Premier League power rankings after Gameweek 7: Nottingham Forest fall, Brentford on the rise despite loss to Man City, Arsenal top the table, and more
The 2025/26 Premier League table is looking very different since we last checked in. What a difference a couple of weeks can make.
Arne Slot and Liverpool have forgotten how to win, while Arsenal fans are once again allergic to humility now that they’re top of the table.
Nottingham Forest fans are telling their own manager he’s getting sacked in the morning after just six matches in charge, and they might be right.
Every week here on Sports News Blitz, betting expert George Dempsey will be compiling the only table that matters - our very own Premier League power rankings.
20. Nottingham Forest ↓↓
Not only have Forest lost back-to-back Premier League games without scoring, but they’ve also slipped up in Europe, so I’ve got an extra stick to beat Ange Postecoglou with.
Who could have possibly foreseen that hiring the antithesis of Nuno Espirito Santo, just because you both like moussaka and ouzo, would go so horribly wrong?
19. West Ham ↓
The West Ham of old were known for standing up to big occasions and giving their London rivals a fight. Instead, they rolled over and had their tummies tickled by Arsenal.
Forest, being in absolute shambles, have given some damning context to the fact that Graham Potter’s side have won one in eight across all competitions.
18. Burnley ↓
Burnley conceded 16 goals in 46 games last season. It was a stark overachievement, but still, what a nasty wake-up call to have shipped 15 so far this campaign.
I backed the Clarets to finish bottom, and nothing has changed my mind. They seem to be getting grouped into praise because Sunderland and Leeds are doing OK.
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17. Wolves ↑↑
Wolves have suddenly found some bite. They still haven’t won, and the players looked utterly dejected after the 1-1 with Brighton, but it’s better than losing every week.
Unless Jorgen Strand-Larsen can score 25 goals, there’s little doubt in my mind that this team could be in the Championship next season.
16. Fulham ↓↓
Fulham have finished between 10th and 13th in each season since promotion, and their current lack of consistency may even see them fall short of a mid-table finish.
I’m not suggesting Fulham will be relegated, but they’ve been dross this year. Most of their wins came on the road, where they’ve been thoroughly outplayed. So, maybe?
15. Brentford ↑↑
I’ve got nothing but praise for Brentford, having embarrassed Manchester United recently. It’s like I’ve always said - Keith Andrews is a proper football manager.
There’s no real shame in losing to Man City, even if 1-0 did flatter the Bees. This is still a relegation-threatened team, but there’s definitely some fight in them.
14. Leeds ↓
Leeds have dropped by way of losing to Tottenham and drawing with Bournemouth. There’s an argument they deserved three or four points, but goals win games.
Bamford in a dress continues to miss big chances, which is costing Leeds dearly. They’re a mid-table side by the ‘metrics’ (f**k off, Jesse), so no panic just yet.
13. Manchester United →
Apparently, Ruben Amorim is here to stay for two more years. He might have the worst managerial record of any United boss, but it’s the stability they need.
The problem is his stubborn tactics still aren’t bearing fruit; rather, individual quality allows them to create more chances at Old Trafford.
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12. Newcastle →
With six clean sheets on the season and back-to-back shutout wins, Newcastle are threatening to get back to their best.
Eddie Howe’s team isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it’s rolling in the right direction again.
Wins over Wolves and Forest are to be expected, but the shagger up top looks prolific.
11. Chelsea ↓
That bald fraud of a ‘loser’ Enzo Maresca is safe from Rory Jennings, having beaten Benfica and Liverpool in the space of a week, though they did lose to Brighton before that.
Still, back-to-back wins against fierce competition demand they enjoy a healthy jump in the rankings here, even if they were dominant in neither outing.
10. Brighton ↑↑
We’ve quipped that inconsistency is the Seagulls’ ceiling, but Fabian Hurzeler does deserve some praise.
It must be hard being Chelsea’s feeder club and keeping things ticking over.
The 3-1 win away to BlueCo was enjoyed by all of an avian persuasion, while the performance at Wolves was good enough to win. Above all, they beat Hassocks 1-0 in the Sussex Senior Cup.
9. Sunderland ↓
Sunderland slip slightly owing to the ascent of others, but Regis Le Bris’ men are worthy of retaining a spot in the top 10. The defeat at Old Trafford was a rare off day.
Before that, the Black Cats marched into Nottingham and piled more misery on Ange. A misfiring Chris Wood let them off the hook, but they were still good value for the win.
8. Aston Villa ↑↑↑
Aston Villa failed to find the net in their first four matches, but they’ve flown up the rankings with four wins across all competitions since we last checked in with the Villans.
Unai Emery’s side produced two very “good ebenings” with wins against Bologna and Feyenoord in Europe, while knocking off Fulham and Burnley in the Premier League.
7. Everton →
The only thing more ick-inducing than 39,572 grown men shouting “woooo” is 52,769 grown men shouting “woooo.” It worked for Ric Flair, but at a football match, it’s weird, and I hate it.
Nevertheless, the decibels produced by those extra voices have done the trick. This could have gone wrong, but Hill Dickinson is not the London Stadium, and Everton are flying.
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6. Liverpool ↓↓
Arne Slot has lost three consecutive matches for the first time in his Liverpool tenure. Anyone watching the Reds could spot the overperformance reflected by the stats.
Soccer Saturday’s panel of dusty dinosaurs can knock xG all they want, but it pre-warns us about these runs. They should have beaten Chelsea and Galatasaray, so there’s no panic.
5. Bournemouth ↓
I’ve begrudgingly docked Andoni Iraola’s team another place. They were a clear second best against Leeds, but equally showed fantastic character to snatch a late point.
The conditions were a leveller against Fulham. It was far from vintage, but the Cherries popped the Cottagers’ bubble with more brilliance from Antoine Semenyo late in the day.
4. Crystal Palace ↑
Last month, we nominated Oliver Glasner for manager of the year, and this week we’re awarding him the trophy. His team are a very well-oiled machine.
I gave a cheeky nod toward Liverpool being humbled by the Eagles, so I’m not surprised. They also dominated in Europe before falling to an unlucky defeat at Everton.
3. Tottenham ↓
Sure, Tottenham won at Elland Road and are unbeaten in seven, but they failed to beat Wolves and trailed 2-0 to Bodo/Glimt. It’s a massive improvement, but there’s work to do.
Mohamed Kudus has been wonderful to watch, and Mathys Tel seems to have a new lease of life. But until Thomas Frank’s side start dominating games, they’re just a shinier Brentford.
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2. Manchester City ↑↑↑
A thumping 5-1 win against Burnley was to be expected, but Man City struggled to maintain control without Rodri when beating Brentford 1-0 last time out.
Erling Haaland is tall, strong, blonde, probably has great abs, and he’s going to score 50+ goals across all competitions. Real Madrid will need to pay at least £200m.
1. Arsenal ↑
Mikel Arteta’s side top the Premier League table with the most goals scored and the fewest conceded. They’ve also been by far the better side in six consecutive matches.
Routine 2-0 wins over Olympiacos and West Ham take their clean sheet tally to seven. Viktor Gyokeres still looks overpriced to me, but Arsenal’s defence is good enough to compete for titles.
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