Headline: Premier League Sees Significant Drop in Competitive Gap This Season
Last season, the Premier League showcased a level of competitiveness not seen in years. The disparity between champions Arsenal and bottom-placed Wolves was 65 points, which aligns with the average of 63 points observed over a full 38-game season. However, a significant transformation occurred in the mid-table standings.
Since the division was condensed to 20 teams in the 1995-96 season, the gap between the top four and the bottom three teams—often separating those in the Champions League from those relegated to the Championship—has typically widened. This trend stemmed from the ‘larger’ clubs benefitting from their European campaigns and the associated financial benefits of consistently higher placements in the league.
Remarkably, last season, this gap diminished from 44 points in the 2024-25 season to just 26 points—the narrowest margin in 23 years, previously seen in the 2002-03 season when it was 25 points.
The opportunity to secure European places also improved, with Aston Villa achieving Champions League qualification by finishing two positions higher despite accruing one fewer point than the previous season when they placed seventh.
Additionally, Liverpool secured the ‘bonus’ Champions League spot by finishing fifth, but their points total of 60 marked the lowest for a club in that position in 19 years, a tally that would have placed them ninth in the 2024-25 season.
Bournemouth and Sunderland capitalized on the situation, each needing fewer points than usual; they qualified for European competition for the first time in their history and for the first time in over half a century, respectively.
Last season, the Premier League was arguably more competitive than it has been for years.
While the 65 points between champions Arsenal and bottom side Wolves was around the average for a 38-game season (63), a real revolution took place in mid-table.
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Since the league was reduced to 20 teams in 1995-96, the gap between the top four and the bottom three – between what has often been the Champions League and the Championship – had been increasing as the seasons went by, with the ‘bigger’ clubs profiting from their European adventures and the extra money they earned by regularly finishing higher in the table.
But last season, the gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ of the Premier League dropped from 44 points in 2024-25 to just 26 points – the smallest distance for 23 years (since 25 points in 2002-03).
The European places were more attainable than they had been for years. Despite taking a point fewer than when they finished seventh the season before, Aston Villa clinched Champions League qualification by finishing two places higher.
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While Liverpool took the ‘bonus’ Champions League place by finishing fifth, their points total of 60 was the lowest by a side finishing there for 19 years and would have put them ninth in 2024-25.
Bournemouth and Sunderland also took full advantage of needing fewer points than normal by qualifying for European competition for the first time ever and for over half a century respectively.
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