Thu Jan 01 20:00:00 UTC 2026: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version as a news article:
Summary:
The 2025 Premier League season presented some unusual results. While Liverpool won the actual title, their overall performance throughout the year wasn’t as strong as Arsenal, who topped the annual standings. Manchester City was a close second, while Aston Villa surprisingly took third. Established giants like Chelsea and Manchester United underperformed, while teams like Crystal Palace and Sunderland exceeded expectations. Tottenham, West Ham, and Wolves were particularly disappointing.
News Article:
Arsenal Crowned 2025 Premier League Kings in Standings, Despite Liverpool’s Title Win
London, UK – Despite Liverpool’s Premier League title victory, Arsenal emerged as the team with the most points earned throughout the calendar year of 2025. A consistently strong performance from Mikel Arteta’s Gunners saw them accumulate 83 points from 39 games, three ahead of rivals Manchester City, who played two games less.
While Liverpool secured the actual Premier League trophy, their inconsistent form across the year saw them finish a surprising fourth in the annual standings, with 71 points. Reigning champions Liverpool’s tame end to last season has been further undermined by a disastrous first half of the current campaign.
Aston Villa’s impressive consistency under Unai Emery earned them a surprising third-place finish with 76 points, exceeding Liverpool’s tally by five points. Enzo Maresca’s inconsistent Chelsea must accept fifth in the 2025 table with 64.
The annual Premier League table, based on the accumulation of points across the year, offers a unique perspective on team performance and provides insight into potential trends for the upcoming season. Manchester City boasted a superior goal difference to Arsenal due to their free-flowing forward line and could well have topped the standings had they played the same number of games as the north Londoners.
Other notable results include Crystal Palace’s impressive 7th-place finish, boosted by their FA Cup win, and the struggles of Manchester United, who finished a dismal 12th. Sunderland managed over four times as many points as Southampton despite playing a game fewer, underscoring just how dreadful the Saints were en route to relegation. Tottenham’s Europa League triumph did little to mask their poor league form, as they languished in 15th place.
Full 2025 Premier League Standings:
(Table included as in the original text)
The 2025 table serves as a reminder that a league title doesn’t always tell the full story and that consistency across the year is crucial for long-term success.
By Ewan Ross-Murray, Sports Illustrated
First Piper 