Revealed: The rare reason Arsenal are above Chelsea in the Premier League – despite being level on points, goal difference AND goals scored
- Arsenal and Chelsea appear to have identical Premier League records this season
- But the Gunners are currently ahead of the Blues because of a little-known rule
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Round 13 of the 2024/25 Premier League season ended with Liverpool nine points clear at the top of the table after a 2-0 win over Man City.
Their nearest challengers appear to be Arsenal and Chelsea, who are second and third respectively.
The Gunners beat West Ham 5-2 on Saturday evening, before the Blues beat Aston Villa 3-0 a day later.
These results left Arsenal and Chelsea with seemingly identical records, including sharing the points in a 1–1 draw in the London derby before the international break.
Both London clubs have now won seven games, drawn four and lost two in the Premier League this season. Both scored 26 goals and conceded twelve.
So why are Arsenal currently ahead of Chelsea in the table?
Chelsea defeated Aston Villa 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League
Arsenal had defeated West Ham United 5-2 at the London Stadium less than 24 hours earlier
Those results left Arsenal and Chelsea with seemingly identical records in the league table
Many people will probably assume that it is based on alphabetical order, with A coming before C in the alphabet, but that is not the case here.
The real reason Arsenal are currently ahead of Chelsea is because of what happened last month when the two sides drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge.
In terms of dividing teams by points, Premier League rules dictate that the first method of separating them should be goal difference, followed by goals scored, followed by which team collected the most points during matches between the two sides.
If these first three methods cannot split them, the team that scored the most away goals during their head-to-head matches will be the fourth criterion.
Chelsea have not yet played away to Arsenal this season and have therefore not scored any away goals against the Gunners.
So at the moment the only thing between them in the table is Gabriel Martinelli’s 60th-minute strike at Stamford Bridge on November 10.
However, the table will soon change as there are 19 matches taking place this week.
Arsenal receives Manchester United on Wednesday and visits Fulham on Sunday. Meanwhile, Chelsea travel to Southampton on Wednesday before taking on Tottenham on Sunday.
Arsenal are currently ahead of Chelsea thanks to an away goal from Gabriel Martinelli in November
Both Arsenal and Chelsea are nine points behind Liverpool, who won 2-0 against Man City on Sunday
In the highly unlikely scenario that Chelsea and Arsenal draw 1-1 at the Emirates later in the season and then end the campaign level on points, goal difference and goals scored… used.
This method – which would only be necessary if the final league positions influenced the destination of the title, or relegation, or perhaps European qualification – would see them play each other again in a one-off play-off at a neutral ground.
The Premier League Handbook says the following about such play-offs: ‘C.17.3. if two clubs cannot be separated by application of Rule C.17.1 or C.17.2, a play-off on a neutral ground, the format, timing and location of which will be determined by the Board.’
There has not been a need for such a play-off since the Premier League was founded in 1992.
