Footy Power Rankings: City reigns supreme as Juventus gains ground

Taking into consideration recent domestic and continental results, along with underlying stats, we'll try to figure out which clubs are among Europe's elite.

1. Manchester City (1st in Premier League)

Previous rank: 1st

The discussion isn't about whether Manchester City will win the Premier League title, but how long it can go before losing a single match. Pep Guardiola's side has overcome nearly every challenge along its historic winning streak, breaking through bulwarks to score a whopping 56 goals this season. The fact City's beaten the Premier League's other Champions League teams by a combined 12-2 score tells it all.

2. Barcelona (1st in La Liga)

Previous rank: 5th

One of just three teams in the top five European league to remain undefeated, Barcelona has established a strong foundation at the back. By emphasising the importance of pressing and switching to a basic 4-4-2, manager Ernesto Valverde has restored Barcelona's equilibrium. But that doesn't mean Barcelona's neglected its attack. It still monopolises possession and creates tonnes of chances, hitting the woodwork an unfortunate 17 times this season. Paulinho's been a massive, if unexpected help in the absence of Ousmane Dembele, and Lionel Messi is already on 18 goals this season.

3. Paris Saint-Germain (1st in Ligue 1)

Previous rank: 2nd

Despite retaining top spot in Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain showed in a 3-1 reverse to Bayern Munich that it still has a lot of work to do to claim European supremacy. Thomas Muller suggested the media has overhyped PSG, and he may have a point. Its defence is still creaky and it lacks a reliable anchor in midfield. PSG will always score goals - its counter-attack has become a deadly weapon - but it in no sense exudes the same air of invincibility that City and Barcelona have so far conveyed.

4. Bayern Munich (1st in Bundesliga)

Previous rank: 3rd

It's not always been pretty, but Jupp Heynckes has reinvigorated Bayern. The decorated Bavarian side has won all but a single contest since mid-October, thanks in no small part to an uptick in defensive performances. Jerome Boateng is looking like his old, composed self, and Niklas Sule is emerging as a dominant presence. It's no coincidence Bayern's collected eight clean sheets since Heynckes returned. His players have shown incredible resolve, winning 1-0 in each of the past three Bundesliga matches.

5. Juventus (2nd in Serie A)

Previous rank: 9th

Juventus seems to have normalised its performances after a skittish start to the campaign. Unlike the first few matches, the six-time defending Serie A champion has relied less on the match-winning abilities of Paulo Dybala and more on the efforts of the collective unit. Massimiliano Allegri's found success with a 4-3-3 formation, adding an extra man in midfield to help the slower Miralem Pjanic and Sami Khedira. Juventus has also tidied things up at the back, registering six consecutive clean sheets across all competitions.

6. Inter (3rd in Serie A)

Previous rank: 4th

Saturday's shocking 3-1 defeat to Udinese brought an end to Inter's unbeaten run in Serie A and also reminded the club of its shortcomings. The Nerazzurri has largely overachieved this season with players who shouldn't be starting on a regular basis. Davide Santon was exposed by Udinese, culpable on the first goal and guilty of a handball in the penalty area. Inter's found ways to win matches on its off days, but it couldn't cash in on its dominance in possession Saturday.

7. Atletico Madrid (2nd in La Liga)

Previous rank: 11th

It's easy to forget that Atletico Madrid is still unbeaten in La Liga and Barcelona's primary challenger. Diego Simeone's side made headlines after crashing out of the Champions League, but its domestic status is just fine. Atletico owes a lot of its success to goalkeeper Jan Oblak and defenders Stefan Savic and Diego Godin, with goals at the other end coming at a premium.

8. Napoli (1st in Serie A)

Previous rank: 10th

Even though Napoli dropped out of the Champions League, it's still in a good position to win Serie A for the first time since 1990. Not just preoccupied with playing pretty football, Maurizio Sarri's side has found ways to grind out marginal victories. That grit is especially vital at a time when Dries Mertens isn't scoring. The Belgian's last goal in Serie A came on Oct. 29, putting more pressure on Napoli's midfielders to pitch in.

9. Chelsea (3rd in Premier League)

Previous rank: 7th

Although manager Antonio Conte conceded the Premier League title after Chelsea's shocking capitulation to West Ham, his team hasn't exactly underperformed. With eight wins in its past 10 league matches, the Blues have tried their best to keep pace with City's record-breakers. If there is a criticism, however, it's that Chelsea's left things a little too close. Conte's men failed to put Southampton to bed on Saturday, and remain susceptible to disappointing drops in intensity.

10. Manchester United (2nd in Premier League)

Previous rank: 6th

Many lamented Manchester United's negative approach in the local derby against "noisy neighbour" City. The feeling is that players haven't developed under Jose Mourinho quite like City's charges have under Guardiola. Romelu Lukaku may be tracking back and helping his defenders, but in the biggest games, he's often found himself isolated and with too much to do. United's also struggled to kill off matches, allowing late lifelines to opponents.

11. Liverpool (4th in Premier League)

Previous rank: 12th

When Liverpool wins, it tends to do it big. Sunday's 4-0 victory over Bournemouth marked the Reds' 14th match with three or more goals scored. And with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Philippe Coutinho all firing, it's not difficult to understand how Liverpool can be so prolific. But Jurgen Klopp's put results at risk in recent weeks as he manages his players' load. Many supporters were left frustrated with the German's decision to rest Firmino and Coutinho in the Merseyside derby.

12. Valencia (3rd in La Liga)

Previous rank: 8th

Losses to Getafe and Eibar have dented Valencia's unlikely title challenge. Injuries and suspensions wreaked havoc on Marcelino's team selections as of late, but more importantly, they reminded everyone how little depth this team has. As great as Valencia's story has been, it may not have the legs to last the entire season.

13. Real Madrid (4th in La Liga)

Previous rank: 15th

Becoming the first team to defend the Club World Cup title, Real Madrid once again flexed its muscles on the biggest stage. On the whole, however, Madrid has a lot of catching up to do. It sits in third in La Liga and faces a tough Champions League encounter with PSG. What's worse, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo still haven't played a single minute together this season.

14. Roma (4th in Serie A)

Previous rank: 13th

Roma's not looking so sharp anymore. Draws with Genoa and Chievo highlighted the Giallorossi's problems in front of goal and inefficient use of possession. Edin Dzeko has shown virtually no desire to defend his scoring title, netting just one goal in his past 12 matches. The return of Patrik Schick should offer the Bosnian some reprieve.

15. Lokomotiv Moscow (1st in Russian Premier League)

Previous rank: N/A

Winner of its Europa League group and leader of the Russian Premier League, Lokomotiv Moscow is one of Europe's surprise packages. Yuri Semin's side broke for the long winter break after securing a sixth consecutive win in all competitions. Thirty-three-year-old Jefferson Farfan has led the way with 10 goals in his past eight club matches.

On the cusp: Lyon, PSV, Schalke, Tottenham

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)