Three weeks into the 2023-24 season, and the Premier League is already separating itself into clearly defined tiers up and down the table.
For the most part, everyone is performing close to what was expected by fans and pundits before the season began. There are, of course, still 35 matchweeks left for all of that to change.
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Below are the Power Rankings for all 20 teams based on what they showed us in matchweek 3. Get ready for plenty of moves up and down this ranking in the weeks, and many months, to come.
Premier League Power Rankings - Week 3
The strugglers
20. Luton Town - Even
19. Everton - Down 1
18. Burnley - Down 2
17. Bournemouth - Even
16. Sheffield United - Up 3
Sure, we’re only three weeks into the season, but five sides have seemingly separated themselves from the rest of the pack (in all the wrong ways) and look likely to spend their 2023-24 season down near the bottom of power rankings (and the real-life table). Luton have played twice, and been beaten by three goals twice. Everton have zero points and are the only side yet to score a goal this season. Burnley are yet to look like a cohesive unit as 11 new first-team signings bed into the club. Bournemouth at least have a point (the only one of these five that can say so), but that’s where the positives end. Sheffield United’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City over the weekend is, strangely, the best result of the season for any of the strugglers.
The slow starters
15. Nottingham Forest - Even
14. Crystal Palace - Down 2
13. Wolves - Up 1
12. Manchester United - Up 1
11. Fulham - Even
Nottingham Forest continue to show they can perform at a Premier League level, but can they maintain that level of play for 90 minutes, 20-25 times a season? Crystal Palace will be one of the tougher teams to beat this season, but they won’t score many goals so they might not beat many teams either. It sure was ugly, but Wolves’ win away to Everton counts all the same. Same goes for Manchester United, who fell 2-0 down to Forest after four minutes before coming back to win 3-2 (against 10 men). Fulham’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal was exactly what Marco Silva’s side needed after their 3-0 defeat to Brentford last weekend.
The promising bunch
10. Brentford - Down 2
9. Chelsea - Even
8. Brighton - Down 5
7. West Ham - Up 3
6. Aston Villa - Up 1
This is where we start to see some real movement and jockeying for places. Brentford weren’t at their best against Crystal Palace, and that’s why the Eagles got a late equalizer and a point this weekend. Chelsea beat Luton Town quite comfortably and Mauricio Pochettino got his first win as the Blues boss, but how much did we really learn? Sometimes, your opponent flawlessly executes a flawless plan — that’s what West Ham did against Brighton, so the Seagulls fall far enough that the Hammers overtake them by a place. Aston Villa continue to show their opening-day defeat to Newcastle was more a blip on the radar (and about the Magpies’ quality) with each dominant performance.
The leading lights
5. Newcastle - Down 1
4. Tottenham - Up 2
3. Liverpool - Up 2
2. Arsenal - Even
1. Manchester City - Even
Speaking of Newcastle, Eddie Howe’s side can’t go from 1-0 and a man up, to losing 2-1 at home — not against Luton and not against Liverpool, who did just that on Sunday, either. Naturally, Liverpool leapfrog them, as do Tottenham, who are building some nice early-season momentum and getting the whole club back onside after a few tumultuous seasons. Speaking of speaking of, Arsenal can’t drop points at home when they’re a goal and a man up with less than five minutes to play, but they still seem the likeliest threat to Manchester City, though the three-time defending champions are threatening to run away with a fourth straight Premier League title.
