ACCORDING to bankers, volatility equals opportunity. Obviously they are referring to financial markets, but the same principle could be applied to the Premier League.

The top flight certainly appears to be in a state of flux at the moment – for instance, when the fixtures were originally announced, few people would have predicted that Everton and Blackpool would sit level in the table when they meet at Bloomfield Road. That’s how things stand though, with the Blues only slightly ahead of the Tangerines on goal difference before Saturday’s game.

In the summer it was widely believed that Everton’s strongest squad for years was set to fulfil its potential, while Ian Holloway’s side, who surprised themselves as much as anyone by winning promotion, looked like they might set a record low points haul when they were struggling to attract even the most modest talents to the Fylde Coast.

The Blues’ slow start and Blackpool’s incredible form have made a mockery of all the preseason predictions though, and are in keeping with what is the most interesting season for a long time. For years the complaint about the top flight of English football has been that it is all too predictable, but that simply isn’t the case any more.