How Many Teams Have Had 50+ Points At the Premier League Half Way Stage?

At the time writing, Arsenal are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League having just beaten title rival Manchester United 3-2 in a thrilling game at the Emirates. At the halfway stage of the top-flight season, Mikel Arteta’s men have amassed a very impressive total of 50 points from their 19 games.

That is the Gunners’ best halfway points tally in the Premier League era (and five more than they had earned at that stage of their ‘Invincibles’ season in 2003/04). But 50 points is not the most a Premier League side has chalked up at the halfway stage.

So let’s take at a look at the four sides who’ve earned more than 50 points in the Premier League by the halfway stage.

Manchester City 2017/18: 55 points

• Won: 18
• Drawn: 1
• Lost: 0
• Goal Difference: +48
• Final Premier League Position/Points: Champions, 100 points

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City were on fire during the 2017/18 campaign and were already a whopping 13 points clear of nearest rivals Manchester United at the halfway stage of the campaign. They dominated from start to finish and their only disappointment will have been that they could not claim the UEFA Champions League as well. They ended the season on a record-breaking total of 100 points and having scored more goals than any other team in a Premier League season (106).

Given that Arsenal still have 57 points to play for, they could in theory better Man City’s points record, though it will be a tough ask, not least because they still need to play City home and away in the league. Mind you, given their current form anything looks possible, especially as their very young squad only looks set to get better.

Liverpool 2019/20: 55 points

• Won: 18
• Drawn: 1
• Lost: 0
• Goal Difference: +34
• Final Premier League Position: Champions, 99 points

Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool finally and deservedly won their first Premier League title in the 2019/20 season, and they did so in some style. At the halfway stage, the Reds had matched Man City’s record of 55 points from a couple of years earlier. They, too, were well clear of the chasing pack, with Leicester on 42 points and Man City on 41, both of whom had played a game more than Liverpool.

Indeed, such was Liverpool’s dominance during the campaign, they looked well on course to break City’s 100-point record for the season. But it was Arsenal who spoiled things for them when – in Liverpool’s 36th game of 28 – the Gunners beat the Reds 2-1. Liverpool had to settle for a total of 99 points, which isn’t too shabby. And their fans weren’t too bothered given that it was their first top-flight title for 30 years.

Chelsea 2005/06: 52 points

• Won: 17
• Drawn: 1
• Lost: 1
• Goal Difference: +32
• Final Premier League Position: Champions, 91 points

Having guided Chelsea to their first top-flight title in half a century the season before, the self-styled Special One Jose Mourinho proved it was no fluke when his side did the business once again a year later. They started the campaign in ludicrously good form, winning their first nine matches. They stuttered to a poor away draw at Everton in October and went down 1-0 to Man United in early November. But the Blues were still 11 points clear of Man United at the top of the table by the halfway mark.

Chelsea, in common with all the teams on this list, were not quite so effective in the second half of the season and suffered shock defeats to the likes of Middlesbrough, Fulham, Newcastle and Blackburn. But they did enough to win the title with a total of 91 points, eight more than Alex Ferguson’s Man United.

Liverpool 2018/19: 51 points

• Won: 16
• Drawn: 3
• Lost: 0
• Goal Difference: +36
• Final Premier League Position: Runners-ups, 97 points

Liverpool were top at the halfway stage and looking good value for it too. They were unbeaten and there was a lot of talk of them emulating Arenal’s Invincibles and maintaining that throughout the entire season. They had built up a tidy six-point cushion over their nearest rivals Tottenham (yes, you read that correctly!) and Pep Guardiola’s Man City were a further point adrift. Alas, for Liverpool, things went somewhat pear-shaped in the latter stages of the campaign and they somehow contrived to finish second… despite clocking an excellent total of 97 points.

The problem was not that they lost too many games, as they only lost one all season (although, crucially, that was to eventual champions Man City). It was that Liverpool drew too many matches: seven in total and four in the back-half of the campaign. They dropped points against Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal, which is fair enough, but less easy to take were the draws against West Ham and – particularly – local rivals Everton. As it was, Liverpool lost out to City by a single point and in the process, they earned the unwanted record of amassing the most points in a Premier League season without winning the title! That their 97 points would have been enough to win the Premier League in most seasons was scant consolation, as their long weight for a title continued.

Halfway Point Conclusions

As we have seen, in most cases, if a team has amassed 50 or more points by the halfway stage of a Premier League season, they go on to win the title. This bodes well for Arsenal, but they shouldn’t get too ahead of themselves and should certainly take note of what happened to Liverpool in the 2018/19 campaign. It should also be noted that their current five-point lead (albeit with a game in hand), is smaller than many of the other teams who hot the 50-point barrier. And with City the team doing the chasing, the Gunners will be aware that they are facing an opponent with far more experience when it comes to squeaky-bum time in a title duel.

Whether Arsenal do go all the way – and even break City’s 100-point record – remains to be seen. But at the halfway stage, they’ve certainly given themselves a darn good chance of landing their first Premier League title since the Invincibles season of 2003/04. Even the most optimistic of Arsenal fans would not have predicted they would be sitting pretty at the top of the table at the end of January.

They have a young, exciting squad but they are inexperienced in terms of challenging for the title. However, we believe their experience of losing out in the fight for a top-four finish last term will help them and expect them to go on and win the 2022/23 Premier League.

Best Premier League Signings of the Season 2022-23 (So Far)

The January transfer window is in full swing and no doubt some exciting moves will be made over the next fortnight before it closes at 11 pm on 31st January. We have already seen Chelsea splash the cash on Mykhailo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile, and also bring Joao Felix in on loan. Leeds United broke their transfer record to sign young striker Georginio Rutter, Liverpool fought off a lot of competition to land Cody Gakpo and, err, Man United got Wout Weghorst on loan!

It is too early to judge those signings but what we will take a look at now is the many transfers that were made in the summer. In the World Cup-free summer of 2022, PL sides spent around £2bn, an astronomical sum. But which of those players has already well and truly begun to pay back the money invested and who are the signings of the season so far? So, in no particular order …

Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund to Man City, £51m

Embed from Getty Images
Haaland is not an original, controversial or surprising addition to this list but even at a fee of more than £50m, he is undoubtedly one of the best signings of the season. It was always clear that his fee was a steal given that the Norwegian was typically valued at around £150m or more. He has hit the ground running at the Etihad, to say the least, and at the halfway stage of the campaign has already broken a number of records.

At present, despite a shocking barren spell of three games(!) without a goal, the hulking forward has 27 goals in 24 games for City. Quite how many he will end the season with only time will tell but there is no doubt he has been a huge success already.

Casemiro, Real Madrid to Man United, £70m

Embed from Getty Images
Many baulked when United paid £70m (£60m up front) for Brazilian midfielder Casemiro. They believed paying such a huge fee for a player who was 30 years old was a major mistake. Former Reds Gary Neville and Roy Keane felt it was a sign of desperation, especially as the former Real Madrid man was given a five-year contract. However, United boss Erik ten Hag said that his new man was “the cement between the stones” and the Dutchman has been proved right.

Critics queried why Real would ditch a player if he still had a lot to offer but United felt the outlay was worth it for a proven winner. Casemiro has been a huge success, adding steel, leadership, guile and even goals (five goal involvements in 15 Premier League games) to United. The Red Devils are flying at the moment and are in with a great chance of finishing third in the Premier League or better, and Casemiro has undoubtedly been a key player for them. Should he guide United to Champions League qualification, his experience in that competition (he has won it an astonishing five times) will also prove invaluable.

Andreas Pereira, Man United to Fulham, £10m

Embed from Getty Images
Fulham have been one of the surprise packages of the 2022/23 season, and they are sitting pretty in sixth at the time of writing. They have played some exciting attacking football and the 27 year old Brazilian has been a big part of that. He signed for United way back in 2012 and though he played over 70 times for them he never established himself fully.

That fee of £10m, which includes add-ons, really looks like a steal now, with his two goals and five assists in the league helping the Cottagers massively overachieve. His crossing ability from open play and set pieces is a huge asset with a big target man, Aleksandar Mitrovic to aim for. Playing centrally, he has been hugely creative and few players have created more chances this term in the English top flight.

Wilfried Gnonto, FC Zurich to Leeds United, £4m

Embed from Getty Images
That Leeds managed to sign Gnonto, a full Italy international, for a fee of just £4m, was largely down to the fact that the striker was entering the final year of his contract. In addition, he was very young, just 18 at the time, and with little experience. Even so, his capture can only be described as one of the major bargains of the Premier League based on what we have seen so far. Capped at every level by Italy he has a huge future and could prove to be an astonishing signing for the West Yorkshire outfit.

In Leeds’ recent defeat to Aston Villa the attacker, who can play anywhere across the pitch behind a number nine, was superb. Gary Neville, commentating, could not contain his excitement, eulogising endlessly about Gnonto’s understanding of the game and his positional sense, his bravery and his skill. The former Man United man suggested Gnonto looked very much like a Man City player, in terms of his style but Leeds will want to hold onto him for a good while yet. He has a little bit of everything, with pace, control, vision and strength meaning he can beat a man, hold up play, find the killer pass and score as well.

Best Five Players in the EFL Championship

The Premier League is the place to be, but the EFL Championship is one of the best football leagues in the world, and there are a whole host of top players plying their trade in England’s second tier. The Championship is arguably the most unpredictable and exciting division around and is hugely well supported.

Some players use the Championship as a stepping stone to the Premier League, while others work their way up from the lower leagues. The division is glittered with talent and here are the top five Championship players. These are sure to be on the radars of some EPL sides and could get their dream move in the January window.

Ismaila Sarr – Watford

Embed from Getty Images
When Ismaila Sarr arrived at Watford for a reported £30m, big things were expected of the Senegalese star. It has not quite worked out yet, as the Hornets have been relegated from the Premier League twice since his arrival. However, the 24-year-old has bags of potential to flourish in the Championship.

Sarr rose to fame when he netted a brace against Liverpool in the Premier League in February 2020. The 3-0 Watford win ended the Reds’ 44-game unbeaten run in the league.

In terms of transfer value, Sarr is right up there with the highest in the Championship. Can the exciting winger get the goals and assists to fire Watford to another promotion to the Premier League? Or will he get snapped up before then?

Joao Pedro – Watford

Embed from Getty Images
Sarr’s teammate Joao Pedro is also one of the best players currently plying their trade in the Championship. Pedro made the switch to Vicarage Road when Watford were last in this division and helped his side to promotion in his first season.

The attacker is not afraid to run at players, whether out wide or through the middle. Pedro shone in the Premier League at times last term, but the Hornets failed to stay up. The Brazilian is too good for the Championship and will surely be back in the Premier League, one way or another, in the not-so-distant future.

Ben Brereton Diaz – Blackburn Rovers

Embed from Getty Images
Ben Brereton Diaz has been in the form of his life for Blackburn Rovers over the past couple of years or so. Now a fully-fledged Chile international and cult hero, the former Manchester United youth player deserves his chance in the Premier League.

Diaz’s goals of late have turned Rovers into genuine promotion candidates. Last term, Brereton Diaz scored 22 Championship goals, with just Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dominic Solanke netting more. He was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League last summer, and it is surely only a matter of time until we see the Stoke-born striker grace the promised land.

Max Aarons – Norwich City

Embed from Getty Images
When Max Aarons broke on to the scene at Carrow Road in 2018, the full-back caught the eye right away. In January 2022, Aarons made his 150th appearance for Norwich in a Premier League match against West Ham United, which shows how far he has come in such a short space of time.

Keeping Aarons at Carrow Road as they push for yet another promotion to the Premier League will be high on Norwich’s priority list, but Aarons is destined for another crack at top-flight football. The former England U21 international is without question one of the best defenders in the Championship and offers plenty in attack too.

Josh Brownhill – Burnley

Embed from Getty Images
Josh Brownhill was mightily impressive for Bristol City from 2016 to 2020, with Sean Dyche bringing him to Burnley in the Premier League as a reward. The midfielder has been consistent and has become a vital cog in Burnley’s midfield machine since arriving at Turf Moor.

Brownhill can burst forward and has chipped in with some important goals. His passing is effective, and he can drop back and defend when called upon too.

The Clarets were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2021-22 season, with Brownhill featuring in 35 of their 38 league games. The Lancashire club look a good bet to make an instant return to the top flight under Vincent Kompany, and Brownhill will no doubt play a huge role in their success if they go on to secure promotion.