Six games through and Liverpool still sit atop the table with 18 points, having yet to do anything but win in the Premier League this season. In fact, the Reds' 15-game win streak in the Premier League (dating back to last season) is the second longest in any English top flight ever, behind Manchester City's 18-game run in 2017.
Speaking of Man City, what a showing Saturday brought from the two-time defending champions. The hosts' 8-0 thrashing of bottom dwellers Watford is just the fifth time a team has recorded an 8-0 victory in the Premier League and is the second most goals scored by one team in a match. More so, the Citizens put up five goals less than 20 minutes into the match, shattering the previous record. While Manchester City has looked shaky at times this season, including its failure to prevail against Tottenham despite dominating and its surprise loss to Norwich City last weekend, the incredible offense is clear for another season. Man City has scored 24 goals this season, by far the highest mark in the league. More so, the defending champions have two of the five highest scoring players in the league this season with the leader Sergio Agüero (8) and Raheem Sterling (5). The talent up front is certainly there to repeat for as champions for a third consecutive time, but the biggest question that remains, and will likely be answered Nov. 10 against Liverpool, is if the defense, with so many injuries, can anchor the team.
But so far for Liverpool, the defending champions of Europe have practically told Manchester City "anything you can do, I can do better." Sort of. While the Reds have not hit eight goals in a game this season, they have yet to drop any points at all and are the first team in Premier League history to start two consecutive seasons with six wins. At times, Liverpool has looked dominating, but at others, not so much. The first half against Chelsea Sunday morning was a blitz of what Liverpool can do, scoring two wonderfully worked free kicks and applying a majority of the pressure in the opening half. This momentum continued in through the first 15 minutes or so of the second, but the intensity then dropped off. Perhaps attribute it to weary legs from Tuesday's Champions League defeat in Napoli, as the starting lineup had ten of the same eleven players. Nonetheless, what makes this team so dangerous and truly capable of finally adding a Premier League title to its grand trophy case is the balance of one of, if not the best, front three and an intimidating back four. Having conceded just five goals this season, the Reds are tied for the fewest goals against and with 17 goals for, the second best tally. Only Liverpool and Man City have goal differentials higher than +5, at +12 and +18, respectively. It may be early, but this is looking like a two horse race, again.
While the battle for the Premier League Trophy may already be wrapped up, the battle for the other three (or more) spots for European competition is still wide open. With Leicester City sitting at third with 11 points and a +3 differential, the difference between third and 14th is just four points (nods to an up-and-down Everton team which has 7 points and a -3 differential). With rocky and wild performances from the rest of the Big Six, Leicester looks extremely consistent and like a true challenger for a Champions League berth. A bit of good fortune and VAR saw the 2015-16 champion's defeat Tottenham Saturday, but Leicester still look like a top-four team. Leicester's sole loss came to a reeling Manchester United side, who was rather dominated by surprise-of-the-season side West Ham United. Several injuries to strikers have left the Red Devils with many questions attacking wise and after conceding two to the Hammers, the near future looks rather rough for England's second-most decorated club. But the club that defeated them is looking rather exciting and with so many questionable Big Six teams this season, a real race for more non-Big Six teams to arise to the top five is happening. West Ham have lost just one match this season, a lop-sided 5-0 defeat to Manchester City. But that was the opening match and since then, the Hammers have looked respectable. As have sixth-place Bournemouth, whose only two losses came from Leicester and Man City as well, but looked very succesful in Friday's 3-1 defeat of rising Southampton.
XI of the Week
Goalkeeper - Lukasz Fabianski, West Ham United
Defense - Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool
Nathan Ake, Bournemouth
Jack O'Connell, Sheffield United
Jonny Evans, Leicester City
Midfield - Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City
Bernardo Silva, Manchester City
Matteo Guendouzi, Arsenal
James Maddison, Leicester City
Striker - Chris Wood, Burnley
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal
Power Rankings
1.) Liverpool
Place in table: 1
2.) Manchester City
Place in table: 2
3.) Leicester City
Place in table: 3
4.) Arsenal
Place in table: 4
5.) Bournemouth
Place in table: 6
6.) Tottenham
Place in table: 7
7.) West Ham United
Place in table: 5
8.) Chelsea
Place in table: 11
9.) Burnley
Place in table: 9
10.) Crystal Palace
Place in table: 12
11.) Manchester United
Place in table: 8
12.) Southampton
Place in table: 13
13.) Sheffield United
Place in table: 10
14.) Everton
Place in table: 14
15.) Norwich City
Place in table: 16
16.) Brighton & Hove Albion
Place in table: 15
17.) Aston Villa
Place in table: 18
18.) Newcastle United
Place in table: 17
19.) Wolverhampton
Place in table: 19
20.) Watford
Place in table: 20