Liverpool 10 points clear & Chelsea relegated? The Premier League table if games started at HT

It’s getting to crunch time in the Premier League, With just eight games left for most teams, there is still plenty to play for at both ends of the table. As we enter the run-in for this season’s enthralling title race betweenLiverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, and the nervy relegation battle with a number of teams still unsafe, every point now matters more than ever. And with the new laws introduced this campaign for lengthier stoppage times to combat time wasting, teams need to stay concentrated for almost 100 minutes or more most weeks. 

Late goals have also been a prominent occurrence, highlighted by Chelsea’s late turnaround against Manchester United this Thursday, where the Blues scored in the 99th and 101st minute to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. But who are the best teams at pulling it around and fighting back from behind, and who are the Premier League’s serial bottlers? Here at Transfermarkt, we have compiled what the Premier League table would look like if only the second halves of games counted this season, and it made for some baffling results. If it's of course 'ifs and buts', but it tells you a lot about which teams start fast and which sides finish strongly.

The Premier League table if games started at half-time this season

Chelsea fans might want to look away now. Remarkably, if only the second halves of matches counted, the Blues would currently be in the relegation zone in 18th place in the Premier League. They would be eight places and 13 points worse off than their current 10th position with 43 points. Despite their own late turnaround against Man United, Mauricio Pochettino’s team have conceded 32 goals in the second halves of games this season, and 16 after the 75th minute alone. Getting relegated alongside Chelsea would be the far more predictable duo of Burnley (19th) and Sheffield United (20th).

The table makes for much better reading for Liverpool fans, who if games had started at half-time, would be biting their nails a lot less going into the run-in. The Reds would be 10 points clear of second placed Arsenal. Incredibly, Liverpool have scored 26 goals between the 76th minute and full-time in the Premier League this season - 10 goals more than any other team on that list. Tottenham’s Champions League hopes would be looking a lot healthier too, with Spurs situated in third place, four points above Man City in the table from second halves alone. 

Other standouts in the top half include Brighton, who would be sixth in the table, just three points behind fifth placed Aston Villa, and Fulham who would be in seventh position and set for Europa Conference League football. At the other end of the scale, it also makes for bitter reading for Man United fans. Most followers of the Red Devils are frustrated enough at being sixth in the table, and over 20 points off of league leaders Liverpool. But in a second half table alone, Erik ten Hag’s team would be as low as 13th place in the division. One place behind Luton, who would have safety pretty much confirmed in 12th place.