EPL Table: Updated Premier League Standings, Fixtures, Title Odds After Week 17
Chelsea have received their clearest message for months as to just how close they are to relinquishing their lead at the head of the Premier League after watching Manchester City draw level on points this weekend.
The Blues have suffered a dip in form of late and don't play their Week 17 fixture at Stoke City until Monday evening, but even the most temporary reduction gives the rest of their pursuers hope in the title hunt.
Providing the Potters don't hand Jose Mourinho's men a demolition at the Britannia Stadium, Chelsea will go into Christmas as Premier League leaders, but the odds are shrinking as some look to claw back their lead.
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| Position | Team | PL | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Chelsea | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 36 | 13 | 23 | 39 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 17 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 36 | 14 | 22 | 39 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 32 |
| 4 | West Ham United | 17 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 29 | 19 | 10 | 31 |
| 5 | Southampton | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 29 |
| 6 | Arsenal | 17 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 21 | 9 | 27 |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 23 | -1 | 27 |
| 8 | Swansea City | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 25 |
| 9 | Newcastle United | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 23 | -5 | 23 |
| 10 | Liverpool | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 24 | -3 | 22 |
| 11 | Everton | 17 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 21 |
| 12 | Aston Villa | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 21 | -10 | 20 |
| 13 | Stoke City | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 21 | -3 | 19 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 17 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 19 |
| 15 | West Bromwich Albion | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 23 | -6 | 17 |
| 16 | Queens Park Rangers | 17 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 32 | -12 | 17 |
| 17 | Crystal Palace | 17 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 27 | -8 | 15 |
| 18 | Burnley | 17 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 26 | -14 | 15 |
| 19 | Hull City | 17 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 13 |
| 20 | Leicester City | 17 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 29 | -14 | 10 |
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| Saturday, Dec. 20 | Manchester City | 3 - 0 | Crystal Palace |
| Saturday, Dec. 20 | Aston Villa | 1 - 1 | Manchester United |
| Saturday, Dec. 20 | Hull City | 0 - 1 | Swansea City |
| Saturday, Dec. 20 | QPR | 3 - 2 | West Brom |
| Saturday, Dec. 20 | Southampton | 3 - 0 | Everton |
| Saturday, Dec. 20 | Tottenham | 2 - 1 | Burnley |
| Saturday, Dec. 20 | West Ham United | 2 - 0 | Leicester City |
| Sunday, Dec. 21 | Newcastle United | 0 - 1 | Sunderland |
| Sunday, Dec. 21 | Liverpool | 2 - 2 | Arsenal |
| Monday, Dec. 22 | Stoke City | vs. | Chelsea |
| Team | Odds |
| Chelsea | 1-2 |
| Manchester City | 5-2 |
| Manchester United | 18-1 |
| Arsenal | 50-1 |
| Liverpool | 400-1 |
| Southampton | 500-1 |
| West Ham United | 1,000-1 |
Manchester City
As previously mentioned, Manuel Pellegrini's men took a pivotal step in their charge toward the 2014-15 title after beating Crystal Palace 3-0 on Saturday to go level on points with Chelsea.
If the scoreline wasn't evidence enough that the Citizens are looking back to their 2013-14 best, ESPN's Miguel Delaney illustrated the domineering nature of their display further:
Pellegrini's side have now won their last eight fixtures across all competitions, six of those coming in the Premier League, achieving form at a crucial juncture in their campaign.
In the wake of his team's most recent victory, Pellegrini outlined the need to take advantage of a stacked winter schedule, per BBC Sport:
"It's not a month to win the title, but if you want to be involved for the next months you must be near the top. We have won six or seven games in a row and that gives a lot of belief. The fight for the title was not just one team.
I enjoyed the way the team worked the whole week - to work in a different way without strikers. Palace are a team who know how to defend. It was a great job to score three goals. The way we had chances was by moving the ball. David Silva is a top player with lots of quality. We are not just Sergio Aguero - we work hard every day.
"
So strong is the belief in City's pursuit that the team now sit at odds of 5-2, a valuable price for a team which, as its manager points out, boasts a depth that can certainly contend with a demanding calendar.
Should Chelsea make the mistake of suffering any further slip-ups, City will be all too happy to lap up the opportunities to open ahead of them.
Manchester United
After achieving their highest table position of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, Manchester United's momentum came loose at Villa Park on Saturday, where the club's six-game winning streak was brought to an abrupt end.
A 1-1 draw against Aston Villa means Louis van Gaal's side lies seven points off leaders Chelsea—for now—and once again their chances of making a dramatic run at the title looks unlikely.
The manager is only too quick to agree. In the wake of a result they should have taken as their own, Van Gaal was quoted by Rob Dawson of the Manchester Evening News as saying:
"We dropped two points. We were the better team I think. It's frustrating when you are the better team and you don't win. When you want to be in the title race, you have to win these games.
I have seen, for example, the first half of Manchester City against Crystal Palace. They could have been behind in the first five or 10 minutes. They struggled until half-time but at the end it is 3-0. That's the difference. You have seen that you have to win these matches and we didn't win. But there is still a long way to go. Chelsea have to go to Stoke City. It's not so easy.
"
While not discounting the Red Devils' chances altogether, it's obvious the Dutchman isn't altogether upbeat regarding their chances of claiming silverware in the league.
Match of the Day's Mark Lawrenson says that despite the club's recent rise, any predictions for title contention are misplaced:
In order to genuinely contend against the likes of Chelsea and City, Manchester United first need to upset their peers against their nearest opponents, as opposed to merely relying on their mistakes elsewhere.
Until then, the Red Devils need only ensure they pick up the points they can, their fall at Villa Park being an example of one such missed opportunity.
West Ham United
One of the entrants in this season's much-altered top-four make-up, West Ham kept their place among the Premier League's hierarchy with a 2-0 win over Leicester City on Saturday.
According to Squawka, Sam Allardyce's men have created a number of chances that certainly shows them to sit alongside some of the division's big guns:
As the official Match of the Day Twitter account goes on to show, the east Londoners are breaking barriers in terms of consistency, too, achieving something of a Christmas miracle already:
With eight points between them and first place, any calls for a title shot will be off the mark at this stage. Even fourth place would be a tremendously tough ask of Allardyce, as his squad depth will undergo much bigger tests as the season progresses.
That being said, with their price currently standing at 1,000-1, the risky investor may yet find the funds to give the Hammers the slightest of hopes.
