Premier League interesting rankings: The Claudio Ranieri Testimonial

With their win over Swansea, Chelsea jut out to a 10-point lead in the table. How did the rest of the league fare?

20. Middlesbrough (LW: 20)

The race to the bottom of the table continued for Boro, who put in a tepid, scoreless performance in losing to Palace. Despite having the best defense of any team outside of the top seven, Middlesbrough continue to struggle to score, with growing concern from fans and the media alike.

19. Sunderland (LW: 19)

Some managers prefer to stroke their player’s egos, even in defeat. Stars are fragile, after all. David Moyes, on the other hand, took the heavily critical route following the team’s 2-0 defeat to Everton, his former club, and then claimed it was for their own good. Apparently the trip to New York didn’t fix anything.

18. Bournemouth (LW: 18)

After beginning the season with such promise, the Cherries have become humdrum versions of their former selves. Eddie Howe’s team haven’t won in the 2017 calendar year, which is now two months deep. It isn’t a dire situation yet, but Bournemouth have been borderline unwatchable in that time, which doesn’t help.

17. Stoke (LW: 14)

Manager Mark Hughes was enraged after the Potters allowed a Harry Kane hat-trick, and rightfully so. All four goals occurred in the first half, and Stoke did nothing to combat the Spurs juggernaut in the second. Even Peter Crouch was powerless.

16. Watford (LW: 15)

In just his third appearance after coming to the Hornets from Italy, forward Mauro Zarate sustained an injury to his ACL and MCL. While that isn’t devastating to Watford’s season, Zarate seemed to have been finding his footing back in the Premier League.

10. Manchester City (LW: 12)

Given the weekend off due to Manchester United’s presence in the League Cup Final, City instead focused on elaborate training celebrations, faulty parking barriers and, apparently, the pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen’s star defender (and recent German national team call-upee) Benjamin Henrichs. I can see the anxiety in the faces of Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna from across an ocean.

9. Everton (LW: 9)

With a 2-0 victory over Sunderland, the Toffees seem primed for a finish in the top six. Club director Steve Walsh is already eyeing the top four, though that may be a bit of a stretch this season. Still, Everton have won five of their last seven games, and momentum is on their side.

8. Tottenham (LW: 11)

Rocketing to his third hat-trick in nine games, Harry Kane moseyed on past the 100-goal milestone for his career and is tied for the league lead despite missing six weeks. Accordingly, he deemed himself world class and then implored the media to print that. Sports stars: they’re just like us.

7. West Ham (LW: 5)

With the Chinese transfer deadline approaching, three clubs in the Asian nation reportedly placed bids for Andy Carroll. Slaven Bilic has retained his striker, who nevertheless saw no action in the Hammers’ 1-1 draw with Watford as he continues to battle an injury.

6. Burnley (LW: 6)

Despite sitting in a relatively steady 11th, the Clarets have yet to win a game on the road this season. There will be fewer better opportunities than against Swansea, and with whispers growing louder surrounding the fate of defender Michael Keane, a solid showing may very well be in the cards.

5. Manchester United (LW: 7)

The Manchester derby was postponed so that Jose Mourinho could claim a trophy with the club, doing so following a 3-2 win over Southampton in the League Cup final Sunday. Ever the transient, brace-netter Zlatan Ibrahimovic has already declared his intention to “wait and see” about a future with the Red Devils.

4. Swansea (LW: 3)

After drawing level just after halftime against Chelsea, the Swans held the league leaders until the final 20 minutes of the game. Now, Paul Clement’s men face a vitally important month ahead in order to beat relegation.

3. Crystal Palace (LW: 4)

Despite the 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough, Palace fans are wondering if relegation would really be the worst thing that could happen to them. A startling argument between Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend at the end of the game pointed toward locker room trouble, and Benteke may very well be on his way out in the summer no matter how the Eagles finish.

2. Liverpool (LW: 2)

Against a team in disarray, the Reds should have handed Leicester a one-way ticket to the Championship. Instead, the Foxes put in a vintage performance, and despite the best efforts of Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool’s terrible 2017 continues.

1. Leicester (LW: 1)

Claudio Ranieri was unceremoniously sacked earlier this week, and then the Foxes handily beat Liverpool. It was a distinctly 2016 Leicester-style victory, complete with a Jamie Vardy brace. Despite not being there anymore, Ranieri was surely proud of his former men.

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