Welcome to FanHouse UK's Premier League Rankings, a regular look at who's hot and who's not in the world's best football competition.Have we followed the crowd and gone Tottenham-crazy after Jermain Defoe's stunning weekend showing? And just what does Arsenal's surprising defeat at Sunderland do to our rankings of the division's most in-form teams?
FanHouse has used the latest, most in-depth objective statistical data, balanced with the purely subjective views of our expert staff, to come up with the answers.
All this - and much more - is revealed below ...
- 1. Chelsea | Previous Week: 1 | Form: L-W-L-W-W-W
Points: 30 | Goals For: 29 | Goals Against: 8
No Lampard, Drogba, Ballack? No problems. Injury worries are mounting for the current league leaders but even those issues had a silver lining for Carlo Ancelotti in what is turning into an impressive opening half to the campaign. The much talked-about and little-seen Gael Kakuta came off the bench to make an impressive impact in the stroll against Wolves. - 2. Manchester United | Previous Week: 3 | Form: D-W-L-W-L-W
Points: 28 | Goals For: 26 | Goals Against: 12
United's victory over Everton was one of the most uninspiring and uneventful 3-0 victories of the season to date but, as Sir Alex Ferguson was quick to point out, it leaves his team just where they want to be - within touching distance of top spot as the year winds to a close. Three goals from midfield was an added bonus. - 3. Tottenham Hotspur | Previous Week: 6 | Form: D-W-L-L-W-W
Points: 25 | Goals For: 32 | Goals Against: 18
We are not easily impressed by a gaudy, fluke 9-1 victory ... okay, yes we are. Overnight, Tottenham become the division's third highest goalscorers, own the third best goal difference and, in Jermain Defoe, have the division's top scorer. And, what has been lost in all this, is the fact that the win came against fairly respectable opposition. Top four is a very real target. - 4. Blackburn Rovers | Previous Week: 7 | Form: L-W-L-L-W-W
Points: 16 | Goals For: 16 | Goals Against: 25
Blackburn's home form has been decent for some time and now that they have ended a run of 10 successive Premier League defeats on their travels, safety looks like a formality for Rovers. Sam Allardyce's absence may have some impact, depending how long it lasts, but for now he is leaving the club in great shape. - 5. Arsenal | Previous Week: 2 | Form: W-W-D-W-W-L
Points: 25 | Goals For: 36 | Goals Against: 15
It may seem a precipitous drop in our rankings, bearing in mind that defeat at Sunderland was the Gunners' first since early September. But even Arsene Wenger broke from type and publically criticised his players in the wake of the loss. With ground still to make up in the title race, a draw was the minimum requirement from a visit to the Stadium of Light. - 6. Aston Villa | Previous Week: 8 | Form: W-D-D-L-W-D
Points: 22 | Goals For: 21 | Goals Against: 13
At the start of the season a draw at Burnley might have been viewed as a bad result for a Villa team with top-four aspirations. Now, in the context of the Clarets' home form, it is a respectable point. Plus, Stewart Downing is back in action ahead of schedule. Villa's only defeats this season have come against Wigan, Blackburn and West Ham ... who says the Premier League is predictable? - 7. Sunderland | Previous Week: 10 | Form: D-W-L-D-L-W
Points: 20 | Goals For: 21 | Goals Against: 19
We mentioned, in the last rankings, that Steve Bruce was entering a vital period of the campaign after a run of poor results. A 1-0 victory over in-form Arsenal was the perfect response and worth a couple of places in this table. Still, the Black Cats need more consistency. They have won just two of their last six league games - and those victories came against Liverpool and Arsenal. - 8. Burnley | Previous Week: 9 | Form: W-L-L-W-D-D
Points: 17 | Goals For: 16 | Goals Against: 26
We are happy to edge Burnley up a place in the rankings - and not just because it saves us an ear bashing from FanHouse UK columnist Alastair Campbell. The Clarets were within four minutes of another memorable home victory which suggests the season is still progressing in an upwardly mobile fashion. - 9. Fulham | Previous Week: 4 | Form: D-W-D-W-D-L
Points: 15 | Goals For: 14 | Goals Against: 15
Another big loser in this week's rankings and, as in the case of Arsenal, that may be a little harsh given that the performance at Birmingham was far from a disaster and just lacked a killer touch in front of goal. But, if the Cottagers are to enjoy a comfortable second half to the season, they need to be picking up points from such fixtures. - 10. Stoke City | Previous Week: 12 | Form: D-W-W-D-L-W
Points: 19 | Goals For: 13 | Goals Against: 15
Scrappy 1-0 home wins against average opponents are precisely what is needed for those clubs wishing to avoid "squeaky bum" (trademark Sir Alex Ferguson) time later in the season. Stoke put some indifferent recent results behind them in beating Pompey and now look worthy of consideration to be crowned this season's Fulham. Stoke for the Europa League anyone? - 11. Birmingham | Previous Week: 14 | Form: L-L-W-D-D-W
Points: 15 | Goals For: 11 | Goals Against: 14
Unbeaten in four games, Birmingham showed there was no hangover from the gross injustice of the draw at Anfield by beating Fulham 1-0 on Saturday, precisely the sort of result that can keep the Blues out of trouble after Christmas. The January transfer window, in which Alex McLeish will reportedly have big funds to invest, will be far easier if the Blues are in the top ten by then. - 12. Everton | Previous Week: 5 | Form: D-D-L-D-W-L
Points: 15 | Goals For: 15 | Goals Against: 20
We have completely re-thought our position on Everton, and their battle against injuries, in the wake of the capitulation at Old Trafford. The 3-0 defeat was little short of shameful, not because of the result but because of the dowright lack of effort and belief the team displayed. David Moyes needs to inject a new attitude, and get some key players back from injury, or the season could take a nasty turn. - 13. Manchester City | Previous Week: 13 | Form: D-D-D-D-D-D
Points: 21 | Goals For: 23 | Goals Against: 16
You can fault City for many things but consistency is not one of them. Played six, drawn six may not please the fans or billionaire owners but at least it looks neat and tidy in our FanHouse form guide. That sort of consistency also means we are keeping City in 13th, despite a point at Anfield. Given Liverpool's recent woes, their injuries and the fact that City threw away a winning position, we remained unimpressed. - 14. Liverpool | Previous Week: 16 | Form: L-L-W-L-D-D
Points: 20 | Goals For: 29 | Goals Against: 20
Our rankings are all about context and, in the context of recent troubles, a home draw with moneybags Manchester City was not a disgrace. Liverpool had to overcome long-standing injury woes and, even though they conceded desperately bad goals, the fact the Reds bounced back from a 2-1 deficit - and should have won the game late on - was worthy of some praise. - 15. Hull City | Previous Week: 19 | Form: W-L-D-L-W-D
Points: 12 | Goals For: 13 | Goals Against: 28
A home draw with struggling West Ham appears a case of two points dropped but Hull could take plenty out of the 3-3 draw. Not only did they play with ten men for 36 minutes and had to claw their way back from 2-0 down but the performance of fit-again Jimmy Bullard gave genuine hope that the Tigers can avoid the drop and save Phil Brown's job. - 16. West Ham United | Previous Week: 18 | Form: L-D-D-W-L-D
Points: 11 | Goals For: 19 | Goals Against: 23
The Hammers edge up in the standings by virtue of picking up an away point at Hull but, having let slip a two-goal lead and played a large chunk of the game against ten men, that is only a qualified success. Two defeats out of the past seven is hardly a catastrophe but there is also only one victory in that run. - 17. Wigan Athletic | Previous Week: 11 | Form: L-D-W-L-D-L
Points: 14 | Goals For: 14 | Goals Against: 31
THAT result at White Hart Lane instantly leaves Wigan with the worst goal difference in the division - effectively meaning they came away with, not zero points, but minus one from that debacle. That alone, helps explain Wigan's plummet down the Rankings. Roberto Martinez needs to get a grip quickly. - 18. Portsmouth | Previous Week: 15 | Form: W-L-D-W-L-L
Points: 7 | Goals For: 10 | Goals Against: 19
Just when we thought Pompey had turned things around, they come along with a performance like the one at Stoke. David James injuring himself during the warm-up and Kevin-Prince Boateng missing a penalty when the game was goalless - it all looked very depressing for Pompey on Sunday. Arguing with ball boys who refused to loan them their towel to dry the ball for throw-ins (as Hermann Hreidarsson did) smacked a little of desperation. - 19. Bolton Wanderers | Previous Week: 17 | Form: D-L-W-L-L-L
Points: 11 | Goals For: 15 | Goals Against: 26
Things do not get any better for Bolton, in fact they are getting decidedly worse on a weekly basis. The own goal that secured their home loss to Blackburn had "relegation" stamped all over it. A win over Everton is all Wanderers have to show for their efforts over the past two months and Gary Megson's position is looking increasingly vulnerable. - 20. Wolverhampton | Previous Week: 20 | Form: L-D-D-D-L-L
Points: 10 | Goals For: 12 | Goals Against: 26
It is hard to find any silver lining from recent events at Wolves. A 4-0 defeat at Chelsea was wholly predictable, given the respective sides' recent form, but it is the increasing fragility of Mick McCarthy's defence that gives greatest cause for concern. Upcoming home games against Birmingham and Bolton could define their entire season.
