EPL Table: Updated Premier League Standings, Fixtures, Title Odds After Week 16

The rise of Manchester United continued in emphatic fashion in Week 16 of the 2014-15 campaign, with a 3-0 thumping of Liverpool their latest triumph on the road to their resurgence.

The Red Devils rode their luck in defeating their Merseyside rivals, but the result once again displayed the cutthroat nature of the English top flight, an arena in which missed chances will be punished.

Chelsea defeated Hull City on Saturday to retain their spot as league leaders, but the Premier League's title race is far from over as teams enter a key juncture in their campaign.

Read on for a breakdown of this weekend's results thus far, along with title odds and a dissection of how certain sides are shaping up in their run for silverware.

Position	Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Chelsea	16	12	3	1	36	13	23	39
2	Manchester City	16	11	3	2	33	14	19	36
3	Manchester United	16	9	4	3	29	17	12	31
4	West Ham United	16	8	4	4	27	19	8	28
5	Southampton	16	8	2	6	25	13	12	26
6	Arsenal	16	7	5	4	28	19	9	26
7	Tottenham Hotspur	16	7	3	6	20	22	-2	24
8	Newcastle United	16	6	5	5	18	22	-4	23
9	Swansea City	16	6	4	6	21	19	2	22
10	Liverpool	16	6	3	7	19	22	-3	21
11	Stoke City	16	5	4	7	18	21	-3	19
12	Aston Villa	16	5	4	7	10	20	-10	19
13	Everton	15	4	6	5	24	23	1	18
14	West Bromwich Albion	16	4	5	7	15	20	-5	17
15	Sunderland	16	2	10	4	14	24	-10	16
16	Crystal Palace	16	3	6	7	19	24	-5	15
17	Burnley	16	3	6	7	11	24	-13	15
18	Queens Park Rangers	15	4	2	9	16	27	-11	14
19	Hull City	16	2	7	7	15	23	-8	13
20	Leicester City	16	2	4	10	15	27	-12	10

Date	Home	Score	Away
Saturday, Dec. 13	Burnley	1 - 0	Southampton
Saturday, Dec. 13	Chelsea	2 - 0	Hull City
Saturday, Dec. 13	Crystal Palace	1 - 1	Stoke City
Saturday, Dec. 13	Leicester City	0 - 1	Manchester City
Saturday, Dec. 13	Sunderland	1 - 1	West Ham United
Saturday, Dec. 13	West Bromwich Albion	1 - 0	Aston Villa
Saturday, Dec. 13	Arsenal	3 - 1	Newcastle United
Sunday, Dec. 14	Manchester United	3 - 0	Liverpool
Sunday, Dec. 14	Swansea City	1 - 2	Tottenham Hotspur
Monday, Dec. 15	Everton	vs.	Queens Park Rangers

Team	Odds
Chelsea	8-15
Manchester City	9-4
Manchester United	11-1
Arsenal	50-1
Southampton	350-1

Manchester United

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Several months ago, the very notion of Louis van Gaal's side making a challenge on the 2014-15 title would have been found laughable to many, but after six straight victories, the tables have turned.

In truth, United were lucky to escape from Sunday's meeting with Liverpool unscathed, never mind mounting a 3-0 gulf. However, Van Gaal admitted that fortune is a factor even for the elite, per Tom Williams of Agence France-Presse:

The Dutchman's side still sit eight points off league leaders Chelsea and five points away from second-place Manchester City, needing both contenders to drop points if they're to manage any kind of charge.

The Red Devils now sit at odds of 11-1 to win this season's crown, a marked improvement in recent weeks following their bounce back to form.

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News noted the tactical differences Van Gaal has employed in comparison with failed predecessor David Moyes in the wake of this weekend's win:

Nobody at Old Trafford will be celebrating just yet as a long road lies ahead. However, having tasted such bitter disappointment in the first phases of the campaign, United have the advantage of having already been stung and never wanting to return to that gloom.

For Chelsea and Manchester City, one feels that misery may be yet to come. Should it arrive, United will strive to pounce upon their opportunity.

Chelsea

Clive Rose/Getty Images

In the absence of Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea showed against Hull City that they perhaps do rely on certain stars to dazzle in the fashion they have so far this season.

But it's a good thing Jose Mourinho has plenty under his command. With Fabregas out for the Tigers' visit, it was Eden Hazard who scored and starred in their 2-0 win, Squawka taking note of the Belgian's display:

Defeat against Newcastle United and a draw at Sunderland has seen the Blues fall to within touching distance of their peers, but Mourinho's men nonetheless remain favourites to claim this season's title.

Diego Costa's goals have been a massive help for the west Londoners this season, but WhoScored.com revealed that Chelsea's accuracy on goal isn't the best in the top flight:

Mourinho can only hope that the number of chances Chelsea tend to create makes up for any shortcomings in clinical striking, but a fully fit squad will be key in that regard.

Teams such as Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal have already been through hurt in the injury department. One is left to question if and when Chelsea's turn will come.

Southampton

It finally looks as though Southampton's top-four dream may be crumbling, the inevitable collapse that seems to burn all underdogs who dare reach for the sun, in this case the Premier League crown.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

A 1-0 defeat at Burnley on Saturday was Saints' fifth consecutive league game without a victory and their fourth straight defeat, causing their fall from second to a fragile-looking fifth.

In rapid rises such as theirs, the seemingly inevitable tends to come down on a dark horse swift and hard—such has most definitely been the case for Ronald Koeman's men, who have struggled without Morgan Schneiderlin.

As Squawka attests, there's concern to be had in all areas of late:

No matter how impressive they may have looked, challenging for the title was never really seen as a realistic target for the south-coast outfit, despite how much some may have hoped it to be true.

If Saints were considered 200-1 outsiders before this weekend's fixtures, their current standing of 350-1 reflects just how far the club's prospects have fallen in terms of a title assault.

Now, Koeman is clinging to the hope of qualifying for Europe, never mind taking on the Premier League aristocracy.