Fans can’t watch football matches in-person yet due to the coronavirus. However, fans do have access to games online after an extended break from football. Players can still sign players, and that can always affect how the League table pans out. The table usually starts to take shape after 9 or 10 games. At that point, we’re a quarter way through the season. And teams begin to cement their positions in the table by the time the winter transfer window opens. As we gear up for the end of the transfer window, we look at how the English Premier League table could shape up at the end of the season.
English Premier League Table
Let’s look at the 2020-2021 Premier League table prediction based on a few key parameters. Some of the parameters include a team’s current form, past form, schedule, transfers, league position, etc., to understand where they’re most likely to end the season.
1. First
Liverpool is favorites to win the Premier League for the 2020-2021 Premier League season. They lifted the trophy at the end of the 2019-2020 season finishing 18 points ahead of Manchester City. Liverpool signed Thiago Alcantara to bolster up the defensive side of their game. Liverpool has conceded several goals since the start of the season but still managed to emerge victoriously.
2. Second
Manchester City finished a close second. The blue club from Manchester has brought in more reinforcements in defense. Thus, making City close in on just under 400 million pounds on just defenders alone. Manchester City is the favorites to finish second and may even challenge Liverpool for the title this season.
3. Third And Fourth
Five teams are contending for the next two spots, which guarantee Champions League qualification. Chelsea and Manchester United clinched these spots last season. However, it’s not going to be the same this season. Apart from Chelsea and United, Spurs, Arsenal, and Leicester will be in contention till the end of the season. Chelsea is the favorite to finish third, with the Spurs settling for fourth.
4. Fifth And Sixth
The fifth and sixth positions are the next most important positions that mid-table teams vie for. Fifth place secures direct Europa League qualification to the group stages. In contrast, the sixth position secures Europa League qualification (or qualifiers to secure a group stage berth). Last season, Leicester and Spurs finished in fifth and sixth positions, respectively. This season, Leicester and Wolves are expected to finish in fifth and sixth positions, respectively.
5. Seventh To Tenth
The remaining four teams constitute the remainder of the top half of the table. Teams are financially incentivized to finish in the top half of the table. Burnley, Sheffield United, Arsenal, and Wolves secured positions 7th to 10th in the table. This season, Arsenal, Wolves, Everton, and Leeds are expected to make up the table’s top half. While Leeds only recently got promoted to the Premier League, they stand an outside chance of finishing in the top 10.
6. Eleventh To Fifteen
The teams in this position constitute the upper portion of the bottom half of the Premier League table. The teams are also called mid-table teams and, more often than not, finish in the same positions season after season. Last season, Southhampton, Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle, and Brighton finished in these positions and are expected to finish in the same places this season.
7. Sixteen And Seventeen
These positions are usually in a relegation battle at the end of the season. The good news for these teams is they get to stay in the Premier League after just narrowly missing relegation. Westham and Aston Villa finished 16th and 17th last season. Of the two, Villa had to wait until the last matchday of the season to confirm they were staying up. Westham is expected to finish at least 16th again, if not better. The other spot will be up for grabs between the teams fighting for relegation.
8. Eighteen To Twenty
The teams that finish at the bottom of the table are relegated to the Championship. Last season, we saw Watford, Norwich, and Bournemouth relegated. This season, WestBrom, Fulham, and Burnley are favorites to get relegated. While relegation isn’t always a straightforward conclusion, teams that just get into the Premier League table have a higher likelihood of getting relegated.
