EPL Table Week 26: Biggest Developments from Saturday's Action

Another weekend, another crazy Premier League matchday. This year has been particularly loopy in England, and that continued on a Saturday highlighted by Arsenal's 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Liverpool.

Chelsea also moved top of the table after their 3-0 win over Newcastle and Manchester City's 0-0 draw with Norwich City. The top three clubs are separated by a mere two points, and even the Reds may still harbor title ambitions, as they're six points off the Blues.

Here's a look at the EPL table after Saturday's results.

EPL Table Matchday 25
Pos. Club P W D L GD Pts.
1 Chelsea 25 17 5 3 27 56
2 Arsenal 25 17 4 4 22 55
3 Manchester City 25 17 3 5 41 54
4 Liverpool 25 15 5 5 33 50
5 Everton 24 12 9 3 12 45
6 Tottenham 24 13 5 6 -1 44
7 Manchester United 24 12 4 8 10 40
8 Newcastle 25 11 4 10 -2 37
9 Southampton 25 9 9 7 7 36
10 Swansea 25 7 6 12 -3 27
11 Hull City 25 7 6 12 -5 27
12 Aston Villa 25 7 6 12 -9 27
13 Stoke City 25 6 8 11 -14 26
14 Crystal Palace 25 8 2 15 -16 26
15 West Ham 25 6 7 12 -7 25
16 Norwich 25 6 7 12 -18 25
17 Sunderland 25 6 6 13 -13 24
18 West Brom 25 4 11 10 -8 23
19 Cardiff 25 5 6 14 -25 21
20 Fulham 24 6 1 17 -31 19
WhoScored.com

Among the day's eight matches, these were three of the biggest developments.

And Arsenal's annual midseason malaise begins
Any discussion of Saturday's results must begin and end with Liverpool's 5-1 demolition of Arsenal at Anfield. It was perhaps the most comprehensive defeat of a top side in the Premier League this year, more so than the Gunners' 6-3 loss to Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur's 5-0 home defeat to the Reds and 6-0 loss to City at the Etihad.

Liverpool could very easily have had six goals, had Kolo Toure not mucked a glorious opportunity in front of an open goal or if Luis Suarez's shot right before that had been a couple of inches to the right.

Apologies to any Reds supporters, but the praise of the winners ends now, as it's time to have a talk about how bad Arsenal truly were.

The Gunners came into the match with the best record away from home in the league.

Yet time and again, they were ripped apart on the counter, with Daniel Sturridge's goal standing out the most. Mesut Ozil lost the ball in midfield, Philippe Coutinho threaded a through ball up to Sturridge, and he scored. So simple, yet so effective.

Speaking of Ozil, he was shocking on Saturday, posting what was easily his worst performance since arriving at the Emirates. Bleacher Report UK posted an image one Redditor used to aptly sum up the German midfielder's performance:


Of course, Ozil isn't solely to blame. Even Arsene Wenger—somebody who's always quick to defend his players from public criticism—couldn't hold back after the match.

"Only our fans were good today," he said, per The Guardian's Daniel Taylor. "We played in slow motion."

The Gunners have what could be a tricky match against Manchester United on Wednesday, and after that it's Liverpool again in the FA Cup and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
You don't want to overstate things too much, but that could be a season-defining stretch of games for the club.

Remember the 2010-11 season when Arsenal lost the League Cup final against Birmingham City, were bounced out of the Champions League by Barcelona and had successive Premier League draws against Sunderland, West Brom and Blackburn?

Yeah, it could be like that.

Chelsea roll while Manchester City struggle
The way in which Chelsea brushed aside Newcastle was scary. Sure the Magpies are struggling without Yohan Cabaye in the side, but that doesn't negate how good the Blues were.

Moussa Sissoko had a great chance to make it 1-1 in the 33rd minute. He missed, and then it was all Chelsea. That's how small the margin of error was for Newcastle.

Jose Mourinho's side may be the best counterattackers in Europe.

Chelsea's second goal was evidence of that fact. Eden Hazard sliced through the defence, passed it off to Samuel Eto'o, who back-heeled the ball perfectly back to Hazard, who slid it past Tim Krul. The beauty was in the simplicity.

Squawka had a nifty graphic of how the goal developed:

As ESPN FC said, though, Eto'o's assist was arguably better than the goal itself.

Compare all of this to Manchester City's 0-0 draw with Norwich City.
What is it about City that makes them such a different side away from home? Norwich are a tough side at Carrow Road, conceding 11 goals in 11 matches, but there's no excuse for a team competing for a title to come away from this match with one point.

While it's too early to hit the panic button, between the 1-0 home loss to Chelsea and draw with Norwich, City have dropped valuable points that could prove pivotal at the end of the season.


Doesn't anybody want that parachute payment?
For yet another week, the bottom half of the table remains a jumbled mess. The clubs 10th through 20th are separated by eight points, and only five points stands between 20th-placed Fulham and safety. The Cottagers could move into 19th on Sunday with a win after Cardiff City's 3-0 defeat to Swansea City.

It was a big win for the Swans, as it was their first match since Michael Laudrup's sacking. Garry Monk is taking over in the Dane's place, and he couldn't hide his pride after the victory, per BBC Sport.

"This is my proudest part," he said. "The players were magnificent."

Perhaps this win can reignite Swansea's season after that brutal run of league results.
In terms of the relegation battle, West Ham helped themselves a lot with their 2-0 win over Aston Villa. The Hammers moved into 15th place, as West Brom dropped into 18th.

It was what you'd consider a Sam Allardyce performance, as West Ham had 32 percent possession and two shots on target, according to WhoScored. That style isn't pleasing on the eyes, but it could help the club avoid the drop.

At the other end of the spectrum is Cardiff, as their loss to Swansea keeps them entrenched in 19th.

Sacking Malky Mackay in favor of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a manager with no previous first-team managerial experience in England, looked a risk at the time, and so far, it's not working out at all.

Managers like Allardyce and Tony Pulis have experience of keeping clubs out of the drop zone, and that looks like it could be the difference at the end of the season.

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Olympic Speedskating 2014: Full Projections for Sport's Biggest Stars

One of the most anticipated events of the Winter Olympics is speedskating, and there are a few superstars getting set to dominate the field when the action kicks off in Sochi.

One day after the opening ceremony, on Feb. 8, the first race (men's 5,000 meters) took place at Adler Arena, with Dutch skaters sweeping the podium. 14 days later, on Feb. 22, the men's and women's team pursuits will close out the action, with 12 medal events in total throughout the two-week bonanza.

Athletes from all across the globe will compete in these Games, and the pressure to perform at their best will be intense.

“I definitely think there’s going to be pressure,” U.S. Olympian Heather Richardson said, as noted by the Associated Press, via The Columbus Dispatch. “I’ve just got to remember to take deep breaths and have fun. That’s when I skate my best.”

Here's a look at what to expect from the top speedskating stars at the 2014 Winter Games.


Shani Davis, USA

Koji Sasahara/Associated Press
Shani Davis is the biggest star on a loaded U.S. team that could make some serious waves at Sochi. The 31-year-old Olympics veteran will be attempting to earn a three-peat in the men's 1,000-meter race after winning gold in 2006 and 2010.

He's also going to be competing in the 1,500-meter race—an event he's finished in second place the past two Winter Games.

Davis is still extremely driven to succeed, despite his past success.

"Anytime I step out on the ice and I put my hood on, I have something to prove," he said, as relayed by Paul Newberry of the Associated Press, via the Evanston Review. "It's not easy. These guys are getting stronger and stronger."

With younger skaters like Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands and Zbigniew Brodka of Poland coming on strong in recent years, Davis will need to bring his A-game to Sochi if he wants to continue building his legacy as an all-time great.

Projections: Davis will once again claim gold in the 1,000-meter race, and he'll win bronze in the 1,500-meter race.


Martina Sablikova, Czech Republic

You know you're a star when people start calling you, "The queen of skating."

This is the moniker Czech superstar Martina Sablikova earned after winning double-gold in the women's 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter races during the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

She won the gold in the 5,000-meter race at the Sochi World Championships in 2013, which was her sixth straight world title in the event, as NBC's Amanda Doyle pointed out:

Sablikova also won a silver in the 3,000-meter race during those championships, and she'll be favored to finish on the podium in both races during the Winter Games.

At this point, it seems the only thing that could slow her down in her favored 5,000-meter race is her own health, which caused some problems in 2013, as detailed by Reuters, via NBCOlympics.com:

Last year her back caused her problems while a groin injury was to blame for her last placed finish in the 1500m World Cup event in Salt Lake City in November.

Sablikova says she feels 'good now', though, and results have confirmed that theory. She leads the 3,000m/5,000m World Cup standings after three wins in four events this year.

Projections: Sablikova will win gold again in the 5,000-meter race and silver in the 3,000-meter race.


Heather Richardson, USA

Heather Richardson of the United States is the biggest challenger to Canada's Christine Nesbitt, who has seen her status as the top women's star in the 1,000-meter race diminish in the past year or so.

In fact, Richardson's biggest competition could come from her own team, as Brittany Bowe will push her to the limit. The two American stars are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the World Cup standings for the 1,000-meter race, with Richardson holding down the top spot.

She spoke about the benefit of having a top competitor for a teammate recently, via The Columbus Dispatch:

We’re teammates, friends, competitors and roommates. It’s really special to have one of the fastest, if not the fastest, girl in the world on my team, working with me day in and day out. We’re really lucky to have each other.

Richardson will compete in three races—the 500-meter sprint, the 1,000-meter and the 1,500-meter races. She's the favorite to win the 1,000-meter and should finish on the podium in the 500-meter, but it will be surprising if she medals in the longer race.

Projections: Richardson will win bronze in the 500-meter sprint, gold in the 1,000 meters and will finish off the podium in the 1,500-meter race.

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Olympic Figure Skating 2014: Power Ranking Biggest Gold-Medal Favorites

USA TODAY Sports 223 Reads 0 Comments The figure skating events at the Winter Olympics are the highlight of the Games for many viewers. The 2014 Sochi Olympics features a few stars who are heavily favored to win gold in their respective disciplines, and they'll be difficult to knock off when the competitions begin.
There's a new twist to the format this time around. For the first time ever, a team contest will take place (it began on Feb. 6, the day before the opening ceremony). Brian Cazeneuve of SI.com breaks down the event and provides a bit of perspective about what it could mean:
Ten teams will choose an entry from each of the four disciplines (men, women, pairs and dance) with the top five advancing to a set of long programs in the final. The new event will give another chance for some of the sport's traditional powers (the U.S., Canada, Russia and Japan, among others) to battle for another medal.
It's not surprising that another big event was added, considering the immense global popularity of figure skating.
Upsets occur every four years as the world's best come together for these Winter Games. Pressure sometimes forges an unbreakable will to win, while other times it can cause elite athletes to wither and wilt when it's time to perform.
It's unlikely this year's events will be any different. While there are heavy favorites to win in every discipline, fans should expect to see at least one surprising winner emerge from the fray.
That said, favorites are favorites for a reason. Here's a look at the top gold-medal figure skating favorites for the 2014 Winter Olympics, ranked according to their overall level of dominance leading up to the Games.

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EPL Week 25 Predictions: Projecting Top Performers and Biggest Surprises

Premier League Week 24 will be remembered for Jose Mourinho's tactical wizardry, David Moyes' continued heartache and the impact of a swinging arm attached to the behemoth that is Andy Carroll.
The recently red-carded West Ham forward failed to see his ban overturned, as reported by BBC Sport, so he can't be taken into consideration for the projected top performers of Week 25. Thankfully, there's a division full of in-form souls to do exactly that.
Below, I'll weigh up the most likely stars across the coming week, as well as the biggest potential surprises.


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Los Angeles Kings 5 Biggest Questions Ahead of the Olympic Break

With the Olympic break fast approaching, the Los Angeles Kings are trending in the wrong direction.
They've lost nine of their past 10 games and have just one game left against the Columbus Blue Jackets before the NHL shuts down for two weeks.
There is no shortage of questions or concerns in Los Angeles. The most important being the lack of offense.
With that in mind, here are the five biggest questions for L.A. heading into the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Stats courtesy of NHL.com.

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Olympic Figure Skating 2014: Biggest Threats Facing Gold-Medal Favorites

Figure skating is one of the most highly anticipated Winter Olympics events every four years, and there's sure to be some stiff competition for the gold in 2014 at Sochi. 

South Korea's Yuna Kim is the gold-medal favorite on the woman's side, while Canada's Patrick Chan carries the same distinction in the men's competition.

Both skaters have impressed heading into the Winter Games, but they'll need to continue putting their best foot forward to live up to expectations. 

Upsets are a natural part of competition, and it won't be surprising in the least if Kim or Chan is overtaken by one of their top challengers. 

Here's a look at the men and women who will put Kim and Chan to the test when the action commences in Sochi in the 2014 Olympic Games. 

 

Top Challengers to Yuna Kim

Kim won gold at the 2010 Olympic Games, smashing a world record in the process. She took time off but came back strong before these upcoming Games, winning the world title in 2013.

Here's a look at the women with the best chance of beating her in Sochi.

 

Mao Asada, Japan

Japan's Mao Asada was the silver medalist in the 2010 Winter Games behind Kim, and she'll be her top challenger once again in Sochi. 

She earned a bronze medal in the 2013 World Championships and gold medals in both the Four Continents Championships and the 2013-14 Grand Prix, showing continued development throughout. 

Former coach Tatiana Tarasova believes Asada has what it takes to bring home the gold, as relayed by Ryusuke Hirai of The Asahi Shimbun:

My dream is to have an athlete reach the pinnacle at the Olympics by performing a perfect routine to the great music of Rachmaninoff. I’m confident that Mao is the only one who will be able to allow me to realize my dream.

While Tarasova is no longer Asada's coach, she did help choreograph her free-skate routine, which features “Piano Concerto No. 2”  by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, per Hirai. 

Asada has the chops to pull it all together and make a perfect run. Now all she has to do is make it happen with the world watching. 

 

Yulia Lipnitskaia, Russia

It's going to take a fearless performance from 15-year-old Russian sensation Yulia Lipnitskaia to take down the two heavy favorites in Sochi.

She won a silver medal in the 2013-14 Grand Prix Final behind Asada and most recently claimed gold at the 2014 European Championships in Budapest on her way to the Winter Games. 

“I think Lipnitskaia could be the surprise of the Olympics,” said Tara Lipinski, the American who won the gold medal at age 15, via Patrick Reevell of the New York Times. 

It will be fascinating to see how the teenage star handles the immense pressure of competing on the world's grandest stage. Young phenoms like her and Lipinski must conquer their fears in order to utilize their superior skill against the world's best. 

 

Top Challengers to Patrick Chan

Unlike Kim, Chan has yet to win an Olympic medal of any color. However, after finishing in fifth place in his native Vancouver in 2010, the Canadian star has rattled off three straight world titles.

He's gotten even hotter heading into Sochi, too, breaking three records in an amazing display at the 2013 ISU Grand Prix in Paris, France.

These are the men who have the best shot at derailing Chan's Olympic dreams.

 

Denis Ten, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan's Denis Ten burst onto the international scene at the 2013 World Championships, finishing in second place behind Chan.

It was a shocking showing that included a win in the free program, prompting Brian Cazeneuve of SI.com to make this statement: "Kazakhstan's Denis Ten...is now considered a threat to take gold in Sochi, especially if Canada's Patrick Chan, the world champ and Olympic favorite, falters again like he did at the end of his long program."

A couple of minor gold medals highlight Ten's recent activity. The talent is surely in place for the Kazakh to win the gold at Sochi. He'll need to put on the show of his life, however, to take down the surging Chan. 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu, Japan

Speaking of skaters who are surging, Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu comes into Sochi fresh off his gold-medal performance at the latest Grand Prix Final in Fukuoka. 

He set a new world record in the short program as part of his phenomenal showing, earning a score of 99.84, beating Chan's mark of 98.52, per Yahoo! Sports.

Head coach Brian Orser, who guided Yuna Kim to her gold in 2010, discussed how Hanyu has thrived under the pressure of becoming a favorite, per Wakako Yuki of The Japan News, via TheStar.com:

I think it is really good for Yuzuru’s mentality, as he wants to be considered a contender. He’s better when he is considered a contender and works harder. I think it is also good for the sport and makes it more interesting, as there has been a clear favourite the last couple of seasons.

Another huge performance matching his Grand Prix Final routine will surely give Hanyu a reasonable shot at achieving the gold medal in Sochi. 

 
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