Premier League Table: Latest 2014 EPL Standings and Predictions for Matchday 16
As has become tradition, the English top flight is an open, contentious battleground heading into the Christmas period, with Matchday 16 the next opportunity for teams to turn their luck around.
The 2014-15 Premier League season is shaping up to be the most widely contested campaign in its history, with Chelsea's first defeat of the term against Newcastle United bringing the Blues back within reach.
Title contenders and relegation candidates alike will still feel upbeat about boosting their fortunes before 2014 is through, and Week 16 brings with it a host of key clashes looking to pull close rivals apart.
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| Position | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| 1 | Chelsea | 15 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 13 | 21 | 36 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 32 | 14 | 18 | 33 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 28 |
| 4 | West Ham United | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 26 | 18 | 8 | 27 |
| 5 | Southampton | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 12 | 13 | 26 |
| 6 | Arsenal | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 18 | 6 | 23 |
| 7 | Newcastle United | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 18 | -1 | 23 |
| 8 | Swansea City | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 22 |
| 9 | Liverpool | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 21 |
| 10 | Tottenham Hotspur | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 21 | -3 | 21 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 19 | -9 | 19 |
| 12 | Everton | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 23 | 1 | 18 |
| 13 | Stoke City | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 18 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 15 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 23 | -10 | 15 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 23 | -5 | 14 |
| 16 | West Bromwich Albion | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 20 | -6 | 14 |
| 17 | Queens Park Rangers | 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 14 |
| 18 | Hull City | 15 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 21 | -6 | 13 |
| 19 | Burnley | 15 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 24 | -14 | 12 |
| 20 | Leicester City | 15 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 26 | -11 | 10 |
| Date | Time | Fixture | Prediction |
| Dec. 13 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Burnley vs. Southampton | 1-2 |
| Dec. 13 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Chelsea vs. Hull City | 4-0 |
| Dec. 13 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Crystal Palace vs. Stoke City | 1-1 |
| Dec. 13 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Leicester vs. Manchester City | 0-3 |
| Dec. 13 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Sunderland vs. West Ham | 1-1 |
| Dec. 13 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | West Brom vs. Aston Villa | 2-2 |
| Dec. 13 | 5:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET | Arsenal vs. Newcastle United | 2-2 |
| Dec. 14 | 1:30 p.m. GMT/8:30 a.m. ET | Manchester United vs. Liverpool | 2-1 |
| Dec. 14 | 4 p.m. GMT/11 a.m. ET | Swansea vs. Tottenham | 3-2 |
| Dec. 15 | 8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET | Everton vs. QPR | 2-1 |
Chelsea Roar Back With Tigers on the Rails
Having taken a below-par one win from their last three Premier League games, Chelsea are a disappointed outfit at present. Their lead at the summit has been reduced to a paltry three points.
However, prospects can be expected to turn for the better once more in Week 16, with Hull City presenting a far more vulnerable opponent when they make the trip to Stamford Bridge.
The west Londoners threw all they had at Newcastle but slumped to a 2-1 defeat. When asked if he would use such physically defensive tactics, Jose Mourinho was quoted by Metro's Vaishali Bhardwaj as saying:
"No. With anything? You may as well put a cow in the middle of the pitch. And then stop the game because there was a cow. You cannot do just anything in football.
You have to defend with your 10 men, put the 10 men on the goal line, park the bus, but football needs a ball. Not two or zero. Do what you can to win but not everything. Sometimes there were zero balls and that cuts the dynamic of the team who is trying to win the game.
"
Clearly upset with the fashion in which his side suffered its first loss of the 2014-15 season, Mourinho will be as eager as any to ensure things are turned around with the visit of Hull on Saturday.
Pete O'Rourke of Sky Sports quotes Mourinho on backing Diego Costa in particular to rediscover his scoring touch when fully fit:
Steve Bruce's men are without a win in their last eight outings and have scored just two goals in their last seven games, whereas their Stamford Bridge hosts have failed to score only once in 15 games.
Prediction: Chelsea 4-0 Hull City
Manchester United to Continue Surge Against Misfiring Liverpool
Manchester United's tentative resurgence to the elite standard is looking more and more official, with Monday's 2-1 win away at Southampton boosting Louis van Gaal's men up to third in the Premier League standings.
This Sunday comes the test of Liverpool, though, an opponent United have lost to in each of their last two Premier League meetings. Stan Collymore of talkSPORT outlines the glittering history these two teams share:
For stretches of their St. Mary's win, the Red Devils were made to look the inferior side, but a Robin van Persie brace was the telling factor.
Nevertheless, Eurosport's Alex Chick argues that not much has changed among this side other than one specific attribute—something that could well prove pivotal against their bitter rivals this weekend:
It's well founded that Daniel Sturridge's injury has led to concerns in attack for Brendan Rodgers' men. It showed in their 0-0 draw at home to Sunderland this past Saturday.
United aren't yet back to their most cutthroat offensive play either, but Van Gaal's lineup is at least showing resilience of late by edging out results by any means. That will no doubt lend its aid in a clutch fixture such as this.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool
Arsenal Fail to Take Control in Magpies Six-Pointer
Neither Arsenal nor Newcastle may have suspected that at this stage of the season they would be meeting on level points—and with such a pivotal clash promising to pull them apart.
However, those are the terms as both teams sit with 23 points to their name. The Magpies are still rejoicing in their Chelsea triumph, while the Gunners are licking their wounds from 3-2 defeat at Stoke City.
Opta's Orbinho revealed that Lee Mason will officiate the clash, giving some context for his recent record when taking charge of Arsenal fixtures:
Controversy is rampant at the Emirates Stadium, with talk of Arsene Wenger's exit as fervent as ever and the demand for a top-four push intensifying the need for results.
If there's one attribute Alan Pardew's side have displayed in abundance of late, however, it's the ability to frustrate opposition. The Sun illustrated Arsenal's recent record, which doesn't make for promising reading from a north Londoner's perspective:
Just as they did against the Blues, Newcastle will seek to be strong at the back first and threatening in attack second.
The Gunners' lack of a genuine midfield stopper and certain weaknesses in defence promise to make them susceptible to the counter—an area in which Newcastle have thrived of late.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-2 Newcastle United
