Do Arsenal and Liverpool have genuine title hopes…?
Premier League form table
Last 16 games – newly promoted clubs excepted
Team P W D L F A GD Pts
Arsenal 16 12 2 2 30 13 17 38
Liverpool 16 10 5 1 32 11 21 35
Chelsea 16 10 3 3 24 13 11 33
Tottenham 16 10 3 3 26 17 9 33
Manchester City 16 10 2 4 26 13 13 32
Manchester United 16 9 4 3 30 14 16 31
Everton 16 7 6 3 18 10 8 27
West Ham 16 5 6 5 18 16 2 21
Newcastle 16 6 3 7 14 27 -13 21
Aston Villa 16 6 2 8 27 25 2 20
Southampton 16 4 7 5 15 17 -2 19
Norwich 16 5 4 7 19 23 -4 19
Fulham 16 5 3 8 17 23 -6 18
Stoke 16 4 4 8 11 16 -5 16
West Brom 16 3 5 8 18 26 -8 14
Swansea 16 3 4 9 14 29 -15 13
Sunderland 16 2 5 9 16 28 -12 11
Analysis:
-Liverpool and Arsenal have enjoyed very impressive form throughout most of 2013. Over the past 16 matches, no other side has won as many points as them, which shows Arsenal have a realistic chance of winning the title, and Liverpool have a very realistic chance of finishing in the top four.
-Sunderland, Swansea and West Brom have a lot to be worried about. The three clubs only avoided relegation last season because of their impressive starts in 2012 – but none of them can rely on the points windfall this time around.
-Manchester United and Manchester City, last season’s top two clubs, have not been in title winning form the last 16 games. They have averaged around two points a game, which usually gets clubs into the top four, but has never been enough to win the Premier League.
-Newcastle and Aston Villa are arguably better teams than last season’s final standings suggest. Over the past 16 matches, they have been mid-table performers, and that’s where the pair will hope to finish come May.
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