Premier League: Teams like Stoke, Burnley, WBA bring as much to the game as Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea

FOR all the drama and cache of the Premier League’s big six, the competition would be nothing without the likes of Stoke, Burnley and WBA.

Sam Vokes scores one of Burnley’s three goals in their merited win over Chelsea.

THE Premier League’s showcase game this weekend is at Tottenham Hotspurs’ temporary new home ground at Wembley. Only police restrictions will prevent it being a 90,000-plus sell-out.

A little over 24 hours later Manchester City entertain Everton. City, the title favourites this year, are firmly entrenched in EPL’s big six. The Toffees under Ronald Koeman hold ambitions of making it a cabal of seven.

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But for all the glitz and glamour of those two heavyweight contests, the heart of English football beats just as strongly in less salubrious surrounds. The spotlight may not shine as brightly on Turf Moor or The Hawthorns or Liberty Stadium this weekend, but the passion and intrigue is no less keenly felt there regardless.

Sam Vokes scores one of Burnley’s three goals in their merited win over Chelsea.

The capacity for Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola to make headlines is unlimited. Jurgen Klopp’s battle to keep Philippe Coutinho has been occupying column inches this week. Chelsea’s mini-implosion, Alexis Sanchez’s contract and the mind-bending cost to take Gylfi Sigurdsson from Wales to the North West have all been well dissected elsewhere.

It may not seem that way, but the Premier League actually exists beyond the big seven. And happily so.

Burnley’s heroics at Chelsea were overshadowed by the self-harm inflicted by the home side. That is as predictable as it is unfair on Shaun Dyche’s battlers. You can only beat what’s in front of you, after all, and Burnley did just that. All power to them. Competition is alive and kicking even in the Premier League.

Huddersield Town celebrate their 100 per cent winning record in the Premier League.

That win at Stamford Bridge means Burnley have equalled their tally of wins on the road from last season before August is done. Now they return to Turf Moor to try and follow that up against WBA. Expect an arm-wrestle of a match in front of 23,000 hardened fans in a football ground full of character.

Burnley were not alone in blooding noses of their supposed betters on opening day. Huddersfield — inspired by Aaron Mooy and 3,000 delirious travelling fans — turned on a spectacular show in beating Crystal Palace away. Last season’s surprise package in the Championship getting stuck in to the established top flight side and reaping the rewards.

Guts and effort are commodities that will never go out of fashion. The newcomers proved that the big boys don’t like it up ‘em.

Stoke City remain the yardstick by which Premier League resilience is measured.

The team that ends up on top of the pile will not be the one who just turns it on against the big boys — just ask Klopp and Liverpool about that — but also in the crucible of battle against the willing workers at the wrong end of the table.

A wet Tuesday night in Stoke is not used as a measure of a newcomer to the league’s mental and physical toughness for nothing.

This weekend Huddersfield are home to a team they know all-to-well from their Championship exploits last season — Newcastle. Don’t expect highlights from that to lead any sports bulletins. Nor Leicester v Brighton, Bournemouth v Watford or Southampton v West Ham ... but don’t underestimate the capacity for those matches to deliver entertainment, either. It takes all sorts.

Surviving in the Premier League is an art form in itself and many of the lesser lights are emboldened by their annual battles with the drop. There is achievement in simply avoiding defeat.

More than that, it is barely 18 months since the world embraced Leicester City. Miracles do happen from time to time.

The natural order was restored last season. In fact the chasm between the top seven and the rest has never been greater.

But if it’s to become the norm, then it shouldn’t diminish from what the rest have to offer.

They essentially play in a league within itself and there is plenty of incentive to finish top of it.

There will be no official title to be won but with millions of pounds and prestige on the line, there is plenty of intrigue and entertainment.

They aren’t Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Spurs, Chelsea or Everton but they represent the true essence of the Premier League. And the big guns wouldn’t be anywhere without them. You can only finish top of the ladder if there is a full ladder beneath you.

And someone has to go into bat for the little guy anyway.