Alternative 2025-26 Premier League tables reveal shifting leaders and new strengths
BBC Sport and Opta built alternative 2025-26 Premier League tables using metrics such as expected points (xPTS), home/away form, set-pieces, long shots and English goalscorers. The exercise highlights notable shifts: Sunderland would be relegated under xPTS, Aston Villa would finish bottom half, and Chelsea would reach the Champions League; Tottenham would excel away and could qualify for the Europa League in an away-only table, while Everton and Nottingham Forest overperformed on the road and Fulham boasted the strongest home form. Arsenal again feature among the top performers from set-pieces, illustrating how different metrics can reshape the season’s narrative and fuel debate over the value of “expected” data versus real points.
