Premier League Table: 2016 Standings, Week 5 Fixtures After Week 4 Results
With Week 4 coming to a close on Monday in the Premier League, it's time to take a look ahead at the slate of games on tap in Week 5.
Below, we'll break down the fixtures and updated table and analyze the games to come.
| Friday, Sept. 16 | 3 p.m. | Chelsea vs. Liverpool |
| Saturday, Sept. 18 | 10 a.m. | Hull City vs. Arsenal |
| Saturday, Sept. 18 | 10 a.m. | Manchester City vs. Bournemouth |
| Saturday, Sept. 18 | 10 a.m. | West Brom vs. West Ham |
| Saturday, Sept. 18 | 10 a.m. | Leicester City vs. Burnley |
| Saturday, Sept. 18 | 12:30 p.m. | Everton vs. Middlesbrough |
| Sunday, Sept. 19 | 7 a.m. | Watford vs. Manchester United |
| Sunday, Sept. 19 | 9:15 a.m. | Crystal Palace vs. Stoke City |
| Sunday, Sept. 19 | 9:15 a.m. | Southampton vs. Swansea City |
| Sunday, Sept. 19 | 11:30 a.m. | Tottenham vs. Sunderland |
| 1 | Manchester City | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 12 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 3 | Everton | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 7 |
| 7 | Arsenal | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| 8 | Hull City | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 9 | Middlesbrough | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | Watford | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 4 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 4 |
| 12 | West Bromwich Albion | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| 13 | Swansea City | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 4 |
| 14 | Bournemouth | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 4 |
| 15 | Burnley | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 4 |
| 16 | Leicester City | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 4 |
| 17 | West Ham United | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | -4 | 3 |
| 18 | Southampton | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 2 |
| 19 | Sunderland | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 1 |
| 20 | Stoke City | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 1 |
Analysis
Coming into Monday's game, Everton striker Romelu Lukaku hadn't scored in 11 games. In the second half alone against Sunderland, he scored three times. Talk about ending a goal drought in style.
His manager, Ronald Koeman, was pleased:
The 3-0 win for Everton continued the Toffees' excellent start to the season, as they now sit in third place with 10 points after four games and trail only Manchester City in points. Up next for the Toffees will be a winnable contest against Middlesbrough, which have opened their Premier League campaign with an impressive five points in four contests.
But can they shut down the now irrepressible Lukaku? That remains to be seen.
The premier matchup on the slate is Friday's showdown between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. While Chelsea have looked rejuvenated under new manager Antonio Conte, Jurgen Klopp has Liverpool playing some of the most exciting, dynamic attacking football in the Premier League.
Both teams have scored nine goals on the season, though Liverpool have been shakier in the back, giving up seven as well. Klopp even started Lucas Leiva and James Milner—traditionally midfielders—on the left side of the defense over the weekend against Leicester City. It's all a part of Klopp's master plan, however, as Steven Kelly of ESPN FC explained:
"A coach with so many attacking options would be a fool not to exploit them, so perhaps the back four must also play by the seat of its pants—hoping the team will score more than it concedes. That might explain why Klopp felt in no hurry to replace the defensively liable Alberto Moreno. He knew all along his team needed attacking defenders to make everything work. Errors like the ones that Moreno committed in the Reds' 4-3 win at Arsenal were deemed a price that had to be paid.
Supporters will naturally be wary of such tactics after the title bid under Brendan Rodgers in 2014. That side scored 101 goals in a breathtaking season, but still came second because of the 50 they let in. Saturday's win was a reminder of how that team went about winning football matches, with all of their inherent thrills and pitfalls. The ability to close out games will have to be fully learned, but there were signs against Leicester that it can be done.
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Chelsea were hardly stable in the back four against Swansea City over the weekend, however, drawing 2-2 in the contest. New signees Marcos Alonso and David Luiz will probably be inserted into the lineup before long to help in that regard.
While early-season matchups generally hold less weight than contests later in the campaign, this will be an interesting measuring stick for both teams. Liverpool impressed offensively against Arsenal to open the campaign—albeit against an Arsenal team that was hardly at full strength due to injuries and players being rested.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have yet to be tested against elite competition, though Swansea City took advantage of several Blues blunders over the weekend. For Chelsea, Liverpool will present a stiff test. Of course, they'll counter with elite options such as the always-controversial but clinical Diego Costa and the effervescent Eden Hazard.
For the rest of the league's top contenders, the schedule is friendlier in Week 5. Arsenal will be challenged by a Hull City team that has seven points already on the season, though the Gunners will be favored, while Manchester City will take on Bournemouth.
Leicester City have a huge contest against Burnley that they must win to keep from sinking too far down the table, while Manchester United will take on Watford. And Tottenham get a Sunderland side that has just one point in their first four contests.
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