After 10 games, Spurs surprised everyone while Manchester United and City lag behind

                  It has been the most unpredictable of seasons, with fixture congestion, mounting injuries and the impact of COVID-19 creating unprecedented challenges for the 20 Premier League clubs.

Heading into the arduous month of December, Tottenham are the surprise leaders, Manchester City are stuck in mid-table, while Arsenal are languishing in 14th having made their worst-ever start to a Premier League season. Meanwhile, Sheffield United, the surprise team of last season, are winless after 10 games and rooted to the foot of the table.

It's been a topsy-turvy Premier League season so far, so with 10 games played we look at the storylines that are a surprise, and those that aren't.

Surprise

Tottenham are title contenders

Having sneaked into the Europa League on the final weekend of last season, Spurs did not end the 2019-20 campaign like a team that would make such an impressive start this time around. But Jose Mourinho is back at the top of the table and showing signs that he might just be able to become the first manager to win the Premier League with two different clubs.

Time will tell if Spurs can last the pace, but they have the best defensive record so far and only Liverpool and Chelsea have scored more goals, so Mourinho is certainly on the right track.

When Liverpool sealed a deal worth up to £45m for Wolves forward Diogo Jota in September, it seemed that the Premier League champions had taken an expensive gamble on a forward only likely to be first reserve behind Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

But the Portuguese has proved to be anything but a back-up forward, with nine goals in all competitions and a goal in each of his four league games at Anfield so far.

Everton can reach Champions League

Carlo Ancelotti's team were the early leaders of the Premier League and, although the Toffees have dropped off the pace in recent games, they remain a contender for a top-four finish.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin's 10 Premier League goals have been a crucial factor, but so have the performances of summer signings James Rodriguez, Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Kane can create as well as score

One of the biggest surprises of this season has been the reinvention of Tottenham striker Harry Kane as a playmaking No. 10.

The England captain is once again proving to be Mr. Consistent for Spurs with seven league goals so far, but he is also sitting at the top of the assists table with nine in 10 games this season.

Man City are midtable

Pep Guardiola's City have been unconvincing so far, but it is unusual to see them in midtable after almost a quarter of their games.

Perhaps a reduced summer break, the failure to sign Lionel Messi, David Silva's summer exit and Sergio Aguero's injury problems have all had an effect, but one thing for certain is that nobody should write City off just yet.

Aubameyang has stopped scoring

The Arsenal forward was the goal scoring inspiration of the club's FA Cup success last season and his decision to commit to a new three-year contract in September was a major boost for the Gunners.

But Aubameyang's goals have dried up since -- he has just two league goals -- and Arsenal's progress under Mikel Arteta has ground to a halt as a result. Stop Aubameyang and you stop Arsenal.

No surprise

Man United going round in circles again

Inconsistency has been the only consistent thread of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign as manager at Man United, which will hit the two-year mark in mid-December.

United have won all four away games in the Premier League, and even Sir Alex Ferguson's great teams never managed to win their first four away games in a season, yet Solskjaer's team have won just one of five games at home.

Whenever United look set to kick on, they fall down again. New season, same old story.