Premier League Results: Sunday's EPL Week 17 Scores, Latest Odds, Updated Table
Manchester City remain the favourites to win the 2015-16 Premier League title following Sunday's batch of Week 17 matches, although the odds are certain to change following their clash with an in-form Arsenal squad Monday.
Liverpool's bid to win the title took a big hit Sunday, as the Reds lost 3-0 against Watford, while Swansea and West Ham United played out a scoreless draw.
League leaders Leicester City continued their hot streak with a win over Everton on Saturday, and with Manchester United losing against Norwich City, the Foxes now hold the third-best odds of winning the title, per Oddschecker.
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Here's a look at Week 17's results:
| Southampton | 0-2 | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Stoke City | 1-2 | Crystal Palace |
| West Bromwich Albion | 1-2 | Bournemouth |
| Chelsea | 3-1 | Sunderland |
| Everton | 2-3 | Leicester City |
| Manchester United | 1-2 | Norwich City |
| Newcastle United | 1-1 | Aston Villa |
| Watford | 3-0 | Liverpool |
| Swansea City | 0-0 | West Ham United |
The current Premier League standings:
| 1 | Leicester | 17 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 37 | 24 | +13 | 38 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 29 | 13 | +16 | 33 |
| 3 | Manchester City | 16 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 32 | 17 | +15 | 32 |
| 4 | Tottenham | 17 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 28 | 14 | +14 | 29 |
| 5 | Manchester United | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 14 | +8 | 29 |
| 6 | Crystal Palace | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 16 | +7 | 29 |
| 7 | Watford | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 16 | +5 | 28 |
| 8 | West Ham | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 21 | +4 | 24 |
| 9 | Liverpool | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 22 | -2 | 24 |
| 10 | Everton | 17 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 31 | 24 | +7 | 23 |
| 11 | Stoke | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 23 |
| 12 | Southampton | 17 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 13 | West Bromwich Albion | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 23 | -6 | 20 |
| 14 | Bournemouth | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 22 | 32 | -10 | 19 |
| 15 | Chelsea | 17 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 21 | 27 | -6 | 18 |
| 16 | Norwich | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 29 | -9 | 17 |
| 17 | Newcastle United | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 32 | -13 | 17 |
| 18 | Swansea | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 14 |
| 19 | Sunderland | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 33 | -15 | 12 |
| 20 | Aston Villa | 17 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 31 | -17 | 7 |
The latest title odds:
| Manchester City | 6-5 |
| Arsenal | 11-8 |
| Leicester City | 12-1 |
| Manchester United | 18-1 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 20-1 |
| Liverpool | 50-1 |
| Chelsea | 100-1 |
Qualification for the Europa League has to be the goal for Liverpool during the 2015-16 campaign, and while that is still well within reach, Sunday's showing against Watford proved manager Jurgen Klopp has plenty of work to do.
The Hornets took the lead just minutes into the match through midfielder Nathan Ake, after Liverpool goalkeeper Adam Bogdan dropped a ball. There was some controversy surrounding the goal, however, as Klopp thought he clearly had two hands on the ball, per Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo:
The visitors reacted very poorly to the early deficit, however, and that's what ultimately lost them the match. Odion Ighalo doubled Watford's lead after 15 minutes, and the in-form striker added the team's third goal late in the second half.
The win was Watford's fourth in a row, moving the team up to seventh place, just one point behind Crystal Palace. Avoiding relegation was likely the goal for the 2015-16 season, but the Hornets have exceeded all expectations so far and are in for a comfortable second half of the season.
Liverpool sit just four points behind Watford, and in all likelihood, they'll bridge the gap before long and secure a finish in the top seven. Klopp has been forced to deal with a number of injuries, and Liverpool should improve in the new year.
Consistency has been an issue so far:
A title challenge seems out of the question, and the odds reflect that. The Reds have a wealth of young talent, but they're not on the level of Manchester City or Arsenal just yet. Depth is also an issue, so don't expect the Reds to challenge the elite teams in the Premier League in 2016.
Taking a punt on Leicester City seems tempting, particularly given their strong form and solid record against the top teams, but the Foxes are another team to avoid for similar reasons. Their strong start can no longer be dismissed, and they do belong in the title discussion, but it's easy to forget this squad is yet to face any real adversity.
Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy have been responsible for the bulk of their production, putting up some phenomenal numbers, per BreatheSport:
"Mahrez & Vardy after 4 months of the Premier League season: 28 goals 11 assists They cost Leicester £1.4m... pic.twitter.com/4QZmQNABxP
— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) December 19, 2015"
But what happens if one of them picks up an injury or loses form? It's bound to happen sooner or later, given the Premier League's brutal schedule in the coming weeks, and at this point, we don't know whether manager Claudio Ranieri has an answer.
The Foxes may very well finish in the top four this season, and at the very least they should qualify for the Europa League. But the rate at which they're gathering points doesn't look sustainable, and the likes of Arsenal, City and even Manchester United are safer bets.
United have issues, and at this point, the title looks like a race between City and Arsenal. In terms of pure quality, it's hard to pick a superior side, so punters should look at the depth and experience of both teams.
The Citizens have come out on top in tight title chases like this in the past, and plenty of the regular starters were on the pitch when Sergio Aguero fired them to their first title against Queens Park Rangers in 2012. Combined with their superior depth, it's only natural City still sport the best odds, and they remain the safest bet to win this year's title.
