Everyone knows you can look at the table to see where clubs stand in a given season, but we do power rankings because we like to have fun with our beloved games and aren’t a wet paper towel on the shoe of sports.
A few grains of salt — or 300 — are always recommended when dealing with power rankings, and our Premier League club power rankings are intended to be a show of how the clubs look in both form and forecast at a moment in time.
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20. West Ham United -- This is a bit ceremonial, as West Ham United is too talented to finish this low on the table or, probably, even in the Bottom Three. But right now, the Irons are 0-4 and have found unusual ways to lose games (WYD, Carlos Sanchez?!?). Manuel Pellegrini is reportedly safe, which is wise.
Last week: 18
Season high: 17
Season low: 20
19. Cardiff City -- Plenty of spunk from Neil Warnock’s men this week and a pair of goals against Arsenal, but there are so many questions regarding how the Bluebirds will stack up when they need ... that ... goal. Two total shots on target both producing goals won’t happen every week.
Last week: 19
Season high: 19
Season low: 20
18. Huddersfield Town -- The gutsy draw against Everton is a step in the right direction, but there’s still so little danger coming out of David Wagner’s Terriers.
Last week: 19
Season high: 18
Season low: 20
17. Newcastle United -- Rafa Benitez’s men probably would’ve been justified with a point against either Chelsea or Man City, but one-goal losses limited plenty of damage. If they can escape this awful run to start the season by getting a point against Arsenal, life will feel better.
Last week: 16
Season high: 13
Season low: 17
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 01: Deandre Yedlin of Newcastle United celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal with Salomon Rondon of Newcastle United during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Newcastle United at Etihad Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
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16. Burnley -- The excuses are over now that Europa League congestion has finished for the season, and Burnley’s lack of threat against 10-man Manchester United was a real cry for help.
Last week: 15
Season high: 15
Season low: 16
15. Crystal Palace -- Wilfried Zaha was out last week, so Palace lost. It’s been that simple in the last 10 matches without the Ivorian, and three losses in four is moving toward alarm.
Last week: 13
Season high: 6
Season low: 13
14. Fulham -- The Cottagers need to settle into a groove and find consistency in defense, but my goodness are they a fun team to watch.
Last week: 12
Season high: 11
Season low: 17
13. Southampton -- Danny Ings’ return to regular playing time and the score sheet is one of the solid early stories of the season.
Last week: 17
Season high: 13
Season low: 17
12. Bournemouth -- Weren’t poor against Chelsea in a 2-0 loss, and will get a true litmus test after the international break when Leicester City visits the Vitality Stadium.
Last week: 10
Season high: 10
Season low: 12
11. Brighton and Hove Albion -- Chris Hughton’s men came back from a late 2-0 deficit thanks to wily Glenn Murray’s two goals in 17 minutes. The Gulls have looked decent after an Opening Day stumble.
Last week: 9
Season high: 9
Season low: 19
10. Leicester City -- Probably deserved a point against Liverpool, but paid for allowing Roberto Firmino to double the Reds advantage just before halftime of a 2-1 loss.
Last week: 8
Season high: 8
Season low: 11
9. Manchester United -- A convincing win against Burnley with style in spades.
Last week: 14
Season high: 4
Season low: 14
8. Wolves -- Ruben Neves is a star, and his turning over of Carlos Sanchez to cue the stoppage time goal that beat West Ham was a moment that showed his complete repertoire.
Last week: 11
Season high: 8
Season low: 13
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 01: Adama Traore of Wolverhampton Wanderers scores his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at London Stadium on September 1, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)
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7. Arsenal -- A visit to Newcastle could provide three wins in-a-row for Unai Emery after his 0-2 start as Arsenal boss.
Last week: 7
Season high: 7
Season low: 9
6. Everton -- Still unbeaten, but the 1-1 draw against Huddersfield Town leaves the Toffees with no one to blame but themselves.
Last week: 5
Season high: 5
Season low: 8
5. Spurs -- Watford is going really well, but Sunday’s loss to the Hornets felt a whole lot more like a Spurs loss we’ve seen five times a year for three seasons.
Last week: 3
Season high: 3
Season low: 5
4. Watford -- Give manager Javi Gracia his due -- and Abdoulaye Doucoure, too -- Watford looks very much like a Top Seven contender in opening the season 4-0. A visit from Manchester United is next.
Last week: 5
Season high: 4
Season low: 7
3. Chelsea -- Enjoying a down run on the fixture list ahead of a circled Sept. 29 date against Liverpool.
Last week: 3
Season high: 3
Season low: 4
2. Man City -- Handled Newcastle without Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane (what’s going on there?) but need to find their finishing boots with only one more match to go before Liverpool.
Last week: 2
Season high: 1
Season low: 2
1. Liverpool -- Chelsea (Sept. 29) and Man City (Oct. 7) in back-to-back weeks will give us a true reading on whether the Reds are simply skating on early season scheduling or a true threat to the throne, but Spurs are first and just as dangerous.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 2