How the 2019/20 Premier League table would look if games ended at half-time

One hundred matches have now been played during the current Premier League campaign.

The 20 clubs have all played 10 games each and the table is beginning to take shape.

Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester City and Chelsea occupy the top four spots after enjoying impressive starts to the season, while Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Manchester United complete the top seven.

At the opposite end of the table, Watford are still looking for their first victory of the season and sit bottom, with Norwich City, Southampton and Newcastle United just above them.

But what would the Premier League table looks like if games finished at half-time? Let’s take a look…

20. Southampton

Change in Position: -2
Points: 4
Change in Points: -4

Southampton, who suffered a humiliating 9-0 defeat against Leicester last week, would be rock bottom of the table if games ended after 45 minutes. This suggests that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men are at least battling in the second half of matches. Perhaps the players haven’t downed tools after all.

19. Watford

Change in Position: +1
Points: 7
Change in Points: +2

Watford would still be in the relegation zone but they’d at least be one place higher with a slightly better points tally.

18. Wolves

Change in Position: -6
Points: 7
Change in Points: -5

Wolves appear to be a second-half team based on these statistics. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side would slide from 12th place to 18th.

17. Norwich City

Change in Position: +2
Points: 8
Change in Points: +1

Norwich would gain one extra point and escape the relegation zone if games ended at half-time.

16. Crystal Palace

Change in Position: -10
Points: 11
Change in Points: -4

Palace have surprised a few people this season but they would slide 10 places if there was no such thing as a second half. Roy Hodgson’s side have gained four points this season thanks to their second-half displays.

15. Sheffield United

Change in Position: -7
Points: 11
Change in Points: -2

It’s all quite congested in the Premier League right now, so although Sheffield United slip from eighth place to 15th in this alternative table, they would actually only lose two of their 13 points.

14. Burnley

Change in Position: -1
Points: 11
Change in Points: -1

Little would change for Burnley if games ended at half-time.

13. Newcastle United

Change in Position: +4
Points: 11
Change in Points: +2

Newcastle would climb from 17th to 13th, gaining two points in the process, if games only lasted 45 minutes.

12. Arsenal

Change in Position: -7
Points: 11
Change in Points: -5

Arsenal fans probably won’t be surprised to see that their team, managed by the under-fire Unai Emery, would slide from fifth to 12th place (losing five points) if the second half of matches didn’t count.

11. Bournemouth

Change in Position: -2
Points: 11
Change in Points: -2

Eddie Howe’s side would slip from the top half of the table into the bottom half.

10. Brighton

Change in Position: +4
Points: 13
Change in Points: +1

Brighton gain a nice boost of four places (but only one point) in this alternative Premier League table.

9. West Ham

Change in Position: +1
Points: 14
Change in Points: +1

West Ham move from 10th place up to ninth, earning themselves an extra point.

8. Everton

Change in Position: +8
Points: 14
Change in Points: +4

An additional four points would move Everton from 16th place up to eighth, suggesting Marco Silva’s side are struggling in the second halves of matches.

7. Leicester City

Change in Position: -4
Points: 14
Change in Points: -6

Leicester have been excellent at the start of the current campaign, helped by their second-half performances. They would lose six of their 20 points if games ended at the end of the first half.

6. Tottenham

Change in Position: +5
Points: 15
Change in Points: +3

Mauricio Pochettino’s side would gain an additional three points, moving them from 11th to sixth.

5. Chelsea

Change in Position: -1
Points: 18
Change in Points: -2

Chelsea would drop two points, moving them from fourth spot to fifth.

4. Aston Villa

Change in Position: +11
Points: 19
Change in Points: +8

Aston Villa would gain a massive eight points, which would see them jump from 11th place up to the top four if games stopped after 45 minutes. Dropping points in the second half of games would appear to be an issue for Dean Smith’s team.

3. Man City

Change in Position: -1
Points: 21
Change in Points: -1

Pep Guardiola’s men would drop one point and a place in the Premier League table.

2. Man Utd

Change in Position: +5
Points: 22
Change in Points: +9

Man Utd obviously have a problem with protecting their leads under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Remarkably, they would be joint top of the Premier League table with 22 points if games stopped at half-time. Time for United fans to start a petition to scrap second halves?