Premier League side Leicester City has "just been edged from the top of the Premier League table on goal difference by Arsenal but Claudio Ranieri's expectation-busting side remain No 1 for value this season," according to Nick Harris of the London DAILY MAIL. No other club in England's top flight is "spending fewer pounds per point on wages than Leicester, according to a Sportsmail analysis." The Foxes have spent just over £700,000 ($1M) per point so far, "or less than one seventh of the cost laid out per point of Chelsea, where high wages and poor returns" mean each point has cost around £5M ($7.4M). Watford, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Stoke join Leicester in the top five of "points-per-pound" clubs, while Aston Villa -- after its "shocking start" -- as well as "high-spending" ManU, ailing Sunderland and inconsistent Man City "are in the bottom five for value." The "four biggest wage spenders will be the two Manchester clubs," Chelsea and Arsenal (all now around the £200M ($297M)-per-season level, give or take), with Liverpool then Tottenham in their wake. At the other end, Bournemouth, Watford and Leicester "will all be among the lowest spenders." Leicester's estimated £55M ($82M) bill for this season therefore equates to £27.5M ($41M) at this halfway stage, for 39 points, at £705,128 ($1M) per point. All the other clubs' spending "has been calculated using the same method." This analysis "also reaffirms that money still talks to a large extent." Four of the "biggest six total wage spenders" (Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham and ManU) are in the "current top six despite the topsy-turvy season, while another of those, Liverpool, are within a win of the top six" (DAILY MAIL, 12/30).
