The Premier League's 'big six' have been steadily establishing themselves as the undeniable dominant force in the English footballing pyramid with a stronghold on the best players, the biggest trophies and most of the money.
The group was initially known as the 'big four' between 2004 and 2012 prior to the sudden rises of both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur over the past decade or so.
However, with the emergence of new challengers to the traditional elite, the Premier League's premier teams could soon be in for a big shake-up, according to one study.
Premier League 'big six' ready for a big disruption
Aston Villa's sudden rise under Unai Emery has caught just about everyone off guard having maintained a top-four-worthy performance level for well over two years since his arrival.
The West Midlands outfit currently sit top of the newly-formatted Champions League table and look well on their way towards consecutive top-four finishes, becoming the first non-big six side to do so since Newcastle 21 years ago.
Villa's sudden rise has been ratified by a study carried out by Betting Lounge, who took into account results over the last five seasons to establish who now makes up England's 'big six' based on statistics.
As expected, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool all sat in the top three having served as the country's three best teams for a number of years, while Tottenham's recent rise under Ange Postecoglou was enough to secure the fourth spot.
Manchester United managed to cling onto their spot in fifth despite a disappointing 18 months at Old Trafford, while Villa's success saw them sneak into sixth place ahead of Chelsea.
Emery's side have managed a slightly better win percentage over the past few seasons, while their lofty momentum looks set to only further solidify their spot in the top six.
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Elsewhere, Newcastle claimed eighth in the study, likely hampered by the final years under Mike Ashley as Eddie Howe's side continue to display a consistent level worthy of European qualification since his appointment.
With Chelsea now seemingly on the up, and Erik ten Hag struggling to get the best out of his United players, we could soon see one of Europe's most successful clubs drop out of England's top six altogether in the coming years.
The Premier League action continues this weekend.
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