Is there anything more challenging in the Premier League than picking the sides capable of sustaining a run that can challenge for the Top Six?
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Leicester City did it out of nowhere in 2015/16 and it’s the most remarkable example, but look at the others to have slid into the Top Six’s DMs in the past decade: Saints (6th) the same season as Leicester. Everton in 2012/13 and 2013/14 was predictable, but Newcastle in 2011/12? Please.
The point is: It’s way more difficult these days to estimate the table. Last year, Watford v. Wolves was a massive fixture. This year, so far, it’s an after thought.
Saturday’s tilt between Bournemouth and West Ham on the other hand? Now we’re talking...
Green: New season-high ranking
Red: New season-low
20. Watford -- Six months ago, a match-up between the Hornets and Wolves was for seventh-place in the Premier League. It’s a reminder of how quickly things can change, but also an inspiration for both sides because, well, how quickly things can change...
Last week: 20
Season high: 19
Season low: 20
Last match: Lost 8-0 at Man City
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Wolves
19. Newcastle United -- The Magpies midfield against Brighton was about as disorganized as a unit can look, both before and after Steve Bruce switched up the formation. Maybe they should just throw Joelinton, Andy Carroll, Miguel Almiron, and Allan Saint-Maximin together in a front four and roll with six defenders and four forwards. Relegation quality right now.
Last week: 19
Season high: 19
Season low: 20
Last match: Drew 0-0 v. Brighton
Up next: 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday at Leicester City
18. Brighton and Hove Albion -- As poor as Newcastle played, the Seagulls didn’t convert any of their myriad chances. Also relegation quality right now.
Last week: 18
Season high: 6
Season low: 18
Last match: Drew 0-0 at Newcastle
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Chelsea
17. Wolverhampton Wanderers -- Something’s gotta give, and Wolves better hope it’s the reappearance of old foes Watford on the docket.
Last week: 17
Season high: 7
Season low: 17
Last match: Drew 1-1 at Crystal Palace
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Watford
16. Southampton -- Hard to read, and a match-up with mercurial old mate Mauricio Pochettino on the horizon.
Last week: 13
Season high: 13
Season low: 19
Last match: Lost 3-1 v. Bournemouth
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Spurs
15. Crystal Palace -- Wilfried Zaha’s 475-minute start to the season without a goal or assist is his longest drought since February 2018. Bad news for the Canaries?
Last week: 16
Season high: 14
Season low: 18
Last match: Drew 1-1 v. Wolves
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Norwich City
14. Everton -- Have taken an amazing start of fixtures to start the season and managed a whopping seven points and the joint third-worst goal different in the league. Remarkably disappointing, but there are some encouraging stat lines. For one thing, only Man City is allowing fewer shots per match. Now if the Toffees could stop the few shots they do allow from being pure gifts to the opposition, or start to get some big moments out of the 15th-ranked goalkeeper in the Premier League, they’d be onto something.
Last week: 12
Season high: 5
Season low: 14
Last match: Lost 2-0 v. Sheffield United
Up next: 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday v. Man City
13. Norwich City -- Back to Earth after the remarkable Man City win, and possibly back in the Bottom Three if they can’t do work on Saturday at Selhurst Park.
Last week: 10
Season high: 10
Season low: 20
Last match: Lost 2-0 at Burnley
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Crystal Palace
12. Burnley -- An all-claret tussle with Villa this week will tell us a bit about whether the Clarets are relegation fodder or not.
Last week: 15
Season high: 5
Season low: 15
Last match: Won 2-0 v. Norwich City
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Aston Villa
11. Aston Villa -- Dean Smith’s men should’ve found a way to hold on for a point against 10-man Arsenal, but bad things happen to first-year teams. Big chance to re-assert strength when Burnley visits on Saturday.
Last week: 11
Season high: 8
Season low: 15
Last match: Lost 3-2 at Arsenal
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Burnley
10. Sheffield United -- The Southampton loss is the only score on their season list that looks bad. Otherwise, Chris Wilder’s men are holding their own with some in-form teams.
Last week: 14
Season high: 10
Season low: 17
Last match: Won 2-0 at Everton
Up next: 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday v. Liverpool
9. Manchester United -- Asking us to drop them lower, but the returns of Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial should make Monday a beauty.
Last week: 8
Season high: 2
Season low: 15
Last match: Lost 2-0 at West Ham
Up next: 3 p.m. ET Monday v. Arsenal
8. Tottenham Hotspur -- This week has felt a lot like last season’s three-loss week against West Ham, Ajax, and Bournemouth. The good news is that that turned out alright in the end. A visit from Southampton should help things, but will it? A refreshed Harry Kane should arrive on Saturday.
Last week: 2
Season high: 2
Season low: 8
Last match: Lost 2-1 at Leicester
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Saints
7. Chelsea -- Probably not as far off the pack as you think, and should’ve almost certainly had a point against Liverpool. Brighton should be concerned about this week’s trip to the Bridge.
Last week: 4
Season high: 4
Season low: 12
Last match: Lost 2-1 v. Liverpool
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. Brighton
6. Bournemouth -- Flying. Eddie Howe’s men have us daydreaming again, but they let us down last year after inspiring similar thoughts. Monumental litmus test when the Irons visit on Saturday in what’s one of the matches of the weekend.
Last week: 9
Season high: 6
Season low: 17
Last match: Won 3-1 at Southampton
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday v. West Ham United
5. West Ham United -- Beat Bournemouth on Saturday and we’ll be thinking legitimately about a Top Six finish for Manuel Pellegrini’s guys.
Last week: 6
Season high: 5
Season low: 18
Last match: Won 2-0 v. Man Utd
Up next: 10 a.m. ET Saturday at Bournemouth
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Andriy Yarmolenko of West Ham United celebrates with teammates Felipe Anderson and Declan Rice after scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at London Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)
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4. Arsenal -- Another team whose mercurial performances -- Watford, anyone? -- probably betrays how much promise they’ve shown overall. Let’s see how Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney, and Rob Holding reshape the defense.
Last week: 7
Season high: 4
Season low: 7
Last match: Won 3-2 v. Aston Villa
Up next: 3 p.m. ET Monday at Manchester United
3. Leicester City -- The real deal, with real depth. Brendan Rodgers has dealt well with the departure of Harry Maguire, and the Foxes should run cleanly through the Magpies to a meeting with ol’ pals Liverpool at Anfield on Oct. 5.
Last week: 5
Season high: 3
Season low: 10
Last match: Won 2-1 v. Spurs
Up next: 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday v. Newcastle
2. Manchester City -- Pep Guardiola didn’t know the Premier League single season record for goals was 8. Now he does. Food for thought.
Last week: 3
Season high: 1
Season low: 3
Last match: Won 8-0 v. Watford
Up next: 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Everton
1. Liverpool -- Look, we realize this team won the Champions League last season and that it looks even better in attack and is even more refined in its system.
Last week: 1
Season high: 1
Season low: 3
Last match: Won 2-1 at Chelsea
Up next: 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday at Sheffield United
