Eight games into a campaign, patterns are supposed to emerge as teams begin to lock into midseason form. This season of the Premier League is no exception, except the pattern is a new one – expect chaos until further notice. Several teams are experiencing a regression to the mean after rocky starts to the season, evidenced by the weekend's most notable games.
Aston Villa are surging up the table after a 2-1 win over Manchester City, Bournemouth defeated Manchester United in style with a 3-0 triumph at Old Trafford and Tottenham Hotspur have gone from zero wins to two in a week, a 2-0 win at Chelsea their most impressive performance in months. Others are also putting their early season results behind them, but it feels like they are crashing back down to earth – Brentford were held to a 1-1 draw at Hull City, while Ipswich Town were unimpressive in a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest. A fascinating theme is beginning to emerge along the way.
It feels like there are more midtable teams than usual, even if some sit as high as seventh (someone has to, after all). Then there are those that seem like relegation contenders but are several spots above the drop zone because, somehow, there are that many teams worse than them. There's a frenetic feeling to the Premier League table and, by extension, the latest edition of power rankings but the show must go on.
Here's how each Premier League team is looking after the latest round of games. Arsenal's 2-0 win over Everton was not glamorous but the Gunners won't care. They're level on points with Manchester City and well-positioned to compete for the title, much as they have been all season.
Manchester City's short-lived grip on first place is gone after their defeat to Aston Villa, one that raises questions about their ability to go the distance in Enzo Maresca's first season in charge. Liverpool are slowly but steadily figuring things out with Andoni Iraola at the helm, a 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion their most impressive result yet. A top-four spot feels like a realistic aim for this season, even if they are not the finished product just yet.
Fabian Hurzeler's side played a fairly even game with Liverpool, so their stock should not drop too much but the Reds did map out a plan to neutralize their attack-minded tendencies, which might be something opponents borrow from in the coming weeks and months. This is where the extreme midtable energy of the Premier League comes in – Chelsea were deeply unimpressive against Spurs, unconvincing at almost every turn. Most teams in England's top flight, though, are worse off so the Blues hang onto fifth for now but they will be worth keeping an eye on.
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