Power Rankings - week 9

The league never lies? A weekly look at who is making the real moves during the season!

1) Manchester City - It never went City's way on their big day. Still, what may help them is that can stay fairly under the radar as far as a genuine title challenge is concerned. True enough, Arsenal out-passed City for long periods, but you could see even with ten-men that Mancini's men have enough to trouble anybody. The league awaits Manchester's 'other' exceptional young striker with the bad attitude - Mario Balotelli will make more of a difference on the pitch than Wayne Rooney will this year.

2) Chelsea - And the Chelsea wagon rolls on. They can't do too much more than what they are doing and Michael Essien continues to prove that he is the best midfield player in the country. You just have to think that they will get bogged down this year with their squad shrinking for the first time in years.

3) Arsenal - Much has been made about Arsenal not being able to win the 'big' games. To be fair it is the West Brom result that has held them back more than any other this year. They are undoubtedly the best team in the league with their astonishing brand of football. Fabianski had a few great moments yesterday, if that is to become the norm - they may just be onto a winner.

4) Tottenham Hotspur - It was always going to be a tough game against Everton, and so it proved. The general consensus was that Spurs had the drive and buzz about them throughout. After a long week, that should be applauded. The long ball to Peter Crouch for his freakish knock downs is becoming a little bit more than an option - it is starting to look like a gameplan... ahhh! .


5) Everton - Well it could have been so much more for Everton if Tim Howard had kept his concentration. 8 points from 3 aways and one home game (and that being a Merseyside derby) is as impressive as it gets in this league. Everton are being punished by injuries, still they make a great fist of things. If they are around the top six after Christmas ... look out.

6) Manchester United - Little peas and humble pie may not have been the meal of choice for Sir Alex Ferguson this week, nevertheless, United picked up a valuable win and continue to stay in the mix. If Wayne Rooney had been cast aside and the Old Trafford faithful had a new Mexican king to worship, it would have followed a familiar pattern - Ferguson the all-knowing master building another team to take the club into the next decade. This week's events will linger for the rest of his tenure.

7) Sunderland - Sunderland finally took that next step. Beating their more experienced rivals is a sign that they can push into the European battle. All this without a goal from Darren Bent. This is a team developing quickly.

8) Newcastle United - Just when you feel that you have this team worked out, they surprise you. Andy Carroll has been likened to Duncan Ferguson with his tenacity and ability to have fouls given against him purely on reputation alone. The comparison is a good one but more for the reason that his form and mental state appears to dictate just where his team is going to go. Like Ferguson in his Everton heyday, when he is up for it he can take his team to a different level.

9) West Bromwich Albion - Heady heights for the Baggies and this week we all saw something new. They headed into the game against Fulham as favourites. To go a goal behind carrying a weight of expectation and to still deliver showed a maturity that puts them well ahead of the patronising comparisons to teams like Hull City.

10) Aston Villa - It is hard to be too tough on Villa, Sunderland is not an easy place to pick up points. The worry is that Ashley Young seems to be ready to head to Old Trafford to join the Rooney revolution, and Emile Heskey proved everybody except Gerard Houllier right once more. This team really could go either way.

11) Bolton Wanderers - They are tough to beat, can play decent football and can mix it with anybody. There is a lot to like about Bolton, they just are not quite as clinical as you would hope at the front or at the back to hold off teams like Wigan.

12) Liverpool - The game that Liverpool played at the weekend was massive - make no mistake. They came through it, not exactly with flying colours, but they came through it. If they have to play with that much pressure and exhert that much energy to beat Blackburn at home, this will be a long season. That last comment is not exactly breaking news now is it.

13) Wigan Athletic - Not a great result but an important one. A derby brings its own levels of expectation and Wigan have become masters of the upset. They stood toe to toe with solid Bolton side and this may be a vital point come the final reckoning.

14) Birmingham City - The Blues had everything to lose on Saturday. They held firm and rode their luck regarding Liam Ridgewell, having said that, they have been doing that for a number of years. Everytime you think Alex McLeish is losing his grip on matters he picks up points and eases the pressure.

15) Blackburn Rovers - Sam Allardyce is just having to suck it up right now. Too many injuries, a suspension to a key player and coming up against a Liverpool team who were playing effectively a cup final of sorts. When they get back to Ewood normal service will most likely be resumed.

16) Stoke City - A great time to play United for Stoke and in some ways they let them off the hook. It is true that Gary Neville should have been sent off. Tony Pulis made that very point. If it was a Stoke player going through the back of somebody it no doubt would have been punished and left Danny Murphy seething. I reckon Danny Murphy was still seething yesterday.

17) West Ham United - Strange to move West Ham up after a home defeat, but when you are down at this end of the table you look for teams who have the ability to score goals. The Hammers have that and have quality across midfield.

18) Fulham - Unlike West Ham, Fulham just get it going in front of goal. If Mark Hughes has been of any use to The Cottagers, it is in the fact that he has made them hard to beat. To go a goal ahead at West Brom and come away with nothing leaves you wondering where Hughes goes from here.

19) Blackpool - Another week and another poor decision costs Ian Holloway. Another referee would have awarded Blackpool a penalty and most likely sent Zigic off for his foul on Charlie Adam. Typically, Charlie Adam's first bad touch of the year cost his team crucially. There is always hope for Blackpool - they bring something to every game they play.

20) Wolverhampton Wanderers - It is games like Saturday when you realise just how far football has drifted. Are we meant to revel in the idea that Wolves did not get battered or be relieved that a least Mick McCarthy put his first team out for a fixture like this one? Either way it all went to form.