Eight weeks into the 2023-24 season and the Premier League and the table is beautifully congested as we try and wrap our heads around the first few months.
If only there was another way to rank how teams are getting on...
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There are a few outliers overachieving, or underachieving, as the Premier League continues to provide shocks galore up and down the table.
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Below are the Power Rankings for all 20 teams based on what they showed us in Matchweek 8 and their current trajectory.
Get ready for plenty of moves up and down this ranking in the weeks, and many months, to come.
Premier League Power Rankings - Week 8
The strugglers
20. Sheffield United - Even
19. Bournemouth - Even
18. Burnley - Even
17. Luton Town - Down 1
16. Brentford - Down 1
The Blades are really struggling and were devoid of confidence away at Fulham. Even when they got a piece of luck for themselves to equalize against the run of play, Fulham went up the other end and retook the lead through a bizarre goal. That’s what happens when you’re down the bottom and Sheffield United and Bournemouth are the only two Premier League teams yet to win this season. The Cherries were battered away at Everton and manager Andoni Iraola is under real pressure early on in his Bournemouth. There is no cutting edge to the Cherries and they look to be confused with what they’re being asked to do. Burnley are plugging away but just don’t have the quality in attack to finish off chances and Chelsea ripped them to pieces at Turf Moor as Vincent Kompany’s side continue to leave big gaps which you just can’t do in the PL. Luton battled hard against 10-man Tottenham and should have probably got a draw. They are hanging in there. Brentford are in a really tough spot with injuries and they played well away at United and looked to be heading for a big win. Then Scott McTominay turned in to prime Messi in second half stoppage time and the Bees left with nothing. Thomas Frank is, erm, being frank about a season of struggle coming up for Brentford.
The underachievers
15. Nottingham Forest - Down 1
14. Everton - Up 3
13. Fulham - Even
12. Crystal Palace - Down 3
11. Manchester United - Up 1
Forest were okay at Palace and they are very solid under Steve Cooper. You’d like them to take more risks on the ball but they are cementing their status as a Premier League side. Everton are looking to do the same as they secured a big home win against Bournemouth. Sean Dyche’s side have actually played better than the points suggest this season and know it’s all about consistency rather than taking one step forward and then one back. Fulham are a very solid team and they got the attacking balance right in their win against Sheffield United with Vinicius, Iwobi and De Cordova-Reid coming in. Palace, like Forest, will be just fine and they aren’t fun to watch (especially with Eze and Olise being out) but they’re going to finish well above the relegation zone this season. As for Manchester United, well, somehow McTominay rescued them with two very late goals against Brentford but that doesn’t make everything okay. Erik ten Hag said afterwards that the incredibly dramatic comeback win at Old Trafford has to be the turning point for their season. Injuries aside, let’s see if United’s players can finally settle down and stop making big mistakes.
The promising bunch
10. Wolves - Up 1
9. West Ham - Down 1
8. Chelsea - Up 2
7. Brighton - Even
6. Newcastle - Even
You know what, Wolves are actually really good to watch. Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan continue to lead them in attack and Gary O’Neil’s side pushed Aston Villa all the way in a feisty draw. West Ham did the same to Newcastle as they battled back for a point and David Moyes’ side have a real gem in Mohammed Kudus who will continue to become a more influential figure. Chelsea look to have regained their confidence and two-straight wins for the Blues has Pochettino puffing his chest out. Raheem Sterling left Burnley in a spin and even with all of their injuries, Chelsea are progressing nicely. Brighton battled hard against Liverpool and should have probably won it late on but Roberto De Zerbi rued big defensive mistakes costing the Seagulls once again. Newcastle also made a few of those errors against West Ham but Eddie Howe will be happy enough with a point at the Hammers after the incredible emotion of beating PSG last week.
The leading lights
5. Aston Villa - Even
4. Manchester City - Down 2
3. Liverpool - Up 1
2. Tottenham - Down 1
1. Arsenal - Up 2
Unai Emery was fired up as Villa nearly won it late on at Wolves but they probably didn’t deserve to edge it. Ollie Watkins is in incredible form and hit the post and was brilliantly denied by Jose Sa as Villa fought back to draw after a sluggish start. Talking of sluggish, ‘paging Manchester City.’ Pep Guardiola’s side have now lost three of their last four games in all competitions and two in a row in the PL for the first time since December 2018. They were okay at Arsenal but clearly missed Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri and they hardly got the ball to Erling Haaland as Arsenal’s late deflected goal saw City defeated. Still, when their star midfield duo return and the longer the season goes on, City will get even better just like they always do. Liverpool are getting better by the way, as Klopp’s side were unlucky not to win at Brighton as their attack purred either side of half time. Defensively they have to cut out some errors and find a better balance in midfield but Liverpool could be in this title race.
Tottenham could be in the title hunt too as they sit top of the table after their narrow win at Luton. Spurs were reduced to 10 men late in the first half but James Maddison is making the difference for Ange Postecoglou’s side and they deserve to be unbeaten and top of the table. They are only above bitter north London rivals Arsenal on goal scored, though. The Gunners failed to create much against Man City (understandable with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli not fit to start) but Declan Rice gave them extra solidity in central midfield and Martinelli popped up with the big moment late on after having a huge impact off the bench. The win feels like a big moment for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and they are unbeaten and have now beaten City for the first time since late 2015.