Which clubs are surging? Which are struggling?
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The last time we visited PST’s Premier League club power rankings, there were upstarts high up in the table.
And this time of season is perhaps the most fun period to evaluate clubs in this way, with teams having seen most of the league opposition once yet not at a point where the standings are an accurate depiction of team power.
In a lot ways, we’re looking at power rankings as a measuring stick. Combining recent form with table standing, it’s a bit like saying, “Who’d win in a neutral site match today?” while also keeping in mind that liking Crystal Palace’s recent form more than Spurs doesn’t mean the bottom three Eagles should be eighth.
It’s also a good time to take stock, with three emotional derbies this weekend set to sway the minds and hearts of fan bases: West Ham hosts Chelsea, Everton is off to Liverpool, and Man City visits Manchester United.
Below you will find the latest batch of club Power Rankings as we rank PL clubs in terms of where they’re at right now with their form.
- Manchester City (1) -- Still unbeaten, and about to contest one of the season’s two biggest league matches against a derby mate missing its most influential player.
- Manchester United (7) -- With Paul Pogba out, better hope David De Gea is ready to double up on historic performances. Can one more day’s rest help close the gap?
- Chelsea (5) -- Quietly humming along, with Eden Hazard back to his best.
- Arsenal (12) -- Lost to Manchester United thanks to a trio of defensive gaffes which, along with De Gea, betrayed a dominant, possessing, attacking display.
- Liverpool (10) -- Waxed Brighton to continue long unbeaten run into first Merseyside Derby of season.
- Leicester City (13) -- Don’t look now, but have beaten Burnley and Spurs in consecutive weeks to slide back into European contention. Can they keep Riyad Mahrez in January?
- Watford (9) -- Consistency in defense is key, as Everton and Man Utd losses came despite two goals in each.
- Tottenham Hotspur (4) -- The slump is real, as Spurs are winless in four league matches and four points behind the Top Four.
- Burnley (2)-- Sean Dyche’s men have lost two of three, still challenged in attack.
- Everton (20) -- Took momentum from beating West Ham in the last match of David Unsworth’s caretaker stint right into a win over struggling Huddersfield Town, but Sam Allardyce should be wary of judging results against reeling competition.
- Southampton (16) -- Charlie Austin is back on the score sheet and something feels right about that. Is he the finishing answer for Saints’ plethora of providers?
- Bournemouth (14) -- A team that’s lost just once in its last five also happens to have just two points from its last three. Glass half what?
- Stoke City -- It’s hard to give anyone credit for halting a slide when its stopped by beating Swansea.
- Crystal Palace (15) -- Would be even higher were it not still in the drop zone despite a fourth-straight result. Have lost just twice since Roy Hodgson took over at Selhurst Park.
- Newcastle United (8) -- Need January difference makers in a bad way, as steady unit remains unspectacular.
- Huddersfield Town (3) -- Four-straight losses include Bournemouth and Everton in David Wagner’s first real Premier League morale challenge.
- Brighton and Hove Albion (6) -- Liverpool blowout not nearly as troubling as home draws to Palace and Stoke.
- West Bromwich Albion (17) -- Alan Pardew’s men showed more style, but still winless since August.
- West Ham United (19) -- Credit where it’s due: West Ham took Man City to the wire.
- Swansea City (18) -- Aside from a visit to Chelsea, this was supposed to be a fixture run to move the Welsh side up the table, not down.