Premier League 2020/21: Average points tallies over past ten years, records and more
The Premier League fixtures have been released with Liverpool aiming to defend their domestic crown after ending the 30-year wait for glory.
The Reds bounced back from disappointment in 2018/19 by beating Manchester City with an 18-point cushion.
The 99 points posted by Liverpool wasn't enough to break City's 100 points record in 2017/18; Jurgen Klopp and his squad would have been satisfied enough with the title though.
Despite being the current holders, Liverpool go into the new campaign as second-favourites with City fancied to reclaim the trophy in May.
Chelsea were successful in 2016/17 and they managed to post a huge 93 point tally. That saw them finish seven points ahead of Tottenham in second, and 32 points in front of Everton who ended in seventh.
The champions securing 88 or more points has become a regular occurrence in recent seasons; although Leicester's unthinkable success in 2015/16 came with just 81 points on the board.
88 points or more has been posted by six of the ten teams to win it across the last ten seasons. However, based on that period, 90 points is the average required to lift the Premier League trophy, although it's likely that they will need at least three more victories on top of that based on recent trends.
For European football, a top-six spot guarantees an appearance in the Champions League or Europa League, alongside those who are successful in the cups. That said, the majority of clubs at the upper end of the league will be aiming for top-four.
Average points tallies over past ten seasons (2010/11 to 2019/20)
- Champions: 90.2 points
Highest: 100 - Manchester City in 2017/18
Lowest: 80 - Manchester United in 2010/11
- Top-four finish: 71.3 points
Highest: 79 - Arsenal in 2013/14
Lowest: 66 - Manchester City in 2015/16; Chelsea in 2019/20
- Relegation: 35.1 points
Highest: 39 - Birmingham in 2010/11; Blackpool in 2010/11
Lowest: 33 - Norwich in 2013/14; Swansea in 2017/18
Chelsea's 66 points were enough for a Champions League spot in 2019/20, yet that would have left them level on points with sixth and five behind fourth the season prior.
The average for a Champions League spot has been 71 points over the same period. The likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham are the usually sides to occupy those places, although Leicester did feature when they won the title and narrowly missed out again last season.
For relegation, 35 points is usually the marker that would see a team drop down to the Sky Bet Championship.
Birmingham could consider themselves unlucky having failed to avoid the drop despite 39 points in 2010/11, with Blackpool posting the same tally, while Newcastle were relegation with 37 points in 2016.
Norwich in 2014 and Swansea in 2018 fell below that average with their 33 points seeing them relegated as the third-worst team.
Premier League points records
- Most points in a season: 100 - Manchester City (2017/18)
- Fewest points in a season: 11 - Derby County (2007/08)
- Most home points in a season: 55 - Chelsea (2005/06), Manchester United (2010/11), Manchester City (2011/12), Liverpool (2019/20)
- Fewest home points in a season: 7 - Sunderland (2005/06)
- Most away points in a season: 50 - Manchester City (2017/18)
- Fewest away points in a season: 3 - Derby County (2007/08)
- Most points in a season without winning the league: 97 - Liverpool (2018/19)
- Fewest points in a season while winning the league: 75 - Manchester United (1996/97)
- Most points by a newly-promoted team (38 games): 66 - Ipswich Town (2000/01)
2020/21 Premier League opening weekend fixtures
- Burnley v Manchester United - postponed
- Crystal Palace v Southampton
- Fulham v Arsenal
- Liverpool v Leeds
- Manchester City v Aston Villa - postponed
- Tottenham v Everton
- West Brom v Leicester
- West Ham v Newcastle
- Brighton v Chelsea
- Sheffield United v Wolves
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