Premier League

What is Premier League?

The Premier League is the highest point of the English football league pyramid. It was launched back in 1992 and rapidly became the world’s most popular sports division.

Consisting of 20 clubs, each outfit play their opponents twice in a campaign, one game home and the other one away, matching 38 matches during the course of the entire campaign that runs from August through May.

Unlike many other European club divisions, the PL has no winter break and continues every week throughout the term except when there is a FIFA-mandated international break when many stars from the Premier League will play for their respective nations in international games such as qualification games for the World Cup or European Championship or friendlies and other regional competitions.

The Premier League sides that finish in the bottom three of the table each season are relegated to the second league, known as the EFL Championship. The top four clubs qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Although the fourth-placed club must compete in the UCL play-off to qualify for the group stage. The fifth-placed side in the PL automatically qualifies for the UEFA Europa League, and the sixth and seventh-placed outfits can also qualify, depending on the runners-up and winners of the two domestic competitions (League Cup and FA Cup);

A further place in the UEL is also available via the Fair Play initiative. If the PL has one of the three highest FP rankings in Europe (based on how few red cards or yellow cards each team receives, as well as the behaviour of their supporters), the highest-ranked club in the Premier League Fair Play standings that hasn’t already qualified for Europe will automatically qualify for the UEL first qualifying round (that usually begins in July).

Who are the traditional favourites?

Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are considered the ‘big six’ in the division.

They are the most consistently successful clubs in the league. Not only that, but the teams boast the biggest stadiums, huge fanbases and, as a result, the healthiest bank accounts.

From the 2010s on, the top six sides in the Premier League at the end of each campaign tended to be made up of the aforementioned teams, with the same clubs generally vying for continental qualification.

Premier League 2021/22 season (odds)

Manchester City 1/16

Liverpool 1/4

Chelsea 1/4

Manchester United 2/7

Tottenham Hotspur 4/1

Leicester City 9/2

Arsenal 9/2

Everton 10/1