📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder | OneFootball

📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder | OneFootball

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Jack Hobbs·22 February 2024

📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

Another exciting week of club football has passed, meaning our power rankings have had their latest revamp.

Here’s who we think has impressed this week.


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10. FC Porto (🆕)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

A new entry to our list this week is the standouts of this week’s Champions League action, FC Porto.

The Portuguese giants secured a huge home win over an in-form Arsenal side, who have been tearing Premier League teams apart over the last couple of weeks.

Brazilian winger Galeno popped up in the 94th minute to curl a stunning effort past a despairing David Raya.

In truth, Porto completely nullified the North Londoners, who failed to have a single shot on target in the game, and they should have opened the scoring sooner, their eventual match-winner missing a huge double chance in the first half.

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It has given SĂ©rgio Conceição’s side a real chance of progressing to the quarter finals, should they be able to weather the storm that will almost certainly be coming their way when they visit the Emirates in three weeks.

The Dragons have also closed the gap between themselves and league leaders Benfica to seven points thanks to their 2-0 win over Estrela Amadora on Saturday.


9. VfB Stuttgart (🆕)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

Stuttgart are undoubtedly one of the stories of the season, yet they have been overshadowed by Xavi Alonso’s record–pursuing Leverkusen side.

After finishing 16th last season, clinching their Bundesliga status for another year with a battering of Hamburg in the relegation playoffs, and 15th the year prior, its safe to say not much was expected of Die Roten this season.

How they have proven us all wrong!

Sebastian Hoeneß’s men have exceeded all expectations and then some by storming their way to third in the table.

The goals of Serhou Guirassy and Deniz Undav have Stuttgart fans dreaming of Champions League football next season. It would be their first appearance in the competition since 2009/10.

The German side have won their last four league games in a row, with their win over Darmstadt putting them five points clear of fourth placed Dortmund, and in a great position to make this season one to truly remember.


8. Man United (👍 Last week: 9)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

After a very turbulent start to the season, Manchester United look to have finally found some rhythm.

Erik Ten Hag’s side have have won their last four Premier League games in a row and are unbeaten in their last seven across all competitions.

Their most recent win, a 2-1 away victory at Luton Town, may not have been their best performance but it is a sign that the Red Devils can now grind out three points.

Rasmus Hþjlund is belatedly finding his feet in England’s top flight and has scored in his last six consecutive Premier League games, becoming the youngest ever to do so with his brace against the Hatters.

United’s turnaround in form has seen them rise up to sixth in the league (just five points off fourth) and up one place in our rankings.


7. PSG (No Change)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

As always, Kylian Mbappe is the centre of all the attention in Ligue 1, with his move to Real Madrid seemingly drawing closer by the day, but PSG’s form remains unaffected.

The Parisians have won their last five games in all competitions and have not lost since their 2-1 away defeat to Milan back in November.

They’ve comfortably seen off Real Sociedad and Nantes to put themselves in the driving season for a Champions League quarter finals, as well as putting themselves 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.

Standard procedure for PSG.


6. Arsenal (👎 Last week: 5)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

After the 6-0 demolition of West Ham last Sunday, Arsenal backed it up with an impressive 5-0 win over Vincent Kompany’s Burnley.

The Premier League strugglers couldn’t handle Mikel Arteta’s side as they stormed to victory.

With optimism refreshed, fans travelling to Portugal for their Champions League tie away at Porto were confident of another big win.

Well that turned out well didn’t it?

While it may only be a small setback, The Gunners failed to have a single shot on target which, after scoring 11 goals in two games, was a shock.

Maybe it was due to the step up in opposition they faced? Porto are a serious outfit while West Ham are in a spiral and Burnley are bound for an instant return to the Championship. Was it just a one off, or is there more to it?

Either way, Arsenal drop down a place this week.


5. Real Madrid ( 👎 Last week: 4)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

Real Madrid have had a great season under Carlo Ancelotti and that is largely due to the competition they’ve had to face.

Highflyers Girona have been pushing Los Blancos every step of the way but have fallen behind in the title race in recent weeks.

However, a slight slip up from Real on the weekend could allow Girona a precious path back in.

Ancelotti’s side drew 1-1 with 14th placed Rayo Vallecano after RaĂșl de TomĂĄs cancelled out Joselu’s early opener.

It is a slip up but the gap between the two clubs still stands at six points, which makes a Girona comeback unlikely.

Prior to the weekend, Madrid had won their last six on the bounce, so it may be harsh that they drop one place this week.


4. Liverpool ( 👍 Last week: 6)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

Liverpool returned to the top of the table with a striking 4-1 win over Luton Town on Wednesday.

Despite going behind originally thanks to a poacher’s goal from Chiedozie Ogbene, the Reds turned on the the style in the second half to go four points clear of Manchester City in second.

JĂŒrgen Klopp’s men have won their last three Premier League games in a row, scoring 11 along the way.

With the Carabao Cup final coming up this Sunday, opponents Chelsea will be incredibly wary of their red-hot opponents, who appear to show no sign of slowing down despite an ever-growing injury list.


3. Man City (No change)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

Manchester City remain in third place in our rankings this week due to the form of the two teams ahead of them.

Pep Guardiola’s side recorded their second win over Brentford this season, after being defeated twice by the Bees last time around.

City currently sit in second place, four points behind Liverpool in first and just one point ahead of Arsenal in second, albeit both they and the Gunners have a game in hand on the Reds.

City remain unbeaten in all competitions since a 1-0 away loss to Aston Villa in early December and have won four of their five last Premier League games.

They’re in a great run of form, but they haven’t done enough to overtake the teams ahead of them just yet.


2. Leverkusen (No change)

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

Leverkusen have been on this list pretty much all season and the way things are going, they’ll be on it for the rest of it too.

Alonso’s side have been nothing short of phenomenal all season.

With their 2-1 win at Heidenheim, Leverkusen have now gone 32 games unbeaten and are eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

They’ve scored the second most goals this season in Europe’s top five leagues with 95, and there is no sign of their goal scoring stopping anytime soon.

A first-ever Bundesliga title appears to be on the horizon.


1. Inter

Article image:📈 Power Rankings: Two new entries as Liverpool climb up the ladder

Top of our rankings again this week is Inter.

The Italian side are a team on a mission at the moment, having won their last nine games in a row in all competitions.

They thumped Salernitana 4-0 on Friday and they frustrated Diego Simeone’s AtlĂ©tico de Madrid in the Champions League, earning themselves a 1-0 first-leg victory at rhe San Siro.

Inter have also been defensively sound, keeping clean sheets in five of their last six games, preventing Atléti from a single shot on target on Wednesday.

Nine points clear of Juventus in second, with a game in hand, Simone Inzaghi’s side are on fire!