New blog post by Martin Futter! Premier League Power Ratings 20th August
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Not been a bad start has it! Man City have looked incredible, Liverpool and Spurs look like they can at least mount some challenge. Chelsea, yes, Chelsea are playing freeflowing attractive football which will be music to their fans ears after years of winning without much style. What has happened to the dominant teams of the Premier League early years Man Utd and Arsenal? Hard to see the title winning light at the end of those tunnels. Time for an update to the rankings!
Same - No. 1 Manchester City - Last rating (1) - De Bruyne injury would have ruined most teams, not sure it has made a difference here. The relentlessness of their attacking play was what really impressed me yesterday even with 6-1 up!
Same - No. 2 Liverpool - Last rating (2) - Palace away will be a tough test but win or lose I think they showed enough in their first game to warrant second place here.
Up 1 - No. 3 Tottenham Hotspur - Last rating (4) - Best first eleven in the league? Definitely top 3 until their squad depth is tested they should keep looking a class act.
Up 2 - No. 4 Chelsea - Last rating (6) - Who needs to defend when you are this free flowing in attack? Chelsea should score plenty and could creep into the top 4 this season. Love their style of play under Sarri and they should get better at the back as his style of play settles in more (see Man City first season under Pep).
Down 2 - No. 5 Manchester United - Last rating (3) - The artist formerly know as the 'Special One' now looks like the new Wenger! Is it stubborness or a lack of talent that stops Mourinho from trying to play the 'United way'? Either way something needs to change fast or his days are numbered.
Down 1 - No. 6 Arsenal - Last rating (5) - If it clicks they will be good, could have scored 5 or 6 v Chelsea if they hadn't missed some sitters but it could take a couple of months before we see that.
Up 1 - No. 7 - Everton - Last rating 8 - Hard not to like what Marco Silva is doing at Everton, unlucky not to have 6/6 points given how well they did with 10 men at Wolves.
Up 1 - No. 8 - Leicester - Last rating 9 - Wonderkid Maddison scores his first goal in a win against 10 men and Leicester were unlucky not to pick up at Old Trafford.
Up 1 - No. 9 - Crystal Palace - Last rating 10 - Outside shout for Europe here, looked very good away to a confident Fulham.
Up 3 - No. 10 - Watford - Last rating 13 - They fly under the rader but along with Bournemouth have done really well since coming back into the Premier League.
Up 3 - No. 11 - Bournemouth - Last rating 14 - The job Howe has done is incredible, future England manager for sure if he wants it one day.
Down 5 - No. 12 - West Ham - Last rating 7 - Very disappointing start is Pelligrini up to the task?
Down 2 - No. 13 - Wolverhampton Wanderers - Last rating 11 - Reality settling in a bit here but they look a good midtable side.
Up 4 - No. 14 - Brighton & Hove Albion - Last rating 18 - Home form will be key and beating United sees them rise in the ratings.
Down 3 - No. 15 - Newcastle United - Last rating 12 - Benitez looks like he was right to complain about a lack of transfer activity.
Up 1 - No. 16 - Fulham - Last rating 17- Showed signs they could be up for the fight against Spurs. Need to get some points fast though.
Down 2 - No. 17 - Burnley - Last rating 15 - I expected Europe to have a negative impact but it could be even worse than that. Since their incredible start last season they have regressed to the mean and really need to turn things around.
Down 2 - No. 18 - Southampton - Last rating 16 - I think fans will be rightly concerned about the start they have made. I still doubt Hughes as a manager, is he really an upgrade on Puel?
Same - No. 19 - Huddersfield Town - Last rating 19 - Tough opening fixtures but it is the way they just seemed to give in that was the worry, if you set up to play for a 0-0 and lose 6-1 that is a huge concern.
Same - No. 20 - Cardiff City - Last rating 20 - You have to win your home games against mid table teams who are down to 10 men. Warnock will need to produce another miracle here.
