English Premier League Power Poll: Weeks 13-14

It's getting lonely at the top, and more chaotic everywhere else.

The Manchester clubs separated themselves from the English Premier League pack this week, both in the table and the B/R EPL Power Poll. The rest of the pack, simply put, is a mess.

Where did your club rank in this topsy-turvy week? With so much movement in the poll, it's possible you won't know where to look.

Methodology

For these rankings, the voters cast their ballots based on the "power rankings" style.

That means voters ranked each club based on which teams they thought were the best, keeping in mind recent results and the league table.

Seven B/R personalities voted in this week's poll. All the votes were counted on a points system. A first-place vote counted as 20 points, a second-place vote as 19 and so on.

 

Explanation of terms

Points: The total number of points the team received via our voters' rankings. A first-place vote counted as 20 points, a second-place vote as 19 and so on.

Last-place votes: The number of last-place votes the team received from our voters.

First-place votes: The number of first-place votes the team received from our voters.

Last time: The team's ranking in the previous poll. Click here for the previous rankings.

Table: The team's position in the English Premier League table, along with current points total. Click here for the full table.

Results: The team's results since our last rankings.

Fixtures: The team's upcoming matches.

Meet the Voters

Aliko Carter: B/R front-page editor. @AlikoCarter

Adam Hirshfield: B/R deputy editor. @ahirshfield

Dan Levy: B/R national lead writer. @DanLevyThinks

Sean Swaby: B/R featured columnist coordinator. @seanswaby

Will Tidey: B/R world football lead writer and editor. @willtidey

Sam Tighe: B/R world football tactical analyst. @stighefootball

Michael Cummings: B/R world football lead writer and poll organizer. @MikeCummings37

Complete Rankings

Here is the complete poll. Click through the slides for more information on each team.

1. Manchester United

2. Manchester City

3. Tottenham Hotspur

4. West Brom

5. Everton

6. Chelsea

7. Arsenal

8. Swansea

9. Stoke

10. Fulham

11. Norwich City

12. (tie) West Ham

12. (tie) Liverpool

14. Aston Villa

15. Wigan

16. Southampton

17. Newcastle

18. Sunderland

19. Reading

20. QPR

20. Queens Park Rangers

Points: 11

Last-place votes: 6

Last time: 20

Table: 20th, 5 points

Results: Lost 3-1 at Man United, drew 1-1 at Sunderland

Fixtures: Home to Villa, Saturday

Mark Hughes is out. Harry Redknapp takes his turn now.

Either way, QPR still don’t have any wins. It’s not looking good.

Dan: I recently called them the biggest waste of space in world football. I'm secretly in love with this club.

19. Reading

Points: 13

Last-place votes: 1

Last time: 16

Table: 19th, 9 points

Results: Lost 3-2 at Wigan, lost 1-0 at Villa

Fixtures: Home to Man United, Saturday

Reading have lost two in a row after a four-match unbeaten run. The going remains tough with this weekend’s trip to Old Trafford.

18. Sunderland

Points: 27

Last time: 15

Table: 16th, 13 points

Results: Lost 4-2 home to West Brom, drew 0-0 home to QPR

Fixtures: At Norwich, Sunday

Sunderland have been nearly unwatchable lately, and if current trends continue, Premier League audiences might not have to watch the Black Cats much longer.

Martin O’Neill’s team sit just one point above the relegation zone.

Will: Offensive viewing against QPR, just dull, dull, dull.

17. Newcastle United

Points: 34

Last time: 13

Table: 14th, 14 points

Results: Lost 2-0 at Southampton, lost 2-1 at Stoke

Fixtures: Home to Wigan, Monday

After pushing for a Champions League place throughout last season, Newcastle have hit hard times this term. The Magpies are just two points above the relegation zone after losing four straight matches.

The last time that happened was 2008-09. We all know what happened later that season, right?

16. Southampton

Points: 43

Last time: 18

Table: 18th, 12 points

Results: Won 2-0 home to Newcastle, drew 1-1 home to Villa

Fixtures: At Liverpool, Saturday

Southampton remain in the relegation zone but are unbeaten in four matches. During that stretch, Nigel Adkins’ men have taken eight points.

By comparison, Chelsea have collected three points over the same span.

15. Wigan Athletic

Points: 48

Last time: 17

Table: 15th, 14 points

Results: Won 3-2 home to Reading, lost 2-0 home to Man City

Fixtures: At Newcastle, Monday

It’s three losses in four matches for Roberto Martinez’s Wigan, who nonetheless have entertained neutrals along the way.

14. Aston Villa

Points: 50

Last time: 19

Table: 17th, 13 points

Results: Drew 0-0 home to Arsenal, won 1-0 home to Reading

Fixtures: At QPR, Saturday

Villa took advantage of some home cooking this week, drawing with Arsenal before beating Reading. After climbing five spots in our poll, Paul Lambert’s team is looking better, with or without Darren Bent.

Will: Signs of life at Villa Park... finally.

12. (tie) West Ham United

Points: 58

Last time: 7

Table: 10th, 19 points

Results: Lost 3-1 at Spurs, Lost 1-0 at Man United

Fixtures: Home to Chelsea, Saturday

West Ham lost twice this week but somehow managed to stay in the top half. Can the Hammers heap more misery on Chelsea at the weekend?

12. (tie) Liverpool

Points: 58

Last time: 8

Table: 12th, 16 points

Results: Drew 0-0 at Swansea, lost 2-1 at Spurs

Fixtures: Home to Southampton, Saturday

The eight-match unbeaten run is over. What’s next for the Brendan Rodgers revolution?

11. Norwich City

Points: 64

Last time: 11

Table: 13th, 16 points

Results: Drew 1-1 at Everton, drew 1-1 at Southampton

Fixtures: Home to Sunderland, Sunday

Chelsea were the last Premier League team to defeat Norwich. That happened way back on Oct. 6, when Roberto Di Matteo’s seat was merely lukewarm.

10. Fulham

Points: 67

Last time: 12

Table: 11th, 17 points

Results: Lost 1-0 at Stoke, drew 0-0 at Chelsea

Fixtures: Home to Spurs, Saturday

Fulham pulled off the near-impossible this week, scoring zero goals and allowing only one in two matches.

Where’s the team that scored 25 and allowed 22 before this week?

9. Stoke City

Points: 85

Last time: 14

Table: 9th, 19 points

Results: Won 1-0 home to Fulham, won 2-1 home to Newcastle

Fixtures: At West Brom, Saturday

Stoke gained three places in the league table this week and now sit in the top half. Even more astounding: the Potters are only seven points away from the top four and the Champions League spots.

How did that happen?

8. Swansea City

Points: 93

Last time: 9

Table: 8th, 20 points

Results: Drew 0-0 home to Liverpool, won 3-1 home to West Brom

Fixtures: At Arsenal, Saturday

Swansea stopped West Brom’s high-flying run and are unbeaten in five matches. Up next is a potential statement game at Arsenal.

7. Arsenal

Points: 103

Last time: 5

Table: 7th, 21 points

Results: Drew 0-0 at Villa, drew 1-1 at Everton

Fixtures: Home to Swansea, Saturday

Depressing fact of the week No. 1 for Gooners: Through 14 matches, Arsenal are just one point ahead of Swansea—their opponents this weekend—and two ahead of Stoke and West Ham.

Depressing fact of the week No. 2 for Gooners: It’s impossible to argue that Arsene Wenger’s team are better than their record suggests.

Hey, at least Theo scored again.

Sean: The Gunners have scored 16 goals in four EPL matches (Southampton, Tottenham, Fulham, West Ham) and just eight in the other six. Their attack looks fluid and prolific on some days and lethargic and toothless on others.

6. Chelsea

Points: 105

Last time: 4

Table: 3rd, 26 points

Results: Drew 0-0 home to Man City, drew 0-0 home to Fulham

Fixtures: At West Ham, Saturday

Chelsea topped the table for eight straight weeks earlier this season. Now the Blues are winless in six matches and struggling under an unpopular new manager.

Will: Time for a new manager, surely.

Sean: Hey, Roman, how do ya like me now? Not very sincerely, Roberto.

Dan: This is going to be a long second half.

5. Everton

Points: 107

Last time: 6

Table: 6th, 22 points

Results: Drew 1-1 home to Norwich, drew 1-1 home to Arsenal

Fixtures: At Man City, Saturday

Everton have lost just twice this season—fewer times than all but two Premier League teams. Problem is, the Toffees have drawn seven matches—joint-most in the league.

4. West Bromwich Albion

Points: 110

Last time: 3

Table: 4th, 26 points

Results: Won 4-2 at Sunderland, lost 3-1 at Swansea

Fixtures: Home to Stoke, Saturday

The loss at Swansea ended West Brom’s four-match winning streak, but the Baggies are still fourth and remain level on points with Chelsea.

Sean: Anyone else just hear a balloon pop?

3. Tottenham Hotspur

Points: 121

Last time: 10

Table: 5th, 23 points

Results: Won 3-1 home to West Ham, won 2-1 home to Liverpool

Fixtures: At Fulham, Saturday

Back-to-back wins have Spurs back in the top five. After moving up seven spots in our poll, they're our mover of the week.

Now it’s time to work on that goal differential.

2. Manchester City

Points: 136

First-place votes: 3

Last time: 1

Table: 2nd, 32 points

Results: Drew 0-0 at Chelsea, won 2-0 at Wigan

Fixtures: Home to Everton

City remain the league’s only unbeaten team and hold a superior goal-differential to Manchester United. But five draws in 14 matches are enough to send thrice-beaten United to the top of the table.

For now.

Dan: Hey, look. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a Mario Ballotelli goal in the EPL!

1. Manchester United

Points: 137

First-place votes: 4

Weeks at No. 1: First week

Last time: 2

Table: 1st, 33 points

Results: Won 3-1 home to QPR, won 1-0 home to West Ham

Fixtures: At Reading, Saturday

United returned to the top of the table with two wins this week despite not being overly impressive in either match.

No matter. The Manchester clubs are threatening to make the Premier League title race their own private party again this season.

Will: United are top, but still they're not playing that well.

Sean: United are the only EPL side with no draws. Go figure. I guess that's what happens when you have an occasionally leaky defense and an incredible attack.

Dan: They're doing just enough to win the games they are supposed to win right now.

Follow @MikeCummings37