After eight games Chelsea lead the way from Manchester City in the English top-flight with the points differences between the top five positions pretty close to the average gaps at this stage in the Premier League era (19 seasons including the current one), although Chelsea’s 19 points is the lowest leading total at this point since Leeds lead with 18 in 2000/01. However, lower down the table it’s a different storey with just three points separating 15th to 6th – almost two standard deviations away from the average gap of six points – and bottom club West Ham still just eight points off Manchester United in 4th – the narrowest margin between these positions in Premier League history.

Over in Spain the sight of Real Madrid leading the way may not be a great surprise but after seven games the top four clubs are separate by a mere point making this the tightest top four at this stage in the past 14 seasons. After that the differences open up for the rest of the top half while 18th to 10th are separated by just two points compared to an average of just over four points in the past 14 years.

Somewhat surprisingly Lazio sit atop of Serie A, although their total of 16 points is the joint-second lowest leading total after seven games in the past 14 seasons. Similarly to England the gaps between the top five positions are fairly standard, but this has seen a crowding affect lower down with 18th to 5th separated by just four points  - two fewer than the tightest margin in any of the previous 13 seasons during which the average gap was nine points.