Matchday 24 is finally completed, with its last match taking place on Monday as Chelsea earned a hard-fought win over Newcastle. As such, there have been some changes in the league table - both positive and negative - as all 20 teams have now played their respective fixtures.
The title race seems to now be taking shape, with one team continuing to surge ahead as the others scramble to catch up, while reigning champs Liverpool's continued downward spiral may have finally ended their hopes of successfully retaining their league crown.
Let's have a look at what took place over this weekend's round of fixtures.
Top five teams in the Premier League up to February 16
Thanks to their fourth straight win, Chelesa have now moved up into the top four spots. Meanwhile, Manchester City continue to rapidly pull away from the chasing pack following their recent wins over Tottenham and Liverpool over the course of a stunning eight-match winning streak
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Major blow to Liverpool's title chances: The Reds suffered a heavy 3-1 loss to Leicester on Saturday, which is now their third straight Premier League defeat. It's been a terrible February so far for Jurgen Klopp's side, who prior to this month had only lost three times in total; now they've doubled that in just the span of ten days.
Even more concerning is who Liverpool have lost to during that awful run. In addition to fellow top-four side Leicester, they've also come up short against current league leaders Manchester City. But this downward spiral started with a shock loss to Brighton on home turf on February 3rd, and the reigning champs have been unable to find their footing since. They'll have a great opportunity to right the wobbly ship when bitter rivals Everton come to town this weekend - but will they be able to pull themselves out of their funk?
More woes for floundering Tottenham: Like Liverpool, Tottenham have now endured a rough patch, which was exemplified by their heavy 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday. That loss makes it four in their last five league games for Jose Mourinho's side, which pretty much has been their story since 2021 rolled around. It was only a few months ago that Tottenham were on top of the table thanks to a stunning run that saw them go 11 matches unbeaten - including a resounding 6-1 mauling of Manchester United.
Well, that's since changed, with the Red Devils now in second and Tottenham sitting in a disappointing ninth spot. Since the start of this year, Spurs have won just three of their last eight Premier League games, and will certainly be hoping to turn things around in an upcoming London Derby against West Ham.
Chelsea's continued revival: Thomas Tuchel continues to enjoy a purple patch at the helm of the Blues with his team picking up a 2-0 win over Newcastle on Monday evening. Since the German tactician's arrival, Chelsea have now won four of their last five games, which is a remarkable turnaround after they won just two of their prior eight before Frank Lampard's sacking on January 25th. This has seen them claw their way up the table from ninth to fourth place ahead of their match against a Southampton side who have been in free-fall as of late, and Blues fans will be naturally hoping to see their team make it five wins in six matches when Chelsea travel to St. Mary's this weekend.
Top Premier League matches: February 19-22, 2021
Southampton vs Chelsea: The Blues have turned things around since Thomas Tuchel took over, and will now be looking to earn a fifth straight league win at the expense of the struggling Saints, who have lost five in a row. This presents a great chance for the London giants to continue their push towards securing at least a top four berth this season, and a win at St. Mary's would help them to move within a point of third-placed Leicester City before the Foxes face Aston Villa.
Liverpool vs Everton: The Merseyside Derby is always a match not to miss, and the 236th edition certainly is no exception. However, this match will be especially crucial given Liverpool's troubling downward spiral. The Reds will come into this tie having lost three consecutive matches and as a result have slid down the table into sixth place. Meanwhile, the Blues, who were once on top of the league table after a blistering start, have settled back down into eighth spot - but could potentially leapfrog their rivals (provided they pick up at least a point in their upcoming midweek tie vs Man City).
West Ham vs Tottenham: The Hammers have been in strong form lately - but the same can't be said for London rivals Tottenham. The visitors, who now have moved up into fifth place thanks to three wins from their last five, will certainly be looking to heap more misery on Jose Mourinho's squad, who have plummeted down the table into eighth spot with four losses from their last five matches.
Arsenal vs Manchester City: The league leaders, who now boast a seven point lead over city rivals Manchester United, could possibly expand that gap to double digits with a win at the Emirates. Although Arsenal recently ended their three game winless streak (with two losses) thanks to a win over Leeds United, Mikel Arteta's side are barely hanging on to a spot in the top half of the table, and sit eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who occupy the last Champions League berth.
In addition, City have a game in hand, so by the time this match comes around, they could be already ten points clear - should they beat Everton on Wednesday.
Manchester United vs Newcastle United: The Red Devils have had an excellent 201 so far, with just one loss in the league to date. Although Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have stumbled lately, with three draws from their last four matches, they've still not given up hope at catching City at the top of the table. That naturally will have to start on Sunday with a vital win over Newcastle at Old Trafford, especially as they will next have to take on both Chelsea and crucially, Manchester City on the road in their next two games.
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