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Premier League Club Power Rankings: Week 22

By Nicholas MendolaJan 16, 2019, 9:45 AM EST
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The individual spots on the PL club power rankings feel like they are teetering, prepared for some big moves.

[ ARCHIVE: Premier League club power rankings ]

The table says that Arsenal and Spurs are comfortable in their top spots, but the power rankings see a loss to West Ham and injury to Harry Kane as reason for concern.

We are just a result or two from some serious tumult, but here’s where we sit today.

20. Huddersfield Town — Putting aside the idea of a new manager bounce against Manchester City or some other surprising results, the Terriers would need an unbelievable finish to the season to survive the drop; Huddersfield only faces three relegation candidates in the final 16 match days. Climbing out of the Bottom Three would be one of the greatest escapes of all-time.
Last week: 20
Season high: 16
Season low: 20

19. Fulham — Losing to Burnley was a killer. But, hey, at least your strikers aren’t fighting during a yoga class. Wait, what’s that? They are?!? Oh.
Last week: 19
Season high: 11
Season low: 20

18. Newcastle United — Owner Mike Ashley doesn’t look prepared to invest anything ever in January, and Rafa Benitez is heading into a crucial home game against Cardiff City down a number of starters. So this is going well, especially considering Newcastle is hardly even being linked with transfer targets. Even the rumor mongers know better than to expect people to latch onto clickbait when it says Newcastle might buy big. And FWIW: We had Newcastle in our Bottom Three before last week’s results dropped them there on the table.
Last week: 18
Season high: 13
Season low: 19

17. Cardiff City — The good news for Neil Warnock‘s Bluebirds is the three teams below them look quite poor. A win at Newcastle on Saturday would be a huge step to safety.
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

17. Crystal Palace — Not quite as maddening as Wolves and Watford, but the team that beat Man City has now drawn Cardiff City 0-0 and lost at home to the Hornets.
Last week: 13
Season high: 6
Season low: 17

16. Southampton — The Leicester City win is another fine moment for Ralph Hasenhuttl‘s men, who have been aided just as much by the Bottom Three as their own results.
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

14. Burnley — A third-straight league win has Sean Dyche‘s unit on the rise. The fixture list has helped, but the hardened English boss has done a fine job focusing his men on the task at hand.
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

13. Bournemouth — Only being stopped by a new season low by the clubs underneath it. Next up for the Cherries: West Ham and Chelsea at the Vitality Stadium.
Last week: 12
Season high: 6
Season low: 14

12. Everton — Will be relieved to have handled Bournemouth, and will be eyeing a table run with fixtures ahead with Southampton, Huddersfield Town, Wolves, and Watford.
Last week: 12
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

11. Leicester City — Here’s what I wrote last week, before the Foxes went and lost to Southampton, “They’re doing it again, luring me into the belief that the Foxes are the clear favorite to finish seventh. This all but guarantees a weekend loss to Southampton at the King Power Stadium.”
Last week: 10
Season high: 7
Season low: 13

10. Brighton and Hove Albion — Flustered Liverpool, and it wouldn’t have been a crime had the Seagulls lifted a point from the leaders.
Last week: 13
Season high: 9
Season low: 19

9. Wolves — Losing to Man City is all but certain when you go down a man at the Etihad Stadium.
Last week: 8
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

8. Watford — How many years do you think have been taken off Javi Gracia‘s life by this team’s unpredictable form? Do you think he’s going to have a presidential downtown in looks by the time this is through? After dramatically drawing Newcastle and Bournemouth, the Hornets are back into seventh via a win at Palace.
Last week: 11
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

7. West Ham United — We cannot overlook recent form and 10 points on the table, but the Irons are looking decent money against any club that dares to overlook them. Just ask Arsenal.
Last week: 10
Season high: 6
Season low: 20

6. Arsenal — It’s not wild to call Saturday’s match against Chelsea a season-defining one, especially with the Top Four door opened by an injury to Harry Kane at Spurs.
Last week: 6
Season high: 2
Season low: 9

5. Chelsea — Ten points from 12 has rarely looked so meh.
Last week: 4
Season high: 1
Season low: 5

4. Manchester United — Took three points off Spurs as a team, then perhaps even more thanks to Phil Jones‘ tackle on Harry Kane.
Last week: 5
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

3. Spurs — Seven is the number. That’s Spurs’ advantage on Chelsea and Arsenal heading into this prolonged Harry Kane absence.
Last week: 3
Season high: 2
Season low: 8

2. Man City — Could sleepwalk through next four fixtures to get to Chelsea and Arsenal on consecutive match days. And both of those are at the Etihad Stadium.
Last week: 2
Season high: 1
Season low: 3

1. Liverpool — Sadio Mane has joined Dejan Lovren in publicly claiming they’ll win their first top flight title of the Premier League era.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 4

Own goals gift Burnley big win over Fulham (video)

By Nicholas MendolaJan 12, 2019, 12:08 PM EST
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  • Schurrle scores 2nd minute masterpiece (video)
  • Fulham produces two own goals in three minutes
  • Clarets win third-straight (West Ham, Huddersfield, Fulham)

Burnley inspired a pair of Fulham own goals to come back for a 2-1 defeat of Fulham at Turf Moor on Saturday.

The win gives the Clarets three-straight, and pushes them three points clear of the drop zone.

Andre Schurrle scored a beautiful goal for the Cottagers, who tossed aside the lead and remains 19th with 14 points. That’s five points behind 17th place.

[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]

Denis Odoi set up Schurrle for the opener, though it may be generous to call the very decent pass a set up considering the German’s work in crafting a beauty.

Schurrle’s perfect run settled Odoi’s arrow over the top of the Burnley defense with one touch before taking the ball off the volley and sending Clarets goalkeeper Tom Heaton in shoulder shrug country. A stunner.

But Fulham gave that goal back and then another for good measure, both via own goals. Burnley’s Jeff Hendrick inspired the first with a 20th minute blast that turned off Joe Bryan and past Sergio Rico, and three minutes later it was 2-1 when Odoi.

[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]

[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]  

Lucas Vietto was in prime position to level the score in the 51st minute after Aleksandar Mitrovic won a header into his path. He beat Heaton, but James Tarkowski somehow kept the ball away from goal with a prone and fortunate goal line clearance.

Chris Wood took a knockdown from Ashley Barnes and hit just over the bar, the advantage staying at one.

At the other end, Vietto’s cross through the box took a deflection wide for a corner kick and Tim Ream‘s header across goal was absent receiver.

Watch: Schurrle paints masterpiece with run, touch, rocket (video)

By Nicholas MendolaJan 12, 2019, 10:22 AM EST
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In a big spot for his club, Andre Schurrle scored a goal befitting the occasion.

Given the chance to help Fulham out of the relegation zone in a six-pointer against Burnley, the German took a nice pass from Denis Odoi and produced a Goal of the Month candidate.

[ STREAM: Every PL match live ]

With a well-timed run, Schurrle collected the ball over his shoulder and set the ball up for glory.

Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton, like Ron Burgundy when his dog Baxter ate the wheel of cheese, couldn’t even be mad.

Watch Live: Five Premier League games, 10am ET

By Joe Prince-WrightJan 12, 2019, 9:39 AM EST
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Five Premier League games take place at 10 a.m ET on Saturday, with Liverpool in action at Brighton headlining the morning slate.

[ STREAM: Every PL game live here ] 

Leicester host Southampton and Watford head to Crystal Palace in intriguing clashes, while two relegation six pointers see Fulham travel to Burnley and Cardiff host Huddersfield.

[ MORE: Sign up for NBC Sports Gold ] 

You can access additional games by purchasing the new “Premier League Pass” via NBC Sports Gold which also includes an extensive selection of shoulder programming such as Premier League News, Premier League Today and NBC Sports originals such as Premier League Download and much more.

[ STREAM: “Goal Rush” here ]

For those of you familiar with the Premier League Breakaway Show during busy days (Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Championship Sunday etc.) in the PL, this will follow that model of being similar to the NFL RedZone with action shown from all of the games in the 10 a.m. ET window. More info is available here.

The schedule for all five games at 10 a.m. ET is below and you can stream each game live by clicking on the links.

10 a.m. ET: Brighton v. Liverpool – NBCSN [STREAM]
10 a.m. ET: Burnley v. Fulham – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]
10 a.m. ET: Cardiff City v. Huddersfield – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]
10 a.m. ET: Crystal Palace v. Watford – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]
10 a.m. ET: Leicester City v. Southampton – NBC Sports Gold [STREAM]

Premier League Club Power Rankings: Week 21

By Nicholas MendolaJan 8, 2019, 8:39 PM EST
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It’s been just 16 days since our last check-in with the Premier League club power rankings, but three more matches have been played and the title race is open again (which technically means it was never closed, but whatever).

[ MORE: Title odds for Top Five leagues ]

All this ahead of a weekend which could see big shake-ups at the bottom of the PL table and our power rankings, as Burnley hosts Fulham and Huddersfield Town heads to Cardiff City.

20. Huddersfield Town — Steve Mounie scored his first goal of the season in the 2-1 loss to Burnley, which is not good considering he’s their $15 million striker, had played almost 1000 minutes at that point, and the season started in August.
Last week: 20
Season high: 16
Season low: 20

19. Fulham — Flunked its Arsenal test to the tune of 4-1 (it wasn’t that bad), but all will be forgiven with a win at Burnley.
Last week: 19
Season high: 11
Season low: 20

18. Newcastle United — If owner Mike Ashley doesn’t give spend significant money this month, he’s going to lose Rafa Benitez and his spot in the Premier League. That’ll make a club’s price tag on the takeover market sink something fierce.
Last week: 15
Season high: 13
Season low: 19

17. Burnley — Sean Dyche has his men bag above the red line, and will be looking to truly exhale by beating Fulham at Turf Moor.
Last week: 18
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

16. Southampton — Getting a point at Leicester on Saturday would say something big about manager Ralph Hasenhuttl‘s Saints revolution.
Last week: 16
Season high: 13
Season low: 20

15. Cardiff City — The Bluebirds can essentially vanquish a relegation rival from their rear view mirrors by handling miserable Huddersfield Town this weekend.
Last week: 17
Season high: 15
Season low: 20

14. Bournemouth — Cherries versus the Top Six? 0-7, 0 points. Cherries versus everyone else? 8-3-3. This, perhaps, is why Eddie Howe is always linked with clubs that have a bigger budget; He doesn’t quite have the ponies to run with the best, even for 90 minutes.
Last week: 12
Season high: 6
Season low: 14

13. Crystal Palace — Roy Hodgson‘s men are back in time for another second half run. This is what they do.
Last week: 14
Season high: 6
Season low: 17

12. Everton — They’ll have to be addressed in a longer post, but I have serious questions about Marco Silva that I’d ask loudly if I wasn’t terrified for Evertonians sake that it would mean Big Sam or some other demon of bad football would be back. Richarlison needs to bail out his benefactor, and soon.
Last week: 11
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

11. Watford — I kinda hate this team — not the club, Watford supporters — for clearly being capable of contending for the Top Seven but not putting in consistent performances. Just one win from its last three matches would’ve had them in seventh.
Last week: 9
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

10. West Ham United — Manuel Pellegrini‘s men have hit a rough patch, but are showing heart and you wouldn’t bet against them getting something from Arsenal this weekend.
Last week: 7
Season high: 6
Season low: 20

9. Brighton and Hove Albion — Unbeaten in three and a sexy pick to steal a point from Liverpool?
Last week: 13
Season high: 9
Season low: 19

8. Wolves — Has there ever been a team to have a winning record against the Top Six but a losing record against the rest of the field? Their results are the Moussa Sissoko of results. That’s really unfair to Raul Jimenez, who runs his shorts off, but we’re talking about results not performances.
Last week: 8
Season high: 5
Season low: 13

7. Leicester City — They’re doing it again, luring me into the belief that the Foxes are the clear favorite to finish seventh. This all but guarantees a weekend loss to Southampton at the King Power Stadium.
Last week: 10
Season high: 7
Season low: 13

6. Arsenal — Just eh. A 4-1 win over Fulham flattered the Gunners, and the club’s clear focus on the future is healthy but uninspiring when it comes to the season.
Last week: 4
Season high: 2
Season low: 9

5. Manchester United — Still haven’t played much of anyone in the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era, but that changes this week with Spurs.
Last week: 6
Season high: 4
Season low: 14

4. Chelsea — A new center forward or fully functioning Alvaro Morata could inspire a charge, but right now the Blues look an Eden Hazard injury from dropping out of the Top Four and needing to lean on the Europa League for UCL qualification.
Last week: 5
Season high: 1
Season low: 5

3. Spurs — Tottenham still has all five of its Top Six rivals left on its schedule, with three of those away from Wembley/White Hart Lane. It will be difficult to rise above third.
Last week: 3
Season high: 2
Season low: 8

2. Man City — More games like the 2-1 win over Liverpool please. Not because City won, but because it was so much fun. Now can they run through the final 17 matches without dropping more than a point or two?
Last week: 2
Season high: 1
Season low: 3

1. Liverpool — Even with the loss to City, the schedule says Liverpool would need to choke in a big way in order to fail in its bid for a first top-flight title of the Premier League era.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 4