Power Rankings: Manchester United back? Maybe not…

In a low-scoring week Sunderland climb off the bottom of our Power Rankings, Chelsea move clear of Liverpool and Manchester United remain below Watford and Bournemouth.

If you read the majority of the press this weekend and listened to Jose Mourinho you would be lead to believe that Man Utd are back. They are not. They were better than Arsenal, who were atrocious on Saturday, but they failed to convert their superiority and Arsene Wenger’s squad strength told as he was able to call upon Olivier Giroud and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to earn them a draw.

And the point leaves United in ninth place – behind sixth-placed Watford and Bournemouth in eighth.

Chelsea nailed another clean sheet but only scored once to register just 1.5pts to move them clear at the top, while Sunderland hammered Hull 3-0 and moved off the bottom into 18th spot.

In Power Rankings, we award points from 0.5 to 7, decided by an algorithm based on bookmaker odds and winning margins.

It rewards teams scoring lots of goals and also those defying expectations but sees odds-on favourites penalised for sneaking past inferior opponents by the odd goal.

West Ham, who are 18th this time around, claimed the title by 3.5 points in our inaugural Power Rankings last season.

Week 12

Sunderland – 5pts: Strike pair finding their form.

Tottenham – 2pts: Huge late win against West Ham.

Chelsea – 1.5pts: Looking imperious, another clean sheet.

Man City – 1.5pts: Yaya returned to fire City.

Arsenal -1.5pts: Awful performance, but dug in and grabbed a point. Bodes well…

Swansea – 1.5pts: Pegged back late on and new bottom.

Southampton – 1.5pts: Outplayed for large spells but registered a point.

Bournemouth – 1.5pts: Denied the most blatant penalty, but still got the job done.

Watford – 1.5pts: Powerful home performance against the champions.

Man Utd – 1pt: Could not finish the job v Arsenal; still below Watford and Bournemouth.

Liverpool – 1pt: Played well, created chances but could not convert one.

Everton – 0.5pt: Late header saves Koeman’s skin.

Power Rankings