English Premier League Power Poll, Week 16

The battle at the top is over, and only one Manchester team can claim the Premier League throne.

Manchester United defeated Manchester City 3-2 on Sunday in a thrilling top-of-the-table clash. With the victory, United opened up a six-point lead atop the league.

Not coincidentally, the Red Devils also remained on top of this week's B/R EPL Power Poll.

As for the rest, you'll have to keep reading to find out.

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.

Eight 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.

NOTE: Voters did not take into account Tuesday's match between Sunderland and Reading. Sunderland won the match 3-0 at home. The result is listed under both teams' slide, but voters did not consider the match in their rankings.

 

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

John Greely: B/R world football assistant editor. @johnwgreely 

Adam Hirshfield: B/R deputy editor. @ahirshfield

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

Karl Matchett: B/R world football full-time writer. @karlmatchett  

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

1. Manchester United

2. Everton

3. Manchester City

4. Chelsea

5. Tottenham Hotspur

6. Liverpool

7. Arsenal

8. Stoke City

9. Norwich City

10. Swansea City

11. West Bromwich Albion

12. Southampton

13. Fulham

14. West Ham United

15. Aston Villa

16. Newcastle United

17. Wigan Athletic

18. Sunderland

19. Queens Park Rangers

20. Reading

20. Reading

Points: 19

Last time: 20

Table: 19th, 9 points

Results: Lost 1-0 at Southampton, lost 3-0 at Sunderland

Fixtures: Home to Arsenal, Monday

Reading have lost five straight. Up next is a home date with Arsenal. Last time the teams met, Reading scored five times—and lost.

19. Queens Park Rangers

Points: 22

Last time: 19

Table: 20th, 7 points

Results: Drew 2-2 at Wigan

Fixtures: Home to Fulham, Saturday

Good news first: QPR are unbeaten in three matches.

Now the bad news: QPR remain winless on the season. The three-match unbeaten run is actually a run of three draws.

18. Sunderland

Points: 26

Last time: 18

Table: 15th, 16 points

Results: Lost 3-1 home to Chelsea, won 3-0 home to Reading

Fixtures: At Man United, Saturday

The Black Cats pulled themselves out of the relegation zone with Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Reading. It was just in time, too. A trip to leaders Manchester United is next.

17. Wigan Athletic

Points: 37

Last time: 15

Table: 18th, 15 points

Results: Drew 2-2 home to QPR

Fixtures: At Norwich, Saturday

After a run of two defeats and a draw at bottom feeders QPR, Wigan suddenly find themselves in the drop zone. Can Roberto Martinez rediscover the magic formula?

Dan: Again, can I go back to asking why Roberto Martinez didn't leave when he had the chance?

16. Newcastle United

Points: 47

Last time: 13

Table: 14th, 17 points

Results: Lost 2-1 at Fulham

Fixtures: Home to Man City, Saturday

Newcastle broke a four-match losing skid last week but lost again Monday. With champions Manchester City coming to town next, another losing run might be in the cards.

Sean: You're not in Champions League contention anymore.

15. Aston Villa

Points: 56

Last time: 14

Table: 17th, 15 points

Results: Drew 0-0 home to Stoke

Fixtures: At Liverpool, Saturday

Villa have not lost since the ugly 5-0 defeat at Manchester City on Nov. 17. Even so, Paul Lambert’s team remains above the relegation zone on goal difference alone.

14. West Ham United

Points: 67

Last time: 8

Table: 11th, 22 points

Results: Lost 3-2 home to Liverpool

Fixtures: At West Brom, Sunday

West Ham have lost three of four but remain seven points above Southampton and 13 ahead of Reading. So far, the Hammers have clearly been this season’s most successful promoted side.

13. Fulham

Points: 68

Last time: 16

Table: 13th, 20 points

Results: Won 2-1 home to Newcastle

Fixtures: At QPR, Saturday

The seven-match winless run is over. Now the Cottagers try to climb back up the table: As recently as Oct. 27, Fulham sat sixth in the table.

Adam: Should be so much better than they are, but Monday's win over Newcastle could get them back on the right track.

12. Southampton

Points: 69

Last time: 17

Table: 16th, 15 points

Results: Won 1-0 home to Reading

Fixtures: Home to Sunderland, Dec. 22

The Saints have won three of their last six matches. The other three results? A pair of draws and a narrow 1-0 loss at Liverpool.

With Chelsea playing in the FIFA Club World Cup, Southampton’s trip to Stamford Bridge this weekend has been postponed. That means the Saints’ momentum might have slowed by the next time they take the pitch.

11. West Bromwich Albion

Points: 81

Last time: 7

Table: 6th, 26 points

Results: Lost 2-0 at Arsenal

Fixtures: Home to West Ham, Sunday

West Brom have lost three in a row but remain sixth. Is this the beginning of a slide down the table or merely a blip?

10. Swansea City

Points: 94

Last time: 4

Table: 8th, 23 points

Results: Lost 4-3 home to Norwich

Fixtures: At Spurs, Sunday

Swansea and Norwich played the most entertaining match of the weekend. It’s just a hunch, but we think the Swans’ trip to North London this weekend will produce fireworks as well.

Sean: It's OK, guys, Arsenal and United know what it feels like to get Norwich'd.

9. Norwich City

Points: 101

Last time: 10

Table: 12th, 22 points

Results: Won 4-3 at Swansea

Fixtures: Home to Wigan, Saturday

Norwich have gone nine matches without losing. During that time, the Canaries have won five times and climbed from 19th to 12th.

Sean: World beaters or relegation fodder? Might as well flip a coin weekly.

Dan: Since a loss at Chelsea on October 6 that saw Norwich earn just three points in their first seven matches, Norwich have four wins and four draws in their last EIGHT. This turnaround is the story of the season.

8. Stoke City

Points: 103

Last time: 6

Table: 9th, 23 points

Results: Drew 0-0 at Aston Villa

Fixtures: Home to Everton, Saturday

Stoke last lost a league match on Nov. 3. Only two clubs—Everton and Manchester City—have lost fewer matches.

7. Arsenal

Points: 108

Last time: 12

Table: 7th, 24 points

Results: Won 2-0 home to West Brom

Fixtures: At Reading, Monday

The Gunners righted the ship by beating West Brom at home, but victory came with controversy. Did Santi dive, or didn’t he?

Either way, Arsenal suffered another humiliating defeat Tuesday, this time to fourth-tier Bradford City in the Capital One Cup.

6. Liverpool

Points: 110

Last time: 11

Table: 10th, 22 points

Results: Won 3-2 at West Ham

Fixtures: Home to Aston Villa, Saturday

Brendan Rodgers has Liverpool on a bit of a roll. Luis Suarez is in form, but as the weekend showed, they can win without him.

Dan: Three goals, on the road, without Suarez? Well then...

Adam: A hard-fought win at West Ham keeps their bullish run alive in the EPL table. The Reds have lost just once in their last 11 EPL matches.

5. Tottenham Hotspur

Points: 117

Last time: 2

Table: 5th, 26 points

Results: Lost 2-1 at Everton

Fixtures: Home to Swansea, Sunday

Stat of the week: If matches lasted only 80 minutes, Spurs would be sitting atop the table right now (via 101 Great Goals).

Dan: Hey, at least Clint Dempsey woke up.

4. Chelsea

Points: 120

Last time: 9

Table: 3rd, 29 points

Results: Won 3-1 at Sunderland

Fixtures: Home to Aston Villa, Dec. 23

The win on Saturday was Chelsea’s first since Oct. 20. Because of their involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup this week, the Blues won’t play again in the league until Dec. 23.

Sean: Torres scored? Oh, right, Mayans.

Dan: This is going to be another roller coaster year, isn't it?

3. Manchester City

Points: 136

Last time: 3

Table: 2nd, 33 points

Results: Lost 3-2 home to Man United

Fixtures: At Newcastle, Saturday

City finally lost for the first time this season—and it came at probably the worst time. The champions have no time to lick their wounds, though. United are already six points clear at the top of the table.

Dan: The team showed who they were in the second-half comeback against Man United. Sadly, so did their supporters.

2. Everton

Points: 139

Last time: 5

Table: 4th, 26 points

Results: Won 2-1 home to Spurs

Fixtures: At Stoke, Saturday

That's right. Everton at No. 2.

David Moyes' side stayed in the top four with a home win over Spurs. Now, if only the Toffees could stop drawing so many matches (joint-most in the league with eight).

Dan: How important were the 90th-minute goals by Pienaar and Jelavic? Everton went from ninth in the EPL standings to fourth in a matter of four minutes.

1. Manchester United

Points: 160

First-place votes: 8

Weeks at No. 1: 3

Last time: 1

Table: 1st, 39 points

Results: Won 3-2 at Man City

Fixtures: Home to Sunderland, Saturday

Is the title race on life support already? Sure, it’s only a six-point lead, but United’s offense is good enough to beat anyone, anytime.

If the defense comes together, watch out.

Sean: As Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri "combined" on RvP's winner, every Arsenal supporter threw up. In other news, United are really, really good.

Adam: Seems like they're often playing down (or up, on occasion) to the level of their opponents, and they keep winning in controversial of fluky ways. But that's what makes a champion.

Follow @MikeCummings37