The theme of this week’s power rankings is statistics, and we’ve included some quality nuggets in our descriptions of why teams are rising and falling on our list.
[ MORE: PL Club Power Rankings archive ]
Green: New season-high ranking
Red: New season-low
20. Newcastle United -- Possibly the least effective midfield, or tactical deployment of one, we’ve seen in some time. Maybe Fabian Schar is the answer, but 37.6 percent possession over the course of a season is abysmal.
Last week: 19
Season high: 19
Season low: 20
Last match: Lost 5-0 at Leicester City
Up next: 11:30 a.m. ET v. Manchester United
19. Watford -- Moving up only because Newcastle was that bad against Leicester, but look below to see some serious hope for the Hornets. They just aren’t finishing, but are producing more key passes than everyone besides Man City, Chelsea, and Liverpool. Those will turn into goals, you’d think.
Last week: 20
Season high: 19
Season low: 20
Last match: Lost 2-0 at Wolves
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Sheffield United
18. Brighton and Hove Albion -- Aaron Mooy has looked a lot better in his last two starts. Can the former Huddersfield Town midfielder be the one to unlock the Seagulls attack?
Last week: 18
Season high: 6
Season low: 18
Last match: Lost 2-0 at Chelsea
Up next: 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday v. Spurs
17. Norwich City -- Something to monitor as the weather gets colder and the pitch compacted: The Canaries are only attacking directly through the middle of the pitch on 17 percent of plays.
Last week: 13
Season high: 10
Season low: 20
Last match: Lost 2-0 at Crystal Palace
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Aston Villa
16. Wolves -- And exhale. Wolves finally get their win and not a moment too soon with a Man City trip ahead of them. With two days less rest than the reigning champs, Sunday could be a long day.
Last week: 17
Season high: 7
Season low: 17
Last match: Won 2-0 v. Watford
Up next: 9 a.m. ET Sunday at Man City
15. Aston Villa -- Why do I believe Villa is ultimately going to emerge from the fire into another Premier League season? Dean Smith’s men lead the league in shots blocked and crosses blocked per game. While that means they are giving up a lot of attempts, that full-blooded desperation is going to pay off (or break an arm).
Last week: 11
Season high: 8
Season low: 15
Last match: Drew 2-2 v. Burnley
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Norwich City
14. Everton -- A much better looking side against City, but that’s kinda the frustrating life for Everton supporters. Sure, you got up for the big boys. Can you get up for a trip to Burnley? Also, to answer trivia from the Palace ranking, Seamus Coleman (!!) is second in the Premier League in successful dribbles this season.
Last week: 14
Season high: 5
Season low: 14
Last match: Lost 3-1 v. Man City
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Burnley
13. Southampton -- Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men move from a near miss against Spurs to a match with in-form but potentially weary Chelsea. Shock on the cards at St. Mary’s?
Last week: 16
Season high: 13
Season low: 19
Last match: Lost 2-1 at Spurs
Up next: 9 a.m. ET Sunday v. Chelsea
12. Burnley -- Completing 64.2 percent of its passes, Burnley continues to defy the laws of logic, statistics, everything. Chris Wood is big.
Last week: 12
Season high: 5
Season low: 15
Last match: Drew 2-2 at Aston Villa
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Everton
11. Sheffield United -- We just love that Chris Wilder wasn’t content that his side deserved a point against the leaders. Can likely move two wins clear of the drop zone with a win at Vicarage Road.
Last week: 10
Season high: 10
Season low: 17
Last match: Lost 1-0 v. Liverpool
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Watford
10. Crystal Palace -- Wilfried Zaha’s 32 successful dribbles are the most in the Premier League. Non-Palace fun fact. I’ll give you 50 chances to guess who’s second and like my odds (but the answer is in this post).
Last week: 15
Season high: 10
Season low: 18
Last match: Won 2-0 v. Norwich City
Up next: 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday at West Ham United
9. Manchester United -- Please, for all of our sakes, get Anthony Martial healthy.
Last week: 9
Season high: 2
Season low: 15
Last match: Drew 1-1 v. Arsenal
Up next: 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday at Newcastle United
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 19: Anthony Martial of Manchester United celebrates scoring their first goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United at Molineux on August 19, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Manchester United via Getty Imag
8. Tottenham Hotspur -- A team in no man’s land, where several players need to be axed and the manager probably wants a new experience. The fullback corps is a mess.
Last week: 8
Season high: 2
Season low: 8
Last match: Won 2-1 v. Saints
Up next: 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday at Brighton
7. Arsenal -- How about this stat: Arsenal is spending 33 percent of every match in its own third, the third-highest percentage in the league. That’s not legendary when your defense is so leaky.
Last week: 4
Season high: 4
Season low: 7
Last match: Drew 1-1 at Manchester United
Up next: 9 a.m. ET Sunday v. Bournemouth
6. Bournemouth -- Six is a good number for the Cherries, who’ve scored half of their 12 goals from set pieces. Probably deserved a win over West Ham, but probably doesn’t move you up the table.
Last week: 6
Season high: 6
Season low: 17
Last match: Drew 2-2 v. West Ham
Up next: 9 a.m. ET Sunday at Arsenal
5. West Ham United -- The Irons move from week-to-week with different tests of mettle. This week, it’s whether they can go about their business and handle a decent Palace team at home.
Last week: 5
Season high: 5
Season low: 18
Last match: Drew 2-2 at Bournemouth
Up next: 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday v. Crystal Palace
4. Chelsea -- Is this week the Blues climb back into the Top Four?
Last week: 7
Season high: 4
Season low: 12
Last match: Won 2-0 v. Brighton
Up next: 9 a.m. ET Sunday at Southampton
3. Leicester City -- Brendan Rodgers has his men playing on fire (in a good way). Wilfred Ndidi and Ricardo Pereira rank Nos. 1 and 2 in the Premier League in tackles this season. Ndidi is also leading the league in interceptions (23) and is performing on an N’Golo Kante level so far this season. Huge match on Saturday.
Last week: 3
Season high: 3
Season low: 10
Last match: Won 5-0 v. Newcastle United
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Liverpool
2. Manchester City -- On pace to score 146 Premier League goals this season. Take out the 8-star performance against Watford, and it’s a 120-goal pace. That’s 14 more than their record.
Last week: 2
Season high: 1
Season low: 3
Last match: Won 3-1 at Everton
Up next: 9 a.m. ET Sunday v. Wolves
1. Liverpool -- Since the Reds are getting the job done and look a complete team, how about a seemingly ugly stat that shows how important fullbacks are to Liverpool’s attack? Trent Alexander-Arnold has lost possession a league-best 184 times, 28 more than second place Lucas Digne. Andrew Robertson is 7th with 136.
Obviously, this is because they have the ball a lot and are counted on tactically to put the ball into danger areas -- look at where they rank in terms of accurate opposition half passes, stunning stuff -- but wow.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 3
Last match: Won 1-0 at Sheffield United
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Leicester City