Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City... who you got?
As we head into the final two weeks of the Premier League season, everything is still to play for at the top and bottom of this remarkable league.
Steve Gerrard’s slip cost Liverpool against Chelsea and now Man City are in the driving seat to win the title, while Sunderland have jumped out of the bottom three and Norwich have slipped into the dreaded drop zone.
Being in form at this point of the season is when it really matters.
(MORE: Premier League Power Rankings archive)
Each week we put our neck on the line to analyze the strength of each Premier League team, forget about the official league standings (here they are in case you actually do want them) that doesn’t mean squat.
The Power Rankings take into account the strength of schedule, injuries, suspensions, playing well but still losing and plenty of other variables. The W-D-L bracket shows each PL team’s current record and you can now see how many spots each team has moved, up or down, from week-to-week.
Let’s get to it!
| RANKING | Up/Down | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UP 1 | Manchester City: The Citizens now have their destiny in their own hands as three wins against Everton, Aston Villa and West Ham means they will the title on goal difference if Liverpool win out and fail to overturn a -8 goal differential. A trip away to play Everton is, on paper, their toughest test to come. Can City hold their nerve? (24-5-6) | |
| 2 | DOWN 1 | Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers was outsmarted by Jose Mourinho and Liverpool’s title hopes now rely on Man City slipping up between now and May 11. Steven Gerrard’s slip cost the Reds dear and now they face Crystal Palace away and Newcastle at home knowing they must win both to give themselves a fighting chance of winning the title. (25-5-6) | |
| 3 | - | Chelsea: A mixed week for the Blues, as they beat Liverpool away to keep their slender chances of winning the PL title alive but then lost in the second leg of their UCL semifinal to Atletico Madrid. Jose Mourinho has enjoyed a tumultuous season back in the Stamford Bridge hot-seat. Norwich at home should be an easy 3 points for the Blues as they aim to not lose at home for three-straight matches. (24-6-6) | |
| 4 | - | Arsenal: A four point lead over Everton with two games to go, the Gunners looked to have sealed a UCL berth for the 18th straight season. Hats off to Mr. Wenger. Now it is about getting the job done as they host West Brom on Sunday. If they get the point they need, the focus will then switch to the FA Cup final. (22-7-7) | |
| 5 | UP 1 | Tottenham: Spurs ground out a win away at Stoke but it was far from easy at the Britannia. Danny Rose headed home but was then taken off as things boiled over. Tim Sherwood’s side can no longer finish in the top four but look to have secured a Europa League spot. (20-6-10) | |
| 6 | UP 3 | Southampton: The Saints secured a morale boosting 2-0 win against Everton as Mauricio Pochettino’s men have eighth placed all sewn up baring a monumental collapse in the goals for and against column. Tremendous season for the South Coast club but can they keep hold of their young stars? Swansea away up next. (14-10-12) | |
| 7 | DOWN 2 | Everton: Robert Martinez’s men simply didn’t show up against Saints and looked a little jaded. They’ve had a wonderful season and know that anything less than a win over Man City will all but hand the fourth and final UCL spot to Arsenal. Can the Toffees do their Merseyside neighbors Liverpool a big favor? (20-9-7) | |
| 8 | UP 2 | Manchester United: Ryan Giggs looked the part as United manager in that smartly pressed suit, didn’t he? Whether or not he gets the job long-term, Giggsy put smiles back on the faces of the Old Trafford faithful as they smashed Norwich 4-0. Now United host Sunderland and if they win their last three matches, they could finish sixth if Spurs slip up. (18-6-11) | |
| 9 | DOWN 2 | Stoke City: The Potters were hard done by against Spurs as Ryan Shwacross was harshly given a second yellow. Mark Hughes’ men battled with 10-men and they are in fine form to finish the season. What can we expect from Stoke next season? This weekend we can expect an almighty scrap against Fulham. (11-11-14) | |
| 10 | DOWN 2 | Crystal Palace: Tony Pulis’ Eagles had their wings clipped by title-chasing Man City on Sunday as their winning spree came to an end. On Monday they host Liverpool as Palace will have a huge say in the PL title race. Can they cause a huge upset? (13-4-19) | |
| 11 | UP 5 | Sunderland: The Black Cats are surging up the rankings as they lifted themselves out of the relegation zone for the first time since February 10 after beating Cardiff on Sunday. Gus Poyet’s men now head to Man United full of confidence and are three games unbeaten. (8-8-19) | |
| 12 | - | Hull City: Steve Bruce’s side showed plenty of spirit to drag themselves from 2-0 down and draw away at Fulham but how did they get into the situation? Hull have prided themselves on having a water-tight defense for most of the season but that hasn’t been the case recently. A point away at Aston Villa will secure their PL status. (10-7-18) | |
| 13 | UP 1 | Swansea City: The Swans needed that 4-1 home win against Villa, big time. Jonjo Shelvey scored a wondergoal and Garry Monk has steered their ship back on course after a shaky season. Can they win three on the spin by beating Saints on Saturday? (10-9-17) | |
| 14 | UP 5 | West Brom: Pepe Mel bagged his first win as West Brom boss in their 1-0 win over West Ham and the Baggies are almost clear of the bottom three. They need a big performance against Arsenal on Sunday. (7-15-13) | |
| 15 | DOWN 2 | Fuham: Poor old Felix. Just went you thought the Cottagers were going to climb out of the bottom three, wham. Hull’s two late goals hit Fulham hard and they must now travel to Stoke before they host Palace on the final day of the season. Should they win both, it may still not be enough. (9-4-23) | |
| 16 | DOWN 5 | West Ham: The Hammers are plummeting down the standings and are still not clear of relegation with teams below them having a game in hand. Tottenham at home poses a tough test for the Irons, as their boss Sam Allardyce is coming under increasing pressure from the home fans. (10-7-19) | |
| 17 | DOWN 2 | Newcastle: Speaking of pressure, it is now mounting on Alan Pardew as Newcastle have lost six in a row and are looking shambolic. Magpies fans have finally turned on their boss and they simply must beat Cardiff on Saturday. (14-4-18) | |
| 18 | DOWN 1 | Aston Villa: Another team struggling to get over the finishing line is Villa and they are in now danger of going down. If they don’t beat Hull on on Saturday then Paul Lambert’s men will go into the final day of the season in a seriously sticky situation. No win in six and five defeats in that run. (9-8-18) | |
| 19 | DOWN 1 | Cardiff City: The Bluebirds were battered away at Sunderland last Sunday and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer knows his side must beat Newcastle or they could be relegated. It has been a long, hard season in South Wales as Cardiff could drop out of the top-flight at the first time of asking. (7-9-20) | |
| 20 | - | Norwich City: The Canaries are in serious danger of going down to, as they go to Chelsea and must win to give themselves a chance. The problem is, they face Arsenal on the final day of the season. Interim boss Neil Adams has to get at least a point in his last two games to keep Norwich in the PL. (8-8-20) |
