After sitting one of their stars, Arsenal fell in a crucial game against Liverpool. How did the rest of the league fare?
20. Middlesbrough (LW: 20)
The lifelines are running short for Boro. In league play, Middlesbrough have scored a grand total of two goals in 2017. This is very distinctly not a recipe for entertainment, nor is it a particularly good one for avoiding relegation.
19. Sunderland (LW: 19)
In Sunderland’s defense, Manchester City played a quality game. In their defense, their defense was also almost nonexistent. Nevertheless, Jordan Pickford had an excellent game, though Jermain Defoe was getting visibly frustrated.
18. Bournemouth (LW: 18)
The Tyrone Mings/Zlatan incident aside, the Cherries played a sparkling match against United to garner the draw. Good thing, too, because if their play had been as bad as their stadium food reportedly is, the cleaning crew may have had themselves a very bad time.
17. Hull (LW: 15)
The Tigers charged out to the lead against Leicester only to throw it back and then some. A Tom Huddleston own goal capped off a 3-1 loss, and Hull seem destined for all but certain relegation.
16. Watford (LW: 16)
Walter Mazzarri’s men had several opportunities to close the door on Southampton but ultimately found themselves unable. The Hornets have two weeks off before their next match, so getting fit and sorting out the midfield should be at the top of their agenda.
15. Stoke (LW: 17)
Marko Arnautovic’s brace propped the Potters up, and the lead held as Stoke beat Middlesbrough 2-0. Afterward, manager Mark Hughes said he never felt threatened by Boro in the second half, continuing a rich tradition of ninth-place managerial smack talk, a Premier League staple.
14. Chelsea (LW: 11)
You can set your watch by Diego Costa’s goal scoring at this point. A late West Ham goal to cut the lead in half amounted to nothing, and Chelsea continue to be their steady, reliably dominant selves.
13. West Brom (LW: 12)
Showing up flat and turning in a scoreless performance against Palace is no small disappointment, but for a club firmly ensconced in the top half of the table, it shouldn’t worry Tony Pulis’ men too much. The Baggies also announced a partnership to open a soccer academy in China this week.
12. Southampton (LW : 13)
Wandering eyes have set their sights on the Saints, as Barcelona reportedly have interest in Oriol Romeu and Cedric Soares, both of whom regularly feature in Southampton’s starting XI. The pair contributed to a thrilling 4-3 victory over Watford in tribute.
11. Everton (LW: 9)
Despite their tight loss to Tottenham, Everton remain in high spirits after reportedly agreeing to a five-year extension with Romelu Lukaku, bastion of light and beacon of hope. Of note: Lukaku became the Toffees’ all-time leading Premier League scorer with his late strike.
10. West Ham (LW: 7)
The Hammers would’ve done themselves a massive favor in this ranking had they beaten Chelsea. Instead, a stoppage time goal leaves them essentially where they’ve been all season: perfectly adequate, delightfully mediocre. At least Slaven Bilic was suitably impressed.
9. Manchester City (LW: 10)
Maybe it’s a little premature to signal for the end of Sergio Aguero’s time at City. Aguero followed up his goal-scoring performance in the Citizens’ 2-0 victory with comments that seem to point toward his exit, though he decidedly left the matter in his club’s hands.
8. Arsenal (LW: 14)
More than a few eyebrows raised at the notion of Arsene Wenger sending Alexis Sanchez to the bench to start the match against Liverpool. Following a loss in which the winger came off the bench to assist a goal, keeping an eye on Arsenal for the rest of the season has become appointment television.
7. Burnley (LW: 6)
Andre Gray’s brace had the Clarets in solid position, but they could not hang on to the lead. With no movement on is contract of late, and only one year remaining on it, a number of clubs have reportedly taken notice of Gray’s considerable skill and amazing work rate.
6. Manchester United (LW: 5)
For all his brilliance, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a force of several kinds of nature. Following a tussle with defender Tyrone Mings, Ibra was hit with a charge for violent contact before alleging that Mings “jumped into [his] elbow.” After all that, he missed a potentially game-winning penalty. ZLATAN!
5. Tottenham (LW: 8)
Harry Kane and Dele Alli seem similarly fresh out of patience for the occasionally-but-still-too-often lackadaisical play surrounding them. The latter’s winner built on the former’s brace, delivering a full force victory over an Everton squad trying to climb toward top four territory. Coffin, meet nails.
4. Crystal Palace (LW: 3)
After an impressive 2-0 victory over West Brom, manager Sam Allardyce praised Mamadou Sakho and admonished his parent club, Liverpool, for disrespecting the defender. Some are wondering if relegation might be better for the Eagles — return to dominance, even in a lesser league, has to be superior to this — but they’re a constant source of entertainment. Hope for beating relegation.
3. Swansea (LW: 4)
F.L.E.A.M. — Fernando Llorente Rules Everything Around Me. Eighty minutes apart, Llorente scored the opener and the winner, proving that great soccer happens in the desperate shadows of the relegation zone.
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2. Leicester (LW: 1)
All of a sudden, here are the Foxes we all know and love. Maybe removing the beloved Claudio Ranieri was the addition-by-subtraction Leicester needed.
1. Liverpool (LW: 2)
There is never a bad time for a 3-1 victory, especially over a team nipping at your heels. The Reds charged out to a two-goal lead and tagged on one more in extra time. The win may just give Jurgen Klopp the extra ammunition he needs in his battle to get the club interested in Borussia Dortmund’s Mario Goetze this summer.