English Premier League Power Poll, Week 23

Make room at the top. The B/R English Premier League Power Poll has a new king.

With 15 matches left in the season, it's becoming increasingly clear that Manchester United and Manchester City are the teams to beat once again this season. The question is, which Mancunian powerhouse claimed the top spot this week?

Keep reading to find out.

Click here for recent results and here for the league table.

How It Works

Nine B/R personalities ranked all 20 Premier League clubs. A first-place vote counted as 20 points, a second-place vote as 19—and so on.

The voters this week were:

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

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.

Complete Rankings

This week in the rankings, Manchester City took over the top spot after Manchester United drew at Tottenham Hotspur. United received the most first-place votes, but dropped further in a few voters' ballots.

For the first time, there was a tie at the bottom between Norwich and Wigan. Since there are no ties in the Premier League table, Mike broke the tie based on this week's goal differential.

Sorry, Norwich.

Elsewhere, Reading and Sunderland surged up the rankings while Stoke and Norwich tumbled. Liverpool moved into the top five and Arsenal fell back into the pack.

Here are the complete rankings.

1. Manchester City

2. Manchester United

3. Chelsea

4. Tottenham Hotspur

5. Liverpool

6. Everton

7. Sunderland

8. Swansea

9. Arsenal

10. West Bromwich Albion

11. Reading

12. West Ham United

13. Southampton

14. Stoke City

15. Queens Park Rangers

16. Fulham

17. Newcastle United

18. Aston Villa

19. (tie) Norwich City

19. (tie) Wigan Athletic

20. Norwich City

Points: 25

Previous: 16

The Canaries just can't match up with Liverpool. Lately, they just can't win, either.

19. Wigan Athletic

Points: 25

Previous: 18 (tie)

The Latics have won just once in their last nine matches. Maybe a trip to face Stoke's suddenly leaky defense next week will help.

Sam: How they're down here I don't know, but results matter. 

18. Aston Villa

Points: 28

Previous: 20

Villa are winless in five matches and have the league's worst goal differential (minus-25). 

17. Newcastle United

Points: 38

Previous: 18 (tie)

Newcastle travel to Villa Park next week. One of them simply has to win, right?

Right?

Sam: If in doubt, buy more French players. 

16. Fulham

Points: 56

Previous: 12 (tie)

Fulham, who topped the table after the first day of the season, have won twice in their last 15 league matches 

15. Queens Park Rangers

Points: 59

Previous: 17

QPR have sat at the bottom of the table after 16 of 23 rounds this season.

Harry Redknapp's arrival has brought progress, but Rangers are still five points from safety.

Sam: Buying their way to safety since 2012. 

14. Stoke City

Points: 62

Previous: 11

Stoke are winless in their last four matches. They have allowed 13 goals during that time—after allowing only 14 in their previous 19 matches.

Sean: It was a good run while it lasted.  

13. Southampton

Points: 73

Previous: 10

Why, again, was Nigel Adkins sacked?

Sean: Nigel Adkins deserved much better. Still, a classy bloke to the very end. 

12. West Ham United

Points: 80

Previous: 14

Struggling West Ham have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five league fixtures.

Sam: They're flying under the radar, but things need to change at Upton Park soon. 

11. Reading

Points: 86

Previous: 15

Back-to-back comeback wins have Reading…still in the relegation zone.

Even so, the Royals are now only one point from safety.  

10. West Bromwich Albion

Points: 93

Previous: 12 (tie)

We asked last week whether it was time to worry about West Brom. After the Baggies needed a late equalizer to draw at home to lowly Aston Villa, we think that question has been answered. 

9. Arsenal

Points: 109

Previous: 6 (tie)

The Gunners have taken one point in five matches against England's top three sides this season.

Sean: The good: Theo Walcott extends his contract. The bad: Outclassed thoroughly in their last two EPL matches. It's clear Arsene needs to put pen to paper on some outside help.

8. Swansea City

Points: 113

Previous: 6 (tie)

Swansea are unbeaten in six league matches—but have only won twice during that time. 

7. Sunderland

Points: 120

Previous: 9

Intriguing stat: Sunderland have drawn just once in their last 15 league matches after drawing six of their first eight.

Sam: Martin O'Neill has pulled this one out of the bag with the Black Cats sitting nine points clear of the relegation zone. Did anyone ever bet against him? 

6. Everton

Points: 130

Previous: 5

Everton, on the other hand, can't stop drawing matches. Monday's scoreless draw at Southampton gave the Toffees 11 draws on the season (or just under half of all results).

Appropriately, that's tied (with Stoke) for most in the league. 

5. Liverpool

Points: 140

Previous: 8

Nice win, but here's a question: Can the Reds repeat that performance against any team not named Norwich?

Karl: The most complete performance of the season from Liverpool.

Sam: If there's one team I don't want to face right now, it's Brendan Rodgers' attacking dynamos. 

4. Tottenham Hotspur

Points: 152

Previous: 4

Clint Dempsey has a habit of popping up with important goals against Manchester United. Not a bad trait for an attacker to have. 

3. Chelsea

Points: 164

First-place votes: 1

Previous: 3

Chelsea have won six of eight but remain 11 points off the top of the table. 

Sam: Quietly, Rafa Benitez has found form and results for this Chelsea side. Now if the fans would leave their banners at home, Stamford Bridge might just become a fortress again.

2. Manchester United

Points: 166

First-place votes: 5

Previous: 1

Deja vu all over again? Manchester United have the league's best goal differential of plus-27, but rivals Manchester City are only one behind.

This one could go down to the wire again.  

1. Manchester City

Points: 171

First-place votes: 3

Previous: 2

Manchester City remain five points behind Manchester United but took over the top spot in our poll with some ease. Roberto Mancini's men have won six of seven.

Sam: The title race is going all the way between two absolute powerhouses. 

Follow @MikeCummings37