The 2024/25 season is just 13 rounds behind and already there has been an oddity in the standings, with Arsenal and Chelsea having identical records.

So why are the Gunners in second place while the Blues are in third?

Here we would like to explain the rules that govern the positions and how they differ from season to end of the campaign.

In the Premier League Handbook, Rules C.4.-C.7 cover the clubs’ positions in the Premier League table.

Here’s what the manual says in full:

C.4. Clubs’ position in the league table is determined by the number of points scored in the competition during that season; with the club with the highest points at the top of the league table and the club with the lowest points at the bottom.
C.5. If two or more clubs have scored the same number of points, their position in the league table is determined by goal difference, i.e. the difference between the total number of goals scored by and against a club in league matches during that season (“goal difference”), and the higher or best ranked club is the club with the higher or highest goal difference.
C.6. If two or more clubs have scored the same number of points and have the same goal difference, the higher or best placed club will be the club that has scored the most goals in league games in the competition that season.
C.7. Subject to rule C.17, if two or more clubs have achieved the same number of points, the same goal difference and the same number of goals in league games in the competition this season, they will be deemed to occupy the same position in the league table.

In short, during a season positions are determined by points won, goal difference and goals scored – in that order.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea have 25 points, having won seven games, drawn four and lost two. Both have scored 26 goals and conceded 14 goals.

So according to the rules above, “they occupy the same position in the league table” – in this case their position is joint second.

However, as in the Premier League table at the beginning of the season, where all teams have zero games played, zero points, zero goals scored or conceded, the 20 teams in the table must be organized according to a certain procedure and it will be an alphabetical one order used.

For this reason, Arsenal traditionally start the season first and are now ahead of Chelsea in the rankings. (So ​​the decision to change the club’s name from The Arsenal in 1914 has, one might say, a fortuitous and positive impact.)

This is not the first time this process has taken place this season.

When Brighton & Hove Albion drew 1-1 with Southampton on Friday evening, they had the same record as Manchester City: 23 points; 22 goals scored; 17 goals conceded. Based on the alphabetical order, Brighton were in second place ahead of City before the champions’ 2-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday resulted in a worse goal difference.

What happens at the end of the season?

However, things look a little different at the end of the season, because then the final score is of course of utmost importance for determining the champions, qualification for European competition and relegation.

At the end of the season, alphabetical order is no longer important.

In the Manual, Rule C.17. on the topic of “Determining table rankings” explains the process here.

C.17. “…if, after the conclusion of the competition, either the league champions or the clubs that are relegated, or the question of qualification for other competitions cannot be resolved because two or more clubs are equal in points, goal difference and goals scored, the relative position in The league table of clubs is determined in the following way:

C.17.1. the total number of points scored by the relevant clubs in the league matches in this season’s competition in which those clubs participate (“head-to-head matches”), with the club having scored the highest number of points in direct matches on the pitch highest position in the league table and the club that has scored the lowest number of points in direct games and occupies the lowest position in the league table;
C.17.2. If the clubs cannot be separated in accordance with Rule C.17.1, the club will score the higher number of goals while the away club will occupy the higher position in the league table in direct games. and C.17.3. If two clubs cannot be separated by application of Rule C.17.1 or C.17.2, a play-off will be held on neutral ground, the format, time and venue of which will be determined by the Board.

In short, how it is during a season: points, goal difference and goals scored – in that order.

If teams cannot be separated based on these criteria, the teams with the better record from their direct games will be placed higher up.

If the two records are identical, the number of away goals scored by the respective teams in the direct games is used to determine the ranking.

If these are also the same, a neutral-site playoff game will be used to determine the final positions.

There has never been a playoff like this in the Premier League, although there have been seasons where two teams had the opportunity to finish with identical records before their records eventually diverged.

Given that the current table is so compact, with only seven points separating second and 13th, could this be the first season to feature such a playoff?