More from PST Latest USMNT news | Premier League season previews | Premier League transfer news

Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Premier League Club Power Rankings: Week 16

By Nicholas MendolaDec 12, 2018, 10:50 PM EST
1 Comment

There’s a new chief of SC Power Ranking City United FC.

Man City’s falling from the ranks of the unbeaten came at the hands of Chelsea, and Liverpool sure had itself a weekend to boot.

[ ARCHIVE: Premier League club power rankings ]

So how does the Top Five look now?

20. Southampton  *New season low* — New manager Ralph Hasenhuttl loses his first test, this one to Neil Warnock‘s buzzing Bluebirds. Arsenal at home won’t be easier, even if some of the Gunners play Europa League on Thursday.
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

19. Fulham — Claudio Ranieri‘s men were battered by Manchester United, and surging West Ham is next.
Last week: 17
Season high: 11
Season low: 20

18. Burnley — A win is a win, even the Clarets had just 37 percent possession at home to Brighton and Hove Albion.
Last week: 20
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

17. Crystal Palace *New season low* — Dreadful, but cannot be placed lower than a Burnley side it beats mere weeks ago.
Last week: 16
Season high: 6
Season low: 16

16. Huddersfield Town *New season high* — A squad ready for a breakout performance, will the Terriers get it against Newcastle?
Last week: 18
Season high: 16
Season low: 20

(Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

15. Cardiff City — Neil Warnock has us thinking the Bluebirds just could pull off this whole safety thing.
Last week: 15
Season high: 15
Season low: 20

14. Newcastle United — Stung by referee Mike Dean’s calls, right or wrong, the Magpies will want to take care of rising Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Last week: 14
Season high: 13
Season low: 19

13. Watford — Staying level with ex-boss Marco Silva and star sale Richarlison was nice.
Last week: 13
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

12. Bournemouth — Another top-end test failed, and the Cherries have lost five of six.
Last week: 10
Season high: 6
Season low: 12

11. Brighton and Hove Albion — Lost to Burnley. That’s not what we expected from this improving squad.
Last week: 9
Season high: 9
Season low: 19

10. Wolves — Back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Newcastle — even with the Magpies down to 10 men — help Nuno Espirito Santo get back into the Top Ten.
Last week: 12
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

9. Leicester City — The Spurs loss is another failed test, but few challengers have met the Foxes’ season head-on.
Last week: 8
Season high: 7
Season low: 13

8. West Ham United *New season high* — Manuel Pellegrini‘s men had the opportunity to make a run like this, but they’ve really taken advantage of it. There are 15 more points available before the Hammers meet a Top Six challenger (Arsenal).
Last week: 11
Season high: 9
Season low: 20

7. Everton — The 2-2 draw with Watford showed moxie. Marco Silva won’t have appreciated the draw against the club that hired, celebrated, and then tortured him, but he’ll have another chance.
Last week: 6
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

6. Manchester United — The battering of Fulham was much-needed, if short-lived. The Liverpool test on Sunday could be a colossal moment for their festive season.
Last week: 7
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

5. Arsenal — The 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town was not ideal, even if the Terriers have been much improved in recent weeks.
Last week: 3
Season high: 2
Season low: 9

4. Chelsea — The win over Man City could snap the Blues out of their funk, but there’s reason to believe there’s always another funk looming for mercurial Eden Hazard and Co.
Last week: 5
Season high: 1
Season low: 5

3. Spurs — That’s two-straight wins after the North London Derby debacle, and the victory at Leicester City is an impressive step back in the right direction.
Last week: 4
Season high: 2
Season low: 8

2. Man City — Yeesh, that wasn’t fun, was it? A 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge may’ve been without Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, but it was a loss. That hasn’t happened to Liverpool.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 2

1. Liverpool — They defied Omar Little by coming at the king and missing, only to outlast Man City in the race to stay perfect. Now there’s a Sunday ramble versus Manchester United.
Last week: 2
Season high: 1
Season low: 4

Premier League Club Power Rankings: Week 15

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
By Nicholas MendolaDec 5, 2018, 9:51 PM EST
Leave a comment

[ ARCHIVE: Premier League club power rankings ]

20. Burnley — Since we last ranked ’em, the Clarets have lost to Newcastle and Liverpool at home and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Only one of those is forgivable given current form. This is getting real dicey for a side which has Brighton, Spurs, Arsenal, and Everton by Boxing Day.
Last week: 15
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

19. Southampton *New season low* — New boss Ralph Hasenhuttl saw a team that didn’t quit despite hitting the bar thrice in going down 3-0 at Spurs. A visit to Cardiff City is on the verge of “must win” on Saturday.
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 19

18. Huddersfield Town — The Terriers are looking solid, even in defeat, but points have to start coming to the John Smith’s Stadium.
Last week: 19
Season high: 18
Season low: 20

17. Fulham — Claudio Ranieri‘s men have nearly doubled their point total during his three matches in charge, including a draw against his old pals Leicester.
Last week: 20
Season high: 11
Season low: 20

16. Crystal Palace  — Someone besides Wilfried Zaha from open play and Luka Milivojevic from the spot has to produce goals (and Andros Townsend‘s once-in-a-blue-moon wonder strikes don’t count). The Man Utd draw and Burnley wins do help.
Last week: 14
Season high: 6
Season low: 16

15. Cardiff City *New season high* — Two wins from four, and the other matches were respectable. Has Neil Warnock done enough to keep the Bluebirds clear of the Bottom Three with an addition or two in January?
Last week: 16
Season high: 15
Season low: 20

14. Newcastle United — There are few teams as stout at the back as Rafa Benitez‘s Magpies, who can start to consider midtable an option with an easier run of games underway and the January window maybe bringing a takeover and reinforcements (like Atlanta United’s Miguel Almiron?).
Last week: 14
Season high: 13
Season low: 19

13. Watford — Like Bournemouth, the Hornets have failed a series of tests regarding their chances to contend for something meaningful. But their performance against Man City reminded us that they are capable of finishing comfortably mid-table if they bring their A-game.
Last week: 11
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

12. Wolves — That’s a really nice win over Chelsea to stop the rot, and there’s a chance for Nuno Espirito Santo‘s men to really steady the ship with Newcastle on the docket.
Last week: 10
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

11. West Ham — Perhaps a bit lucky that Joe Ralls couldn’t convert his Tuesday penalty, the Irons are steadily collecting the results they should to climb into the Top Seven mix.
Last week: 12
Season high: 9
Season low: 20

10. Bournemouth — And exhale. The Cherries lost four-straight, three against giants and one against Newcastle, before getting their footing against Huddersfield Town. Their reward? Liverpool this weekend.
Last week: 8
Season high: 6
Season low: 12

9. Brighton and Hove Albion  — Back on track after some setbacks, Chris Hughton‘s men won the M23 Derby and could climb even higher with Burnley up next.
Last week: 13
Season high: 9
Season low: 19

8. Leicester City — Unbeaten in six, though the Foxes would’ve liked to have picked up a few more wins given the competition. Spurs visit this weekend.
Last week: 9
Season high: 7
Season low: 13

7. Manchester United — Think Chelsea’s on a dry run? United has three draws since their loss to Man City, and better hope Claudio Ranieri’s counter attacking ways haven’t fully sunk into Fulham this weekend. Maybe Paul Pogba really is a problem, by the way…
Last week: 7
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

6. Everton — Jordan Pickford‘s silly mistake against Liverpool cost the Toffees derby honors and the fifth spot in our rankings, and their lack of finish in a dominant performance against Newcastle nearly set them further back. And the Magpies traveling support was not kind to the former Sunderland man.
Last week: 7
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

5. Chelsea — Four points from 12, and Man City up next at Stamford Bridge. Could easily go from dueling for first to three points back of the Top Four inside of one month.
Last week: 4
Season high: 1
Season low: 5

4. Tottenham Hotspur — Rebounded nicely against Saints, but their lack of transfer purchases this summer is about to be put to the festive test.
Last week: 2
Season high: 2
Season low: 8

3. Arsenal — Don’t worry too much about the mistakes at Old Trafford; The back-to-back wins over Bournemouth and Spurs are impressive, and the latter feels like a milestone for the Unai Emery era.
Last week: 5
Season high: 2
Season low: 9

2. Liverpool — Got a scare early against Burnley but have won four since drawing Arsenal, and could really kick on should they get past Napoli in the Champions League to really get the good vibes rolling through Anfield.
Last week: 3
Season high: 1
Season low: 4

1. Man City — The leaders have conceded in four of five matches, and had to hold on for their Tuesday point at Watford. Some say Liverpool keeping pace with them will annoy them, but remember that Pep’s men are doing this while resting Sergio Aguero and nursing Kevin De Bruyne back to health.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 2

Premier League Club Power Rankings: Week 12

Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
By Nicholas MendolaNov 12, 2018, 5:10 PM EST
Leave a comment

We told you this weekend could provide big tumult in the power rankings, as several clubs in close proximity tangled in the Premier League, and the matches delivered in a big way.

[ ARCHIVE: Premier League club power rankings ]

20. Fulham — Much better against Liverpool than recent opposition, but still on pace to break the Premier League record for goals allowed.
Last week: 20
Season high: 11
Season low: 20

19. Huddersfield Town — A nice point against West Ham, but it’s difficult to look at the match and think the Terriers would’ve managed a point from performances of that ilk more than once in a great while.
Last week: 19
Season high: 18
Season low: 20

18. Burnley — Still capable of solid performances, but the attack looks like a relegation candidate more often than not.
Last week: 15
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

17. Crystal Palace *New season low* — A victim of the schedule? Sure, but there’s little to like about the attack as even Wilfried Zaha appears shaken in confidence.
Last week: 14
Season high: 6
Season low: 17

Zaha (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

16. Cardiff City — Aided in a big way by Dale Stephens red card, but the Bluebirds are looking less and less like the automatic relegation team of early weeks.
Last week: 16
Season high: 16
Season low: 20

15. Southampton — Probably deserved all three points against Watford, but looking ready to take the next step despite a miserly start points-wise.
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 17

14. Newcastle United — Rafa Benitez‘s men are the pound-for-pound defensive champions of the league. Only six teams have allowed fewer goals, and only one is lower than 7th on the table (Wolves, 11th).
Last week: 16
Season high: 13
Season low: 19

13. Brighton and Hove Albion — Two-straight losses following the 2-1 defeat at Cardiff, in what draws Bournemouth as the top disappointments of the week.
Last week: 10
Season high: 9
Season low: 19

12. West Ham — Manuel Pellegrini‘s men had to work hard to get a point from Huddersfield Town, and is hoping Samir Nasri can help fill the hole left by Andriy Yarmolenko‘s injury. A big ask?
Last week: 13
Season high: 9
Season low: 20

11. Watford — Hornets looking more and more like early over-performers. 
Last week: 12
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

10. Wolves — Gave Arsenal all it could handle, but fans should be demanding more from a club which thrives against big clubs but has not performed against several seemingly lesser sides.
Last week: 13
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ruben Neves. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

9. Leicester City — To take four of six points with a trip to their owner’s funeral in Thailand sandwiched in between is a serious achievement.
Last week: 9
Season high: 7
Season low: 13

8. Bournemouth — Eddie Howe will be raging with his Cherries for their performance at Newcastle United, a lost chance to sit a point back of Arsenal.
Last week: 8
Season high: 6
Season low: 12

7. Manchester United — Count our own Joe Prince-Wright among those tired of the excuses for Jose Mourinho’s struggles at Old Trafford. The gulf between his men and Man City is huge.
Last week: 6
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

6. Everton — Two weeks to prepare for a visit from Cardiff, and then the away Merseyside Derby. If the Toffees manage a draw at Liverpool, it’s not unreasonable to think they should nab 10 from their next 12 points.
Last week: 7
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

5. Arsenal — Beat Everton in September, and that will keep the Gunners ahead of the impressive Toffees… for now.
Last week: 4
Season high: 2
Season low: 9

4. Chelsea — Surely the draw vs. Everton is a case of a decent opponent and Europa League lag, but championship winners generally find a way to get the winner at home.
Last week: 3
Season high: 1
Season low: 5

3. Liverpool — It seems unrealistic to expect blowouts each week, but the Reds’ 2-0 win over a defensively-weak Fulham was tepid at best.
Last week: 2
Season high: 1
Season low: 4

2. Spurs *New season high* — Despite injury and form problems for pretty much all of its biggest stars, Spurs sit three points back of second, are two rounds from the League Cup final, and aren’t dead in the Champions League. Yes, Spurs were by far second-best in a Sept. 15 home loss to the Reds, but it’s been two months.

Their next two league matches are home to Chelsea and away to Arsenal, so the heights could be brief, but what Spurs have done in the face of wild injuries is impressive.
Last week: 4
Season high: 2
Season low: 8

1. Man City — For everyone mentioning the absence of Paul Pogba for United in the derby, City was missing Kevin De Bruyne. This team is hearkening back to Pep’s best Barcelona teams, without a Lionel Messi in the bunch.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 2

Premier League Club Power Rankings: Week 11

Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
By Nicholas MendolaNov 8, 2018, 8:39 PM EST
Leave a comment

Call it the calm before the storm: Liverpool and Chelsea face winnable matches at home while No. 1 Man City tries to navigate the Manchester Derby.

[ ARCHIVE: Premier League club power rankings ]

And we’ve got a new bottom team on our rankings with few signs of improvement at Craven Cottage. How long will Fulham stay 20th?

20. Fulham *New season low* — The Cottagers held the opposition to less than two goals for the first time since Sept. 22, but that’s not achievement against the anemic attack of Huddersfield Town. Losing 1-0 is comparable to its 4-2 loss to Cardiff City. Bad, bad games to lose.
Last week: 18
Season high: 11
Season low: 20

19. Huddersfield Town — Monday’s win was very nice, but we’re not going to break out the party horns and streamers because a goal was scored against Fulham. A result against visiting West Ham would have us at least Googling where to find said celebratory items.
Last week: 20
Season high: 18
Season low: 20

18. Cardiff City — Kudos to the Bluebirds for their classy handling of a difficult occasion in Leicester City’s visit following the death of Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. A visit from Brighton is a different sort of test.
Last week: 16
Season high: 16
Season low: 20

17. Southampton — Had its moments in a 6-1 loss to Man City, really, but has to take advantage when inconsistent Watford comes to town.
Last week: 15
Season high: 13
Season low: 17

16. Newcastle United — And exhale (but only for a moment). Newcastle finally gets its first win of the season. The Magpies are better than their record suggests, but not by much. Getting a result from high-flying Bournemouth at St. James’ Park this weekend would be a nice respite for supporters heading into an international break.
Last week: 18
Season high: 13
Season low: 19

Rafa Benitez wants the January transfer window to open early (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

15. Burnley — Three-straight losses to very good attacks, and Leicester City can score, too. Can Burnley stop its four-match winless run?
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

14. Crystal Palace — Losers of five of six in all competitions, with the sixth being a 2-2 draw at Arsenal. These Power Rankings’ patience with the Eagles is tooth floss thin.
Last week: 14
Season high: 6
Season low: 15

13. Wolves — Have lost to Spurs, Brighton, and Watford since beating a Palace team we’ve already described as not quite there.
Last week: 12
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

12. Watford — Javi Gracia‘s men have a maddening way of disappearing, and they really should’ve found a way to a win at Newcastle. Those are the breaks when you’re on a losing run and, either way, when you give a team its first win of the season, you’re going to drop down our table.
Last week: 8
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

11. West Ham — Manuel Pellegrini can start to aim higher on the table with a win at Huddersfield Town this weekend.
Last week: 13
Season high: 9
Season low: 20

10. Brighton and Hove Albion — Chris Hughton‘s men will hope the Everton loss was a blip on the radar of a well-run vessel. A visit to Cardiff City should help right the ship.
Last week: 10
Season high: 9
Season low: 19

9. Leicester City — Finding a winner on such a wildly-emotional day at Cardiff City is wonderful, but how will the Foxes be able to perform in their return home from Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s funeral in Thailand? All our best to the LCFC family.
Last week: 11
Season high: 7
Season low: 13

Leicester City’s Demarai Gray celebrates scoring his side’s first goal of the game and reveals a shirt that reads ‘For Khun Vichai’ (Simon Galloway/PA via AP)

8. Bournemouth — Losing to the cardiac kids of Manchester United is no shame, but a bounce back is necessary.
Last week: 7
Season high: 6
Season low: 12

7. Everton — That’s a fine win over Brighton, and the Toffees are finally where we expected them to be this season. Now can Marco Silva and Co. claim a result at Chelsea?
Last week: 9
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

6. Manchester United — It’s not sexy, but it’s working for Jose Mourinho. This first derby of the season is a big, big one for this Red Devils side.
Last week: 6
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

5. Arsenal — No shame in drawing Liverpool.
Last week: 4
Season high: 2
Season low: 9

4. Spurs — For as unimpressive as Mauricio Pochettino‘s men have been from time-to-time, Spurs are three points off second place Chelsea and third place Liverpool. If they can get through the Champions League group stage without dipping too far off the Top Four, anything short of the title is possible.
Last week: 5
Season high: 3
Season low: 8

3. Liverpool — For all the Reds’ struggles with mojo, Mohamed Salah finding his finishing boots is really all they need to challenge for the title. The Egyptian is finding loads of chances but just not putting them away.
Last week: 2
Season high: 1
Season low: 4

2. Chelsea — They just kinda go about their business, don’t they? Won in Belarus on Thursday despite leaving much of the club at home.
Last week: 3
Season high: 1
Season low: 5

1. Man City — Look out: For as good as City has been, a loss in the derby could easily see them third on the table.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 2

Premier League Club Power Rankings: Week 10

By Nicholas MendolaOct 31, 2018, 9:00 PM EST
Leave a comment

There’s another week of Top Five tumult in our power rankings, as Arsenal and Spurs failed to hit their mark while the remaining three challengers brought fine form out of Week 10.

[ ARCHIVE: Premier League club power rankings ]

20. Huddersfield Town — The Terriers have two goals in their last six matches, with Fulham up next; If Huddersfield doesn’t score this weekend, it should be relegated now.
Last week: 20
Season high: 18
Season low: 20

19. Fulham *New season low* — Have taken zero points since beating Millwall in the League Cup, and will find themselves in serious trouble if they cannot manage a result at Huddersfield Town.
Last week: 18
Season high: 11
Season low: 19

18. Newcastle United — Back-to-back visits from Watford and Bournemouth before a trip to Burnley. Yes, the first two are doing well this season, but the Magpies really need to find at least four points from those three fixtures.
Last week: 19
Season high: 13
Season low: 19

17. Burnley — A bit of relief following a combined 9-0 scoreline in losses to Man City and Chelsea, with a visit to West Ham. The claret vs. claret match-up will tell us whether Burnley fans should be nervous.
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

16. Cardiff City — Probably somewhere in between their 4-2 defeat of Fulham and 4-1 loss to Liverpool, and could use a point from grieving Leicester City’s visit.
Last week: 16
Season high: 16
Season low: 20

15. Southampton — Looked stout against Newcastle, but still struggling to find the recipe for danger up front despite plenty of opportunities to open up the Magpies.
Last week: 14
Season high: 13
Season low: 17

(Mark Kerton/PA via AP)

14. Crystal Palace — A fortunate draw at Arsenal moves the Eagles up ahead of a murderous run: at Chelsea, home Spurs, at Manchester United.
Last week: 15
Season high: 6
Season low: 15

13. West Ham United — Probably deserved all three points against Leicester after a gutsy performance with 10 men. Six points from their next two — home to Burnley, away to Huddersfield — would put them in a position befitting their team.
Last week: 13
Season high: 9
Season low: 20

12. Wolves — Losses to Watford and Brighton have us scratching our heads. Will Nuno Espirito Santo‘s men refind their rhythm as giant killers with Spurs and Arsenal next?
Last week: 10
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

11. Leicester City — Heavy, heavy hearts accompany the Foxes to Cardiff City following the tragic death of its owner and four others.
Last week: 12
Season high: 7
Season low: 13

10. Brighton and Hove Albion — Three-straight gutsy, 1-0 wins have the Seagulls well-positioned for a mid-table run. It wouldn’t be crazy to see Chris Hughton‘s men get 12-14 points from its next 18.
Last week: 11
Season high: 9
Season low: 19

9. Everton — Rebounding from the loss to Manchester United against in-form Brighton is necessary.
Last week: 8
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

8. Watford — Steady again with back-to-back wins, will the Hornets show consistency with a visit to punchless Newcastle United?
Last week: 9
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

(Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

7. Bournemouth — There’s a chance for the Cherries to possibly join the Top Five if they can pass their first big litmus test in some time: a visit from Manchester United.
Last week: 7
Season high: 6
Season low: 12

6. Manchester United — Have scored multiple goals in three successive matches, and can feel better about life with a win at in-form Bournemouth.
Last week: 6
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

5. Spurs — The 1-0 loss to Man City at Wembley was ugly in a few ways, but can easily be written off if Spurs can get right back to winning ways against Wolves.
Last week: 4
Season high: 3
Season low: 8

4. Arsenal — Deserved a win at Palace if not for Granit Xhaka‘s silly conceded penalty. How it fares against Liverpool will tell us a lot about Unai Emery‘s new era.
Last week: 2
Season high: 2
Season low: 9

3. Chelsea — Still unbeaten and well-rested ahead of a visit from Crystal Palace (who also kept their best players rested at midweek).
Last week: 5
Season high: 1
Season low: 5

2. Liverpool — Well, here you go, Reds: A match against Arsenal and the chance to make a real statement against a club which hasn’t lost in 14 outings.
Last week: 3
Season high: 1
Season low: 4

1. Man City — Could’ve netted three, four, five, maybe six against Spurs on the dodgy pitch at Wembley, but picked up the 1-0 win on a day it was far from its best.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 2