English Premier League Power Rankings: How the Table Will Finish
Joe Tansey@JTansey90
Featured ColumnistMarch 28, 2011English Premier League Power Rankings: How the Table Will Finish
This year, the English Premier League has seen one of its best seasons yet.
The title contenders going into the year were more than usual, with six teams having a chance to win at the beginning but Manchester United has risen to the top.
The relegation battle is even more intriguing, with seven or eight teams in danger of falling into the Championship.
Here is how I think the table will look at the end of the season.
20. Wigan
Wigan have been near or in the relegation zone for most of the season and with the recent lack of form, there are not many positive signs pointing to the Latics staying in the top flight.
In their last eight games of the season, Roberto Martinez and company have only three home games left and in those games, they face Tottenham, Everton and West Ham.
Wigan's poor form both home and away plus their lack of goals are a perfect combination for them to drop down to the Championship for 2011-12.
19. West Brom
West Brom has looked good in recent weeks since Roy Hodgson took over for Roberto di Matteo.
The problem for the Baggies is that they have a poor road record and their home matches are not favorable matchups.
The Baggies will host three teams that are doing well in the top half of the table in Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton, and the fourth game is with Aston Villa.
Being a team that has only three wins in fifteen road games, it is very unlikely the Baggies will get the points they need out of their last eight games to stay up.
18. Birmingham
Winning the Carling Cup has given Birmingham absolutely no momentum, as the club has done worse since the Cup title and have fallen into the relegation zone.
What has also not helped the Blues is two losses to fellow relegation fighters Wigan and West Brom in the past two weeks.
With trips to Stamford Bridge, Anfield and White Hart Lane on the last day of the season, the Blues have tough road games ahead, as well as tough home games against Bolton, Sunderland and Fulham.
The one key game for Alex McLeish's club will be at home against Wolves on May 1st in a game that could well put Birmingham back in the Championship.
17. Wolverhampton
Wolves have a good chance of barely surviving the drop to the Championship.
A decent home record at the Molineux Stadium is one thing that helps the club who face Everton, Fulham, West Brom and Blackburn, with most of those games being winnable.
Wolves do know how to step up for the big competition, especially at home after beating both Manchester sides and Chelsea at the Molineux. They are definitely capable of taking down Everton and Fulham, who are both in the top of the table.
Mick McCarthy's club do need to improve against their relegation rivals, as they have lost to Wigan twice and drawn with West Brom.
Combining results against West Brom and Birmingham with a couple home wins, Wolves will be able to stay in the Premier League.
16. West Ham
The Hammers have somehow found a good run of form after their miserable start to the season.
Since the beginning of February, the Hammers have only lost one game in six league matches. This late season form is needed for any team in the league, especially one looking to book their spot in the 2011-12 Premier League season.
During that streak, not only have the Hammers been able to win against those towards the bottom of the table, they have beaten Liverpool and drawn with Tottenham at Upton Park.
Avram Grant and Company will look to avenge losses to Aston Villa and Sunderland, as the two struggling clubs both come to Upton Park where the Hammers are much better than on the road.
Also, a change in the club's goal differential to above minus-10 will give them a better shot of staying up and they have the best strike force among the relegation contenders with Demba Ba, Carlton Cole, Frederic Puquionne and Scott Parker.
15. Blackburn
People had doubts if Blackburn would stay away from the relegation zone once Sam Allardyce was fired in December, but new manager Steve Kean has guided the club to some stability.
Rovers have enough quality in the team to drive the club away from the relegation battle, but the job will not be that easy.
Games against Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal still await for Steve Kean's club, who have not been very successful against the top clubs this season, as they have only mustered a win against Liverpool—and that was when Liverpool was still struggling.
Blackburn should be able to overcome their bad away record to beat either West Ham or Wolves on the road towards the end of the season to solidify their spot in the Premier League.
14. Blackpool
Blackpool's start to the season was very up and down and once they steadied the ship, they have stayed above the relegation zone for most of the season.
One key to the Tangerines' success is that they are a solid home club and the fact that they have five out of their final eight at home is a positive sign that Ian Holloway's club should stay up.
With Charlie Adam and DJ Campbell ready to come back from injury, they will help the club with their goal scoring in games against Wigan, Newcastle, Stoke and Bolton at home at Bloomfield Road.
13. Aston Villa
No matter where Aston Villa finish in the table, the 2010-11 season will be labeled a disappointment.
After the surprise departure of Martin O'Neill days before the start of the season, the Villains' start was in shambles but they recovered to win three of their first five before the slide started under Gerard Houllier.
With young stars like Gabriel Agbonlahor and Marc Albrighton not being able to shine this season, it has put a damper on the star power at Villa Park—even with Darren Bent coming over from Sunderland in January.
With a fairly easy schedule to finish the season, the Villains will win some but also lose some, so look for them to stay where they are now—right above the relegation zone but not close to the top half.
12. Sunderland
Sunderland have hit a big-time slump since they started the season with a five-game unbeaten run.
Part of the six-game winless streak they are currently on—where they have only one point to show—has been caused by their lack of goal scoring.
When the Black Cats lost Darren Bent in January to Aston Villa, they lost their leading scorer and with Danny Welbeck just getting back from injury, only Asamoah Gyan has been up front as a main source of goals.
Since Steve Bruce's club have a good amount of points separating them from the relegation pack, they will be safe but stumble to the finish line.
11. Newcastle
After letting the services of Andy Carroll leave to Liverpool, Newcastle—like their neighbors Sunderland—have been less than impressive in the second half of the season.
With four of their last eight games being against relegation contenders West Brom, Birmingham, Blackpool and Wolves, there should be a good amount of points available from those games.
The Magpies just have to make sure that they do not get embarrassed against the big clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, who are all still left on the schedule as well.
10. Fulham
Fulham have turned their season around after being down near the bottom of the table for most of the first half of the season.
Mark Hughes has guided his club up to tenth in the table by beating the teams they should beat and coming up with draws in tough games.
Bobby Zamora is coming back to join the scoring attack that includes Clint Dempsey, who has ten goals for the Cottagers.
With the demeanor of the team and the managing of Mark Hughes, a mid-table finish will not be a problem for Fulham.
9. Everton
Everton is another team that has made a resurgent run from being in the relegation zone to finishing securely in the top half.
The Toffees should finish the season easily with three of their final four road games at Wolves, Wigan and West Brom. David Moyes and Company should win all three of those games, plus home games against Aston Villa and Blackburn.
David Moyes and Company will have a tough last two weeks with Manchester City and Chelsea both coming to Goodison Park.
8. Stoke
Stoke have been a model for consistency all season long with eleven wins—which is the most of the teams outside of the European spots—and a spot in the FA Cup semifinals.
Tony Pulis' club beat the teams they are supposed to beat, but they also lose to teams they are supposed to lose to.
With a tough defense on a good day, Stoke is a hard club to beat and with four games left against teams they are supposed to beat, you could see the Potters at close to 50 points.
7. Bolton
Bolton has been a notch below the European spots all season and it shows what an amazing manager Owen Coyle is.
The one thing that will hurt Bolton for the rest of the season is the injury of Stuart Holden, who has been their midfield maestro all season.
Two people they do have are Johan Elmander and Daniel Sturridge, who can both find the back of the net easily. Only Manchester City and Arsenal are tough opponents left on the schedule.
6. Liverpool
The resurgence at Anfield is one that could be historic but the gap between the Reds and fifth-place Tottenham is too much to overcome.
The Reds have been impressive in the Premier League under Kenny Dalglish since he took over in January, but the gap may be too much to overcome to get a European spot.
Dalglish and Company can ill avoid to slip up—especially against Manchester City and Tottenham—if they have any chance of improving their finish.
5. Manchester City
Manchester City has been an interesting and unpredictable club all season long.
City are a club that have the talent to win the league, but with too many egos and too much star power, they haven't been able to perform up to their abilities.
City have been unable to perform in big games with either losses or goalless draws against the four other title contenders to start the season.
With Tottenham and Liverpool still to play, City could let down in those games as well—but with enough wins in their other six games, City should still be able to hold down the Europa League spot.
4. Tottenham
After being the surprise of last season, Spurs have shown that last season was not a fluke.
Harry Redknapp has guided the club to the Champions League quarterfinals and they sit in fifth behind an inconsistent Manchester City squad.
Spurs have an easy home schedule with the exception of Arsenal. The depth of the squad should be enough to handle the amount of games that will be on the schedule towards the end of the season.
3. Arsenal
Arsenal's lack of form in recent weeks has seen them go further away from first place.
The Gunners have not won a league game since February 23rd nor since they lost in the Carling Cup final to Birmingham.
Even if the Premier League is the only focus for Arsene Wenger and Company, their recent form shows the signs of a club not living up to their full potential for the rest of the season.
2. Chelsea
The defending champions have been on fire since January, moving up to third place and will eventually finish in second.
The Blues jumped over Manchester City last week and should be able to close the four-point gap on Arsenal.
Chelsea has a very light schedule in the league with only Manchester United and Tottenham being the big names on the fixture list in the final games.
1. Manchester United
Manchester United have been the class of the Premier League this season and with the other title contenders too far back at this point to make a legitimate run, United are very close to safely saying they will be the 2010-11 champions.
The Red Devils have very winnable games left against Everton, Fulham, Newcastle, West Ham, Blackburn and Blackpool, as well as tough matches against struggling Arsenal and Chelsea.
Sir Alex Ferguson's club have a very good chance at winning the treble, as they are still alive in the FA Cup and Champions League—and if there is a club able to win the treble, it is Manchester United.