Barclays Premier League Table: Updated 2014 EPL Outlook After Week 12 Results
Chelsea maintained a stranglehold at the top of the Premier League table following the 12th round of fixtures. Manager Jose Mourinho's team exuded typically cool efficiency in dispatching West Bromwich Albion 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
It's been plain sailing so far for Chelsea, but Mourinho will be wary of any revival from reigning champions Manchester City. The Citizens have stumbled through the last month of the season, but earned a vital reprieve after coming from behind to beat Swansea City at home, 2-1.
The bottom of the table was shaken up by a shock Burnley win away at Stoke City. The Clarets' stirring victory represented a double blow for Queens Park Rangers, who succumbed to a late Moussa Sissoko goal away at Newcastle United.
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That result has moved the Magpies briefly into the heady heights of fifth place, just outside the lucrative top four positions. Newcastle did briefly sit fourth, until Manchester United executed a classic "smash and grab" job to cause a lame Arsenal squad even more problems.
Here are the full results:
| Date | Game | Score | Result |
| Saturday, Nov. 22 | Chelsea vs. West Bromwich Albion | 2-0 | Chelsea Win |
| Saturday, Nov. 22 | Everton vs. West Ham United | 2-1 | Everton Win |
| Saturday, Nov. 22 | Leicester City vs. Sunderland | 0-0 | Draw |
| Saturday, Nov. 22 | Manchester City vs. Swansea City | 2-1 | City Win |
| Saturday, Nov. 22 | Newcastle United vs. Queens Park Rangers | 1-0 | Newcastle Win |
| Saturday, Nov. 22 | Stoke City vs. Burnley | 1-2 | Burnley Win |
| Saturday, Nov. 22 | Arsenal vs. Manchester United | 1-2 | United Win |
| Sunday, Nov. 23 | Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool | ||
| Sunday, Nov. 23 | Hull City vs. Tottenham Hotspur | ||
| Monday, Nov. 24 | Aston Villa vs. Southampton |
Here's what the table looks like after Week 12:
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | Goal Difference | Points |
| 1 | Chelsea | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 11 | 19 | 32 |
| 2 | Southampton | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 5 | 18 | 25 |
| 3 | Manchester City | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 13 | 11 | 24 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 15 | 4 | |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 19 |
| 6 | West Ham United | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 16 | 4 | 18 |
| 7 | Swansea City | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 18 |
| 8 | Arsenal | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 17 |
| 9 | Everton | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 17 |
| 10 | Stoke City | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 15 | -2 | 15 |
| 11 | Liverpool | 11 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 14 |
| 12 | Tottenham Hotspur | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 14 |
| 13 | West Bromwich Albion | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 13 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 12 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 13 |
| 15 | Hull City | 11 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 15 | -2 | 11 |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 16 | -11 | 11 |
| 17 | Leicester City | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 10 |
| 18 | Burnley | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 20 | -12 | 10 |
| 19 | Crystal Palace | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 20 | -6 | 9 |
| 20 | Quees Park Rangers | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 23 | -12 | 8 |
Newcastle and Manchester United were the big winners of the day. The latter earned a very rare away win thanks largely to the brilliance of goalkeeper David de Gea.
The Red Devils endured a tumultuous start to the season, but deserve credit for posting a recovery that now sees them in the top four. That effort even outstrips the reversal of fortune engineered by Newcastle.
The stunning revival of manager Alan Pardew's team owes a lot to a rock-solid defence that again refused to be breached.
Squawka football has detailed just how stingy Pardew's men have been:
Their latest vanquished foe, QPR, find themselves propping up the table following Burnley's spirited win. Pacy attacker Danny Ings was the hero for Sean Dyche's team, bagging a pair of quick-fire goals at the Britannia Stadium.
That win piles the pressure not only on QPR, but also on Leicester City who remain hovering just above the bottom three.
At the top, there's just no slowing Chelsea down. As he has been for most of the season, former Arsenal playmaker Cesc Fabregas was decisive.
His prolific creative instincts are setting records this season, per Opta Joe:
Reaching double digits for wins already will naturally raise more questions about whether or not Chelsea can finish the league season unbeaten. Emulating what Arsenal did in 2003/04 certainly represents a tough challenge.
However, Jose Mourinho's perfectly balanced squad possesses the resources to do it. For now, those resources are good enough to keep the Blues way ahead of the chasing pack.
