There are some pretty big movers this week in PL Power Rankings, I can tell you that right now.
A few upsets sprinkled in with some resounding wins for the big boys means that the order of power has shifted considerably, with both Manchester sides sliding in opposite directions.
Week 5 saw plenty more goals and our first managerial casualty of the season, for better or worse, find out how it affected the Premier League Power Rankings this week.
By now you should know the drill, but every Wednesday we put our neck on the line to analyze the strength of each Premier League team. Forget about the official league standings, that doesn’t mean squat.
(MORE: Premier League Power Rankings archive)
The Power Rankings take into account the strength of schedule, injuries, suspensions, playing well but still losing and plenty of other variables. The W-L-D 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.
| RANKING | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UP 5 | Manchester City: Such was their dominance in the Manchester derby, it proves that City are the best team in the league on their day. Aguero, Nergedo and Nasri are striking up a partnership and the look steady at the back. They will aim to pick up their first win on the road at Aston Villa this week. (3-1-1) | |
| 2 | - | Arsenal: The Gunners are the real deal, with Mesut Ozil again looking like real quality in Arsenal’s battling win against Stoke. Ramsey is still scoring and things are going well for Arsene Wenger. However Theo Walcott is out injured, those aliments will hit Arsenal hard. (4-0-1) | |
| 3 | UP 3 | Tottenham: Joint-top of the PL table with Arsenal, this would have been the start Spurs and Andre Villas-Boas were hoping for, post-Bale. On Sunday they battled out to yet another 1-0 win, although they left it late. Saturday’s big game against Chelsea will prove just how good they are. (4-0-1) | |
| 4 | DOWN 1 | Chelsea: Jose Mourinho’s side slid down, but they still looked extremely comfortable against Fulham in the 2-0 win on Saturday. Playing Spurs at White Hart Lane will be a massive test, and with Mata dazzling at Swindon, surely he will play some part? The new philosophy could take some time at the Bridge. (3-1-1) | |
| 5 | DOWN 5 | Manchester United: What can we say about United? Is this just a brief slump, or is it a sign of things to come? Moyes is blaming the tough fixtures to start the season, but they are Manchester United, so they should expect to win most games. They should beat West Brom at home. Should. (2-2-1) | |
| 6 | DOWN 2 | Liverpool: A shock home loss to Southampton saw Liverpool lose their unbeaten run to start the campaign, and the Reds looked lackluster going forward. Luckily, Luis Suarez is back and he can now kick on to grab the goals they need. A trip to Sunderland is up this week. (3-1-1) | |
| 7 | - | Everton: The Toffees pulled off a rousing comeback at Upton Park, as Baines scored two terrific free kicks and Romelu Lukaku grabbed a debut winner but worryingly didn’t remember it after a head knock. Roberto Martinez’ side are looking great going forward, Monday night football vs. Newcastle should be a belter. (2-0-3) | |
| 8 | - | Swansea: What a great week for Swansea after beating Valencia in the Europa League and dismantling Palace with ease. The Swans look back to their best and Michu is scoring again. A home game vs. Arsenal is a tough test on Saturday. (2-2-1) | |
| 9 | UP 2 | Southampton: Tremendous win for the Saints at Anfield, as Mauricio Pochettino’s high-pressing style unsettled Liverpool. Daniel Osvaldo is improving all the time, and three clean sheets from five games is a great start. Palace at home this week is a great chance to grab three more points. (2-1-2) | |
| 10 | - | West Ham: Despite losing, the Hammers were pretty good for most of the clash against Everton. Some stunning goals from the Toffees thwarted West Ham, but at least they scored a few goals. A tricky trip to Hull is coming up this weekend. (2-2-1) | |
| 11 | DOWN 2 | Stoke: A disappointing, yet expected, loss at Arsenal could have seen the Potters steal a point. Surprisingly they were undone by set-pieces and Mark Hughes will be disappointed by that. Home game against Norwich this weekend should be a real bruising battle, watch out for that one. (2-2-1) | |
| 12 | UP 3 | Aston Villa: Brad Guzan was the hero for Villa as he saved a penalty and pulled off some great stops in the second half. A draw would’ve been a fair result but Villa held on for the win. Losing Christian Benteke is a huge, but he should be back in six weeks. Tough game vs. Man City this weekend. (2-3-0) | |
| 13 | - | Newcastle: The Magpies threw away a great chance to win at home against Hull, as Loic Remy twice handed them a lead that they squandered. Another tricky away tie to Everton is coming up and Alan Pardew must be worried about his side defensively. (2-2-1) | |
| 14 | UP 3 | Hull City: Terrific win for the Tigers at St. James’ Park as Sone Aluko’s screamer sealed all three points. A battling display and true grit showcased what Hull are all about, a home game against West Ham is extremely winnable. So far the best of the promoted teams. (2-2-1) | |
| 15 | DOWN 3 | Norwich City: I worry for the Canaries this season, I really do. They’ve spent big on strikers but I’m not convinced by Ricky van Wolfswinkel and they really need Gary Hooper to score goals for fun. At the back they’re okay, but Villa easily exposed their lack of pace. Work to do. (1-3-1) | |
| 16 | UP 2 | West Brom: The Baggies finally clicked on Saturday to get their first win of the season, but to be fair, it was against Sunderland. Regardless, stephane Sessegnon looks at home and maybe things will turn around. Can they win at United this week? (1-3-1) | |
| 17 | DOWN 3 | Fulham: What is going on down at Craven Cottage? Some are calling for Martin Jol’s head, but it may be too soon for that. Fulham aren’t playing well, and they hardly created any chances against Chelsea. I’ll say it again, too many similar signings from Jol. Must win vs. Cardiff in week 6. (1-3-1) | |
| 18 | DOWN 2 | Cardiff City: They battled incredibly hard against Spurs, and they almost had a point before Paulinho’s backheel stole all three. The Bluebirds need to get something from every home game if they’re going to do well this season, because I think they will struggle away. (1-2-2) | |
| 19 | - | Crystal Palace: It’s a case of trying to battle through every game for Palace, as the new faces try to settle in as quickly as they can. Two defeats to Man Utd and Swansea were to be expected, but can they beat Southampton on Saturday? Ian Holloway will be breaking out the jig again if they can. (1-4-0) | |
| 20 | - | Sunderland: Well, now that’s over, what next? After Paolo Di Canio was fired, the Black Cats are in a heck of a mess. 14 new players not gelling, no manager and just one point from 15... this season needs to turn around fast. A home game against Liverpool isn’t ideal. (0-4-1) |
