Power Rankings

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

1) Arsenal - Style over substance has always been the Arsene Wenger philosophy - if you ignore the Vieira and Petit years of course ... yet there does seem to be a sea change these days. Giving the Carling Cup a little more love was the first sign that Wenger was had seen enough of false dawns - Arsenal have got serious and the league is worried.

2) Manchester City - If you are getting bored with the so-called City crisis (it really is boring) then you must still acknowledge that all is not well. City have changed enough players, now it is time to come out and make the clearest of statements about their brilliant manager. Something along the lines of... 'at most clubs it is easier and more economical to change the manager than the over-opinionated stars - not here! Mancini's way is the only way.' Now that would be changing the face of football.

3) Chelsea - One defeat does not mean that decline is around the corner - but it does support the suspicions that have been voiced here that the Chelsea squad is not big enough. They looked lost without the Lampard and Terry axis - it looked all very Liverpool in the high-dependency stakes.

4) Sunderland - This could be the moment that all Sunderland fans have been waiting for. Defeat against Newcastle may just have untied that apologist attitude. Sunderland are good enough for this league - more than good enough. If they believe it (and if they don't now they never will) then they have the quality to take them places. A great run of form all without the goals of Darren Bent. Henderson and Cattermole could run a top class midfield for a generation.


5) Manchester United - How do they do it? United look like they are on their knees in all manner of respects, yet they still keep going. Their stoic belief in what they do runs so deep they can defy the odds at any given moment. There have been many great achievements at this club in the last two decades but holding it together at the top of the league and competing in the Champions League with this playing staff may just be Ferguson's best yet.

6) Tottenham Hotspur - Back in the groove at home against one of the league's worst road teams. It was just what Spurs needed.

7) Everton - One point from two home games in a week was a poor return for David Moyes' side just when it seemed they were ready to push on. They are able to compete in every game but the lack of a genuine goalscorer is killing them. Seamus Coleman appears to offer the drive that has been lacking.


8) Liverpool - Another side who may just want to back their boss. Stoke City are great at home, it is a quirky fixture that rarely offers teams a welcome three points. Liverpool may want to attack and play the football that is associated with such a great club - but that ship sailed long ago down the river Roy Evans.

9) Bolton Wanderers - Owen Coyle has something special going. He has transformed the way Bolton play their football and it is to his great credit that he kept to such principles when results did not follow. Now they are and we may all have to be believers soon.

10) Newcastle United - Frustrating as it is, a point should be seen as one gained against Fulham. The Geordies may have turned up full of expectation this week and no doubt they can make a case that they should never be among the also rans. After the last 24 months the position they find themselves in today can only be seen as a success.

11) Aston Villa - The revolution took to the spotlight this weekend. It seemed to be brewing over the past few weeks that Villa are heading in a different direction and so it held true this weekend. Young and exciting with loads of energy. Let's hope that Kevin MacDonald's name is more than just a footnote in a Wembley programme if this all ends up in cheers.

12) West Bromwich Albion - After a brief spell of tearing up the Premier League rule book West Brom face a challenge now. After such a great start it would only be reasonable for supporters to let the fear of relegation fade. The slide down the league is a time for everybody to hold their nerve.

13) Blackburn - Three points this week was two more than Sam Allardyce would have hoped for.

14) Stoke City - Stoke, not unlike Blackburn are seemingly never going to get themselves in trouble. Chalk it up - another home win. This was impressive in the way they dominated Liverpool almost for the whole game. A night when all that energy and passion may not be to everybody's taste - but it can take your breath away.

15) Wigan Athletic - Wigan should take a look up the road or more importantly .. up the table to see what can come from persisting with this type of football. Roberto Martinez and Owen Coyle have similar qualities and their teams can go to similar places given time.

16) Blackpool - This is becoming more than just a great leap into the unknown for Blackpool. They are no longer taking teams by surprise, far from it, they are now in people's heads. Their carefree football, their willingness to challenge teams to beat them is messing the system. They were supposed to go away quietly bemoaning the gap in finances!!

17) Birmingham City - A great point at Eastlands and it appears that Birmingham are getting back to what they did so well last year. They are missing Benitez's pace that stretched defences last year and allowed them to turn these great points into shocking wins.

18) Fulham - Another good result for Fulham but they are going to be in trouble. Unlike Blackburn and Stoke they just cannot have the back to back wins that will transform their league placing. This time last year Mark Hughes was on a rollercoaster with Man City, this year he is taking a stroll down to his local library.

19) Wolverhampton Wanderers - Wolves are stirring. They have been unlucky in their last two fixtures when if they had taken four points rather than one then nobody would have complained. They are summed up by their two strikers. Kevin Doyle and Stephen Fletcher look like tearing teams apart, they just never manage to do it. Good performances usually mean results will follow.

20) West Ham United - Despite having a great midfield, despite being on the end of some terrible refereeing The Hammers just do not win games. Blackpool at home is no gimmee. It should not be considered a must win at this time of the season - still it was a must win - and they didn't win....