought for the title alongside Liverpool this season, while Chelsea and Manchester City are hoping to qualify for the Champions League.
Manchester United and Tottenham, however, are languishing in 16th and 17th place respectively with just two games remaining.
Instead, the likes of Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle - who Arsenal host on Sunday - have been vying to finish in the top five.
And asked if the days of a traditional hierarchy consisting of the ‘Big Six’ are gone, Arteta said: “I think so.
“I think the level has gone to something bigger than what we experienced in the previous 12 months, last season and past experience.
“I know a lot of the coaches and we had discussions about that, so it’s frightening the way it’s evolving, how competitive it is, how difficult it is to win.
“The margins for why you win or don’t win in the Premier League is incredible, so next season is going to be even more difficult.”
Arsenal are currently second in the table, but just two points ahead of Newcastle in third.
The Magpies have beaten Arsenal three times already this season, knocking them out in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, and Arteta believes they could be title contenders next term.
“They’ve certainly built the squad, they have the quality and a very clear identity,” he said.
“On top of that, it would be very dependent on if teams are in Europe or not in Europe, playing once a week or three times a week. That’s a massive change as well and we have all experienced that.
“They dominate almost every aspect of the game. They are great when they have to attack a low block and they have a lot of presence in the box.
“If they need to run set-pieces, run transitions, defend a low block or if the game has to get physical, they are ready to do that.
“The way they compete, they are smart. They try to take advantage of a lot of things like any good team, and you have to dominate a lot of things, even if you’re not on top of the table in this league.”
