Round 13 of the 2024-25 Premier League season concluded with Liverpool firmly atop the table, holding a commanding nine-point lead following their 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
Chasing them are Arsenal and Chelsea, who occupy second and third place, respectively. Arsenal’s emphatic 5-2 triumph over West Ham on Saturday was followed by Chelsea’s convincing 3-0 win against Aston Villa on Sunday.
These results left both London clubs with nearly identical records, including a 1-1 draw in their recent London derby before the international break. ..Continue Reading
So far this season, Arsenal and Chelsea have each secured seven wins, four draws, and two losses. Both have scored 26 goals while conceding 12. Despite this identical performance, Arsenal sit ahead of Chelsea in the standings.
This isn’t due to alphabetical order but rather the Premier League’s tiebreaking rules. When teams are level on points, the rankings are determined by goal difference, followed by goals scored, and then head-to-head results.
If these criteria are still inconclusive, the next factor is the number of away goals scored in matches between the tied teams.
Since Chelsea have not yet played away at Arsenal this season, they haven’t scored any away goals against the Gunners.
As a result, Gabriel Martinelli’s 60th-minute goal during the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on November 10 currently gives Arsenal the edge.
However, the standings are set to evolve quickly, with 19 matches scheduled this week. Arsenal will host Manchester United on Wednesday before traveling to Fulham on Sunday. Meanwhile, Chelsea face Southampton away on Wednesday and Tottenham away on Sunday.
In the extremely rare event that Arsenal and Chelsea end the season tied on points, goal difference, goals scored, and their head-to-head records—including away goals—it could necessitate the Premier League’s fifth tiebreaker: a one-off playoff at a neutral venue.
According to the Premier League handbook, such a playoff would only occur if the teams’ final positions influence the title race, European qualification, or relegation.
The league would determine the timing, format, and venue. Notably, this rule has never been invoked since the Premier League’s inception in 1992.
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