Premier League Table: Latest 2014 EPL Standings and Predictions for Matchday 5
West Ham managed to leave the KC Stadium with a point in their grasp on Monday evening, a sharing of the spoils that sees both them and Hull City move up through the Premier League standings.
That draw brought an end to the Week 4 action, Chelsea still sitting pretty atop the English pile while Newcastle United wallow in the disappointment of Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Southampton.
After a round of Champions League drama in midweek,the English elite will return to the spotlight for Matchday 5, some collisions promising to have a bigger impact on the table than others.
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| Position | Club | Played | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Chelsea | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 12 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 3 | Swansea City | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| 4 | Southampton | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 5 | Manchester City | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 7 | Arsenal | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 8 | Liverpool | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 9 | Manchester United | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 10 | Everton | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 5 |
| 11 | Leicester City | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 5 |
| 12 | Hull City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 13 | Stoke City | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 4 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
| 15 | West Ham United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 16 | Queens Park Rangers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -8 | 3 |
| 17 | Crystal Palace | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 2 |
| 18 | Burnley | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 2 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -5 | 2 |
| 20 | Newcastle United | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -6 | 2 |
| Date | Time | Fixture | Prediction |
| Sept. 20 | 12:45 p.m. BST/7:45 a.m. ET | QPR vs. Stoke City | 2-2 |
| Sept. 20 | 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET | Aston Villa vs. Arsenal | 1-1 |
| Sept. 20 | 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET | Burnley vs. Sunderland | 1-2 |
| Sept. 20 | 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET | Newcastle United vs. Hull City | 2-2 |
| Sept. 20 | 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET | Swansea City vs. Southampton | 1-2 |
| Sept. 20 | 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET | West Ham vs. Liverpool | 1-3 |
| Sept. 21 | 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET | Leicester City vs. Manchester United | 0-2 |
| Sept. 21 | 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET | Tottenham vs. West Brom | 2-0 |
| Sept. 21 | 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET | Evertn vs. Crystal Palace | 3-1 |
| Sept. 21 | 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET | Manchester City vs. Chelsea | 1-3 |
Must-Watch Matchups
Aston Villa vs. Arsenal
A shock 1-0 win at Anfield last week has ensured that Aston Villa's surprise raid on the Premier League top spots survives, but the big-name threats don't stop this week with the visit of Arsenal to Villa Park.
Paul Lambert has received one very significant boost this week after Sky Sports announced that Christian Benteke had returned to training after suffering with an Achilles injury for five months:
Developments throughout the week will dictate whether or not the task of Arsenal is too soon for the Belgian to make his return to the line-up, however, as the last thing Lambert needs now is to rush his star striker back.
Arsene Wenger is a man going through attacking dilemmas of his own, although the Daily Mail reports Danny Welbeck, who appeared to pick up a knock in his Gunners debut draw against Manchester City, is back in full training:
The midweek Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund could alter Wenger's options further, and that extra day's rest will be highly valuable for Villa as they look to maintain an unbeaten league run.
Conceding just one league goal this season, the Villans' defensive restructuring would seem to have given the side a new realm of possibilities, but their inability to win a game by more than one goal this season might pose issues.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal
Leicester City vs. Manchester United
Despite Leicester City's tendency to impress so far this season, it's inevitable that Manchester United's first win of the campaign will see a reinvigorated attention paid toward them this week.
The Foxes are unfortunate to be the first opponents of a side finally hitting the heights many have expected under Louis van Gaal, and while it was "only" QPR, a 4-0 win nonetheless puts the Red Devils in a buoyant mood for the trip to King Power Stadium.
Radamel Falcao made his debut as a substitute against the Hoops, and even came close to scoring, but the potential of a first start under Van Gaal has the Colombian licking his lips, per Paul Hirst of the Press Association (via the Daily Mail):
"It felt good to make my debut at Old Trafford. It is an extraordinary stadium, a legendary stadium and I am happy to get the win. I will enjoy this moment. I want to say thank you to the fans. I enjoyed the welcome a lot. It was fantastic.
I almost scored. The goalkeeper was good. I hope to score the next game. Bit by bit we will gel together as a team and the new players will feel more comfortable. I hope everything continues for us like it did on Sunday.
"
The Foxes remain unbeaten upon making their top-flight comeback, and are currently level with United on five points apiece, giving this matchup a more significant sense of danger for both teams than one might have guessed five weeks ago.
Falcao has the advantage of having already scored against Leicester, too, having done so in a pre-season friendly for Monaco 14 months ago. The momentum is running in his side's favour as he makes his way back to the east Midlands.
Prediction: Leicester 0-2 Manchester United
Manchester City vs. Chelsea
At season's beginning, many might have suggested this fixture to have been a battle between this year's title favourites, but Manchester City seem almost human of late while Chelsea retain an ominous, otherworldly veneer.
And much of that godly scent comes thanks to the efforts of one Diego Costa, fresh after scoring his first Premier League hat-trick in the 4-2 win over Swansea City.
A John Terry own-goal would have seen that win thrown into some disarray, but Jose Mourinho will have been impressed by the character of his side, showing that it's not simply all about their physical prowess but the mental, too.
With seven goals in his first four Premier League games, Costa can break some substantial records this season, as the Daily Mail illustrates:
Defensively, the Blues can be exposed and have leaked five in their last two outings, but something that's rung true in both those fixtures is a "We're going to score one more than you" mentality—and it's working.
Manuel Pellegrini's side therefore has a task most daunting, which could see extra coverage given to restraining Costa. But then what does one do with the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard?
Right now, Chelsea don't look likely to be stopped by any team in the league, and City will struggle to be the first.
Prediction: Manchester City 1-3 Chelsea
