EPL power rankings after week 22: Chelsea rise and Leicester City drop down
By Durim Halimi
Week 22 of the Premier League was entertaining, but a few teams did showcase their inconsistency and that will be reflected in this week’s power rankings.
For the most part, the top dogs in the Premier League handled business against inferior opposition, but some teams failed to perform at an elite level. Leicester City dropped the ball in a big way against Southampton, who they beat 9-0 a few months ago, and Wolverhampton missed their chance at breaking into the top five with a 1-1 draw at home against Newcastle United.
Manchester United and Manchester City made their city proud by dominating their opponents, Norwich City and Aston Villa, over the weekend. Chelsea and Liverpool were also victorious this weekend as they claimed three points against Burnley and Tottenham. As a result, the only change among the top four in the table this week is that Manchester City took back second place from Leicester City.
Before we turn our attention to the next list of fixtures for the upcoming weekend, let us take a look at the Premier League power rankings. It is important to note that these power rankings are based on clubs’ recent form and not their current placement in the league table.
Without further delay, here are the power rankings for all 20 teams in the Premier League after 22 weeks of action. Some of these rankings might come as a surprise, but some teams have started to wake up in the second half of the season.
20. Norwich City
Norwich City still have time on their side, but they continue to drop precious points. The Canaries have only claimed three points from their last eight games and have not won a game since November 23rd. The gap between Norwich City and Watford, who are now 17th in the table, is eight points. Escaping the relegation zone will be a tough task for Daniel Farke’s men, especially if they fail to show more urgency and consistency in games.
19. Bournemouth
If Norwich City were not struggling as much as they are, Bournemouth would occupy the worst spot in the league’s power rankings. Bournemouth have only registered an alarming two victories in their last 16 games. Their recent form consists of three consecutive defeats to three teams in the bottom half of the table – Brighton, West Ham and Watford – and they were shut out in all three games. The Cherries have a talented attacking core, but their skills have not been on display over the last three months.