Liverpool and Ipswich’s results this weekend saw the Premier League title and relegation places all decided with four games to play, a new record in the competition.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how a historic season has played out.
Slot machine
Arne Slot’s side have matched their own Premier League record, set under former manager Jurgen Klopp, by winning the title with four games remaining.
Sunday’s 5-1 win over Tottenham took them 15 points clear of second-placed Arsenal with only 12 to play for, sparking wild celebrations at Anfield. They have won 25 of their 34 league games, losing only two.
Liverpool previously set the record in the pandemic-affected 2019-20 season, when Klopp’s side finished top on 99 points – 18 ahead of second-placed Manchester City and already 13 clear with four games to go.
City were crowned with three games still to play the following season and that was also when the last relegation places were confirmed, marking the previous record for both issues to be resolved.
With this season breaking that mark, all that remains is the race for Europe. Arsenal look sure to join Liverpool in the Champions League but two points cover the next four teams, with Aston Villa then a further three points back, in the race for three remaining places.
Any position down to eighth could potentially bring qualification for the Europa League or Conference League, with six points currently covering the teams from eighth to 12th.
Relegation woes
This is the second-successive season in which all three promoted teams have gone straight back down, following Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton in 2023-24.
Before that it had only happened once in the Premier League era, when Bolton, Barnsley and Crystal Palace were all relegated in 1997-98.
Further illustrating the difficulties for promoted teams in bridging the gap, Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich are on course to smash the record for the fewest combined points by the three relegated teams – set just last season when the Blades’ 16 points, 24 for Burnley and 26 for Luton totalled 66.
That was 10 lower than the previous record of 76 – by Huddersfield, Fulham and Cardiff in 2018-19 – and with this season’s trio currently on 50, they are on track to lower it by a further 10 to 56. Saints still need a point to avoid matching Derby’s record low of 11 in 2007-08.
The gulf between the Premier League and Championship is also seen on the other side of the coin.
There have never been three relegated teams all promoted straight back up but last season saw two, Leicester and Saints, for only the sixth time in the era of a 20-team Premier League. This season could yet be the seventh, with Burnley already up and Sheffield United in the play-offs.
By contrast, though, Luton remain at risk of becoming only the fourth team relegated from the Premier League to the third tier in consecutive seasons.
