AGF (40%)
After seven successive defeats, which led to the dismissal of former German coach Uwe Rosler last season, Jacob Poulsen arrived from Viborg with the golden formula for success, as AGF has been the big surprise team of the fall. After a rather disappointing start to the season, a sensational 3-2 win in the Parken Stadium against FC Copenhagen was to signal the beginning of eight successive wins to set a new club record for the Aarhus outfit.
Due to the increasing costs for the new stadium to be built, AGF have not had the funds to make big investments in the transfer market. Still, actually it has been a blessing in disguise for them as it has given a number of their young talents like Frederik Emmery, Stefen Tschamche, and Tómas Óli Kristjánsson a chance to shine, and boy have they delivered.
Kristian Arnstad, Markus Solbakken, and Tobias Bech have also been revelations in a very creative midfield, which has been backed up by plenty of experience through Patrick Mortensen, Henrik Dalsgaard, Nicolai Poulsen, and Jesper Hansen. The question is whether a quite narrow squad, vulnerable to potential injuries, can keep up the pace in the new year.
FC Midtjylland (34%)
FC Midtjylland have looked a formidable force, not only in the Danish domestic League but also in the Europa League, where they are currently enjoying a hugely impressive second spot, level on points with Olympique Lyon and Aston Villa.
Judging from the number of quality players in their squad, FC Midtjylland is no doubt the best-equipped team to maintain their high level during an intense Spring campaign. However, the Danish "wolves" also have ambitions of making it very far in the Europa League, and that could prove costly for the domestic campaign as they most likely will struggle to produce results on both fronts.
A big question mark is also leading goalscorer in the Danish Superliga, Franculino. He suffered a muscle injury in the last game before the winter breeak and could be out for an indefinite period. At the same time, there are also doubts about whether he will be sold during the winter transfer window.
Brondby (16%)
After matchday 15, all looked fine and dandy at Brondby, who were top of the table. But three successive defeats in the last matches before the winter break have made the cracks in this Brondby outfit obvious for everyone to see.
Coach Steve Cooper gave a remarkable interview on Monday after the hugely disappointing defeat against Vejle, where he pointed out that the club is in need of a general overhaul.
"It is what it is. I don't want to talk too much about it because we want to create some belief in the players. But we have to start from scratch, and whether it's with the players that are in the club now or with changes, that's what has to happen. And to be honest, I realised that very early on after I arrived at the club. And now we can hopefully start implementing the things that are necessary if we want to start being competitive", said Cooper to TV2 Sport.
Sonderjyske (1%)
Usually, Sonderjyske would not be part of a list of potential Danish champions, but Thomas Jorgensen's outfit has experienced a dramatic improvement in form over the fall, which has seen them win against AGF, FC Midtjylland, and FC Copenhagen.
However, it would be naive to think that they can go all the way, which would arguably be even more sensational than when Leicester won the Premier League.
The team from Haderslev is not used to performing under the scrutiny of high expectations, and while it's impressive that they have managed to pull off wins against top sides, it's unlikely to think that they will play a key role if they reach the Championship playoffs.
FC Copenhagen (9%)
The reigning champions head into the winter break 12 points after AGF in the midst of a huge crisis that has left the club in a shocking fifth place before the Spring season.
Everything looked promising in the late summer when Jacob Neestrup's side managed to book their entry into the Champions League, where they came close to beating Bayer Leverkusen in the first game. But crucial injuries to Rodrigo Huescas, Thomas Delaney, and Magnus Mattsson have been part of the ingredients in a shocking dip in form, which has seen FC Copenhagen lose to Vejle and Sonderjyske.
However, FC Copenhagen, who have looked short on energy, aren't out of the title race yet as significant purchases are expected to be made in the transfer window for an outfit that eventually is expected to recover its missing form.
