Premier League Power Rankings: Week 17 - Consistency up top
The 2023-24 Premier League season Power Rankings get a new author for this week, so expect a tweak or two from Joe Prince-Wright's resolute analysis.
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It's been a crazy season, one where the best club refuses to collect the points it should while others punch above their weight and the table leaders just keep going about their business.
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There are a few outliers overachieving, or underachieving, as the Premier League continues to provide shocks galore up and down the table and we look to have an extremely tight title race between up to a dozen teams this season.
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Below are the Power Rankings for all 20 teams based on what they showed us in Matchweek 17 and their current trajectory. Get ready for plenty of moves up and down this ranking in the weeks, and many months, to come.
Premier League Power Rankings - Week 17
The strugglers
20. Sheffield United - Down 3
19. Burnley - Down 1
18. Luton Town - Down 3
17. Nottingham Forest - Up 2
16. Wolves - Down 3
Chris Wilder's improved Sheffield United's defensive results, and made it difficult for Chelsea to secure a 2-0 win, but one improved side of the scoreboard has allowed us to focus on the other: Is it reasonable to expect the Blades — authors of only a few 1+ xG days — can score more than a handful of goals? Burnley got a taste of the past as Sean Dyche's Everton dispatched them. When it comes to Luton, it's difficult to think about anything besides Tom Lockyer after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch. It wouldn't be wrong to say that Nottingham Forest deserved better than a 2-0 loss to Spurs but at some point Forest has to do better than moral and xG victories. Wolves were on a five-game unbeaten run when Pedro Neto was hurt, beating Man City while drawing Villa and Newcastle. A 3-0 loss at West Ham makes Gary O'Neil's men 2W-1D-4L without Neto and his impending return could not be more welcome.
The scrappers
15. Crystal Palace - Up 5
14. Fulham - Down 2
13. Brentford - Down 2
12. Bournemouth - Down 5
11. Manchester United - Down 1
Crystal Palace’s 2-2 draw away to the champions was terrific, and we feel good for Roy Hodgson and the fans, but we can't let one result paint over a season's worth of questions. Fulham's run of 5-0 wins ended with a 10-man 3-0 loss at Newcastle. Outperforming metrics is tough, but Marco Silva's doing it more often than not. Brentford’s fiery 10-man loss to ex-flame Ollie Watkins and Aston Villa was quite a viewing, and seeing Ivan Toney in the stands can't help but leave us wondering what the Bees will look like if they hold onto this striker. Bournemouth saw its red-hot run paused by the awful incident with Tom Lockyer, but is poised to rise if it can continue to prove itself with Forest and Fulham next. We're impressed with Manchester United’s defending at Liverpool, but it didn't slip our attention that Raphael Varane was Man of the Match and only playing because of injury. Is Erik ten Hag going to keep overthinking himself?
The promising bunch
10. Chelsea - Up 6
9. Brighton - Down 1
8. Everton - Up 1
7. West Ham United - Up 7
6. Newcastle United - Even
Chelsea’s gritty 2-0 win over Sheffield United wasn't especially impressive on the whole, but should leave Mauricio Pochettino content given the Blues kept fighting until they got their deserved three points. He's got a good chance to keep the vibes flowing by beating injury-hit Newcastle in a League Cup quarterfinal this week. Brighton lost to the table leaders and was playing with a significant rest disadvantage so let's let it slide, okay? Only Arsenal and Liverpool have conceded fewer goals than Everton following the Toffees’ blanking of Burnley. I'm not calling them great, but I wouldn't put money against them versus anyone right now. The Irons up seven even while continuing to cede possession to almost every opponent, even inferior ones? Whatever West Ham might be given its immense talent, those players are bought-in and executing as a counter-first team. No discounts. More injuries for Newcastle, but another decisive win shows Eddie Howe's got a handle on his entire squad.
The leading lights
5. Man City - Down 1
4. Tottenham Hotspur - Up 1
3. Liverpool - Even
2. Aston Villa - Even
1. Arsenal - Even
Man City is in a funk, but we can't really ring alarm bells given they're four points back while playing in 300 competitions and still without Kevin De Bruyne. Surely a Rodri deputy is coming in January, too. Ange Postecoglou's Spurs get another win but it was Forest mistake-aided and their absence list is about to get more intense. Liverpool slept on the final ball versus Manchester United in the sort of draw that will cost their title hopes. Unai Emery didn't like his players antics at Brentford, but he loved Villa’s resolve in a comeback win. If Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have truly refound their finishing boots, Arsenal may really be the favorites to win this thing.
