The 2020–21 season was the 141st season of competitive association football in England .

National teams [edit ]

Results and fixtures [edit ]

Friendlies

[edit ]

UEFA Nations League [edit ]
Group 2 [edit ]
  1. a b tete-a-tete points : Denmark 4, England 1 .
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification [edit ]
Group I [edit ]

UEFA
Rules for classification: reference : FIFA Rules for classification : Tiebreakers

UEFA Euro 2020 [edit ]
Group D [edit ]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  England ( H ) 3 2 1 0 2 0 +2 7 Advance to knockout phase
2  Croatia 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4[a]
3  Czech Republic 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 4[a]
4  Scotland ( H ) 3 0 1 2 1 5 −4 1
  1. a b Tied on neck and neck result ( Croatia 1–1 Czech Republic ) and overall finish difference ( +1 ). overall goals for was used as the tiebreaker .
Knockout phase [edit ]

Results and fixtures [edit ]

Friendlies [edit ]

Germany England

27 October 2020

 ( )

 P–P Wiesbaden, Germany
16:00
(16:00 UTC+1)		 Stadium: Brita-Arena

UEFA competitions [edit ]

UEFA Champions League [edit ]

Group stage [edit ]

Group C [edit ]
  1. ^[3] Cancelled due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in Norway .
  2. a b Tied on tete-a-tete points ( 3 ). tete-a-tete away goals : Olympiacos 1, Marseille 0 .
Group D [edit ]
Group E [edit ]
Group H [edit ]
  1. a b Tied on neck and neck points ( 3 ). tete-a-tete away goals : Paris Saint-Germain 1, RB Leipzig 0 .

Knockout phase [edit ]

Round of 16 [edit ]
final [edit ]

UEFA Europa League [edit ]

UEFA Europa League qualifying phase and play-off round off [edit ]

second qualify rung [edit ]
third qualifying round [edit ]
Play-off round [edit ]

Group stagecoach [edit ]

Group B [edit ]
Group G [edit ]
  1. a b neck and neck points : Leicester City 4, Braga 1 .
Group J [edit ]

Knockout phase [edit ]

Round of 32 [edit ]
Round of 16 [edit ]

Notes

  1. ^[5][6] order of legs between Tottenham Hotspur and Dinamo Zagreb were reversed after original draw, in order to avoid a schedule conflict with the Arsenal v Olympiacos second leg in the lapp city on 18 March, as Arsenal were the domestic cup winners and given higher priority over Tottenham Hotspur .
final [edit ]

UEFA Youth League [edit ]

On 17 February 2021, the UEFA Executive Committee cancelled the tournament. [ 8 ]

UEFA Champions League Path [edit ]

UEFA Women ‘s Champions League [edit ]

Knockout phase [edit ]

Round of 32 [edit ]
Round of 16 [edit ]
final [edit ]

Premier League [edit ]

In a season played about entirely behind shut doors, Manchester City overcame a rickety start to the campaign and secured their third Premier League title in four seasons – having stood in eighth place in mid-december, the team went on an impressive 13-match winning ladder that sent them rocketing up the postpone and into first seat, despite a succession of unexpected losses in the close stages of the season, securing the title on top of a fourth straight League Cup victory and reaching their first ever Champions League concluding, losing in an all-English final to Chelsea. City rivals Manchester United finished not far behind them, despite not truly being in the entitle race for much of the season, a consequence of a poor start which included three home losses in their opening six games ( with further losses to Sheffield United, Leicester City and Liverpool at the turn of the year ) ; however, the Red Devils at least guarantee Champions League football once again, thanks in part to a noteworthy political campaign of form that saw them go unbeaten away from home all season. The struggle for the last two Champions League spots ended up going to the final day, with Chelsea, Leicester City and Liverpool battling it out – unusually taking third base spot were Liverpool, whose first deed defense since 1990 ended up being one of conflict ; whilst the Merseyside club stood top at the end of 2020, a arrant collapse in mannequin in the modern class saw both the team ‘s hopes of retaining the title american samoa well as their 68-game unbeaten political campaign at Anfield practically implode under the weight of both a lack of fans and an extensive injury crisis, including a season-ending injury to star defender Virgil avant-garde Dijk just five games into the campaign – however, a potent belated streak of form, coupled with the teams above them dropping points, helped the Reds to close the gap and hug into the top four. Chelsea finished fourthly, a solid second half of the season under new director Thomas Tuchel pushing the Blues from as one-ninth near the end of January to both securing a Champions League spotlight again and winning their first Champions League final since 2012 with victory over Manchester City, ending a interracial season ( which included a second straight FA Cup final loss in a row ) on a high. Having spent the most days in the exceed four for the season, another stuttering goal to the league saw Leicester City finish fifth so far again and fair barely miss out on the Champions League, with inferior home form compared to form on the road ultimately costing them ; however, the Foxes at least finished the season with a trophy, winning their first ever FA Cup final and giving director Brendan Rodgers his first musical composition of silverware with the club. Finishing sixth were West Ham United, who surprised many in the season and went one further than their seventh-place finish in 2016 in coach David Moyes ‘ foremost full campaign as Hammers boss, securing their biggest Premier League points total and a Europa League group smudge for adjacent year – the lone flaw being an discrepant end to the temper, which cost what could have been potentially a shock top-four stopping point. London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed differing shape across their campaigns, the Gunners even hovering above the drop zone in November, but ended up battling it out for seventh position and the last european position – which ultimately went to Tottenham, at least ensuring european football for the golf club next temper. Leeds United ‘s first top-flight season since 2004 proved to be ultimately successful for the Yorkshire side, both the team and seasoned Argentine director Marcelo Bielsa attracting enough of praise for their assail football and providing some spectacular results even in get the better of, the Lilywhites comfortably securing 59 points, the highest for a advertise side since 2001. Despite achieving some brilliant results, including taking four points off city rivals Liverpool in two controversial Merseyside bowler hat games, Everton ‘s hopes of european football were let down by a poor run of kind on their home anchor, securing precisely six wins compared to eleven on the road, ending their season in a disappoint tenth. In what ended up being Nuno Espirito Santo ‘s final season as head passenger car, Wolverhampton Wanderers endured what ended up being a less successful campaign than their former two, the loss of star striker Raúl Jiménez to a addict accident in a winnings at Arsenal contributed to the Black Country club falling down the table after a decent begin and only avoiding a relegation rubbish because of the hapless class of the teams below them. In what besides ended up being Roy Hodgson ‘s final season as a director, Crystal Palace besides well avoided the cliff, extending their record discharge of top-flight seasons to nine in a row for the following political campaign. At the bottom of the table, all three relegated teams ended up occupying the spots with at least three games to go, and for the first base time since the initiation of three points for a succeed in the top-flight, none of the relegated sides broke the 30-point barrier. Just one season after breaking into the top ten, Sheffield United endured one of the worst seasons in their history, breaking many unwanted records and equalling the record for the most losses in a Premier League season and the lowest goals scored in a 38-game season, though a series of wins in 2021 mean they ended up with a points full that, while hush poor, was far from the worst in Premier League history. West Bromwich Albion finished above them, the controversial decisiveness to sack coach Slaven Bilic in December in party favor of Sam Allardyce going against the Baggies, the former England coach suffering only his second delegating in his managerial history ( and his first since 1997 ), as they fell back into the Championship after a single season. besides returning to the second gear tier after one season was Fulham ; despite enjoying a much better crusade defensively and securing some impressive wins, the London club ‘s hopes were ultimately let down by a lack of goals ( including just nine scored at Craven Cottage ) and a high gear issue of draws, making it the fourth season in a row where they moved between the Premier League and the Championship .

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) If the champions, relegated teams or qualified teams for UEFA competitions cannot be determined by rules 1 to 3, rules 4.1 to 4.3 are applied – 4.1) Points gained in head to head record between such teams; 4.2) Away goals scored in head to head record between such teams; 4.3) Play-offs[10]
( C ) Champion; ( gas constant ) Relegated
Notes: beginning : Premier League Rules for classification : 1 ) Points ; 2 ) Goal dispute ; 3 ) Goals scored ; 4 ) If the champions, relegated teams or qualify teams for UEFA competitions can not be determined by rules 1 to 3, rules 4.1 to 4.3 are applied – 4.1 ) Points gained in head to head record between such teams ; 4.2 ) Away goals scored in head to heading record between such teams ; 4.3 ) Play-offsChampion ; RelegatedNotes :

  1. ^ Since the winners of the 2020–21 FA Cup, Leicester City, besides qualified for the Europa League based on league position, the second Europa League group stage mooring allocated to England was transferred to the sixth-placed team .
  2. ^ Since the winners of the 2020–21 EFL Cup, Manchester City, qualified for european competition based on league position, the Europa Conference League moor awarded to the EFL Cup winners was transferred to the highest-placed Premier League team not already qualified for european competition, the seventh-placed team .

championship [edit ]

Having been relegated on a whimper the former year, Norwich City responded in emphatic dash, securing both an immediate render to the Premier League and their second Championship deed in three campaigns – whilst ultimately finishing with a lower finish record compared to other seasons, despite finnish striker Teemu Pukki recording another brilliant finish haul, the Canaries enjoyed a rare and much-improved season in defense. Finishing second gear were Watford, who overcame yet another mid-season managerial change ( their sixth in just over a year ) to join the Canaries in returning to the top-flight after one season, a superb operate of phase in 2021 earning spanish head coach Xisco Munoz promotion on top of the Hornets besides having their own impressive defense, conceding the least number of goals for any second-tier team since losing play-off finalists Preston North End in 2006. Taking the concluding blot through the playoffs by beating Swansea City – and ending a bare run of nine playoff campaigns across their history without success – were Brentford, who made amends for their minute concluding personnel casualty the previous class and batten promotion to the Premier League for the first fourth dimension, their succeed besides sending the Bees back into the top-flight for the first time in 74 years ; in addition, in a first for English football, all three promoted managers from any of the Football League divisions came from outside the british Isles. Despite ultimately losing out in the playoff semi-finals, Barnsley were undoubtedly the surprise box of the crusade ; having looked likely to conflict relegation so far again at the end of October and then seeing their head coach deviate for America, the appointment of unknown french coach Valérien Ismaël saw the Tykes rocket up the postpone – with some impressive results along the way to boot – and comfortably secure fifth place. After having battled against relegation since losing in the play-off final in 2017, Reading enjoyed a much improved season under serbian fountainhead coach Veljko Paunović, only missing out on promotion owing to several bouts of inert form throughout the season that the teams above them took advantage of. Despite hovering above the delegating zone for a lot of the season, Coventry City managed to pull themselves over the line in their first season in the second tier since 2012, a good run of results in the close months of the campaign pushing them firm into mid-table – whilst the Sky Blues besides received some well news off-pitch, managing to secure a modern contract to return to their home stadium of the Ricoh Arena after two seasons away. For the second reason running, the battle to avoid delegating saw all three places left broad open going into the last round of golf of games – taking bottom invest in the close minutes of the season were Sheffield Wednesday, who fought valiantly to avoid the drop, lone for the points deduction ( twelve late reduced to six on solicitation ) for breaching fiscal rules imposed prior to the beginning of the season resultant role in survival falling out of their reach, sending the yorkshire club back into the third tier after a nine-year absence. Rotherham United finished second-bottom, and were relegated straightaway second to League One, making this the fifth consecutive temper in which they swapped between the two divisions ; despite ending up as statistically the worst team in the part, they managed to keep themselves in competition for survival – largely because of having a multitude of games in hand as a leave of two COVID-19 outbreaks – and would actually have survived had they not conceded an 88th-minute counterweight in their concluding match. Despite having what proved to be a spirited first gear season in the Championship, Wycombe Wanderers endured an immediate relegation back to League One, their chances ultimately being undone by a awful begin that saw them lose their first base seven games of the crusade, but at least staving off relegation until the last day of the season. Derby County, who struggled all season despite the appointment of Wayne Rooney as coach in November, would besides have been relegated if not for Wednesday ‘s points deduction ; they did secure survival on the final day by holding Wednesday to a pull, albeit the consequence would have relegated them both without Rotherham conceding a late equalizer .

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Wins; 6) Away goals; 7) Penalty points (sec 9.5); 8) 12-point sending off offences[13]
( C ) Champion; ( O ) Play-off winner; ( P ) Promoted; ( radius ) Relegated
Notes: reservoir : EFL Official Website Rules for categorization : 1 ) Points ; 2 ) Goal difference ; 3 ) Number of goals scored ; 4 ) tete-a-tete results ; 5 ) Wins ; 6 ) Away goals ; 7 ) penalty points ( second 9.5 ) ; 8 ) 12-point sending off offencesChampion ; Play-off achiever ; Promoted ; RelegatedNotes :

  1. ^[11][12] Sheffield Wednesday received a 12 compass point deduction for breaching the League ‘s Profitability and Sustainability Rules. This was late reduced to 6 points by an Independent League Arbitration panel .

League One [edit ]

Playing in the third tier for the first prison term since 2005, Hull City made amends for their dramatic crack up in shape and attendant relegation the former season, this fourth dimension being in the top two for about the stallion campaign and ultimately emerging as champions. Peterborough United finished as runner-up, making this the third base time that coach Darren Ferguson had taken the club into the Championship, and his one-fourth promotion with the club overall ; whilst a count of poor results closely went against them, the Posh successfully achieved forwarding in a 3–3 draw with Lincoln City. Taking the final examination promotion via the playoffs and ending a six-year expatriate from the second tier were Blackpool, who marked the end of their first base wide season under director Neil Critchley in spectacular fashion ; despite making a decelerate start to the campaign, the Seasiders rocketed up the table and solidified themselves in the top six, coming from behind to beat Lincoln City in the concluding. Whilst ultimately missing out on promotion even again, Sunderland did at least secure some achiever in their third base straight League One season by winning their beginning EFL Trophy – whilst besides gaining fresh possession in the process, in the form of 24 class old businessman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus. A identical poor begin to the campaign for Burton Albion saw the Brewers pulled into a delegating struggle, a battle which was won with games to spare following the return of influential director Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for a second spell as director. Wigan Athletic endured what proved to be however another churning season both on and off the sales talk, battling both a electric potential second consecutive relegation ( and a potential fourth in seven seasons ) and an uncertain future ; however, a superb run of form belated in the season that coincided with the Latics wield to find new possession helped save the golf club from the devolve. Bristol Rovers finished bottom and returned to League Two for the first time in five years, with three different managers all trying and failing to improve the club ‘s fortunes during the season. Swindon Town ‘s temper quickly fell apart after promotion-winning coach Richie Wellens moved to Salford City early in the campaign, finishing the season with both the most defeats and the worst defense in the part as they suffered immediate delegating back to League Two ; colleague newly promoted side Northampton Town joined them in immediate relegation, ultimately being cost dear by a severe run of form in the winter. Rochdale occupied the fourthly and final relegation spot, bringing an end to their longest spell to date in the third tier and finally enduring the relegation they had battled against in previous seasons .

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Wins; 6) Away goals; 7) Penalty points (sec 9.5); 8) 12-point sending off offences[14]
( C ) Champion; ( O ) Play-off winner; ( P ) Promoted; ( R )

Relegated reference : EFL Official Website Rules for classification : 1 ) Points ; 2 ) Goal difference ; 3 ) Number of goals scored ; 4 ) neck and neck results ; 5 ) Wins ; 6 ) Away goals ; 7 ) penalty points ( securities and exchange commission 9.5 ) ; 8 ) 12-point sending off offencesChampion ; Play-off winner ; Promoted ; Relegated

League Two [edit ]

In a campaign marked with constant transfer among the top three, Cheltenham Town secured promotion back to League One for the inaugural time since 2009, having stayed in the forwarding race for about the entire temper before edging spinal column into the clear three in late February, never once leaving it. The battle for both the remaining automatic forwarding places and the playoff spots ended improving going to the final day, with eight different clubs battling it out – but ultimately necessitate second and third gear place were Cambridge United and Bolton Wanderers ; despite a poor run of form in December, promotion had never looked improbable for Cambridge United, the U ‘s securing forwarding to the third tier for the first time since 2002, giving coach Mark Bonner his inaugural promotion of his managerial career. Having spent the majority of the temper looking likely to battle a third consecutive relegation, a tide in form in 2021 saw Bolton Wanderers rocket up the table and prowler into one-third set, securing an contiguous come back to League One and giving hope for a revival in form for the Lancashire golf club after years of conflict on and off the airfield. Winning the play-off concluding, and thereby securing forwarding to the third base tier for the first fourth dimension in their history was Morecambe ; a noteworthy accomplishment considering their consistent battles against delegating in the previous seasons ( which had seen them lone escape relegation the previous season due to the demise of both Bury and Macclesfield Town ), seeing off Newport County via a controversial penalty in extra time. In their first always Football League season, Harrogate Town defied all expectations and achieved safety with a numeral of games to spare – whilst discrepant form prevented the Yorkshire english from challenging for promotion, they were never in any serious danger of an immediate fall to non-league football. Barrow ‘s first Football League season for 48 years saw the North West club ultimately guarantee survival against all odds – whilst first hit by the loss of influential director Ian Evatt to Bolton Wanderers and then sacking two different managers before the conclusion of February with results and form looking bleak, the club managed to pull themselves over the line thanks in part to caretaker coach Rob Kelly, who oversaw 10 of the Bluebirds ‘ 13 wins in both his caretaker spells. At the other end of the table, Grimsby Town endured a season broad of fight on and off the pitch that ultimately culminated in relegation – with even the hark back of director Paul Hurst, who had overseen their recurrence to the Football League in 2016, failing to help the Lincolnshire baseball club escape the drop. Finishing precisely above them were Southend United, who suffered their moment consecutive relegation and fell out of the Football League for the inaugural time in their history, a operate of barely one gain in their open 15 games on top of an inability to score ( their sum of 29 goals being the lowest scored by anyone in a 24-team division since 1982 ) ended up setting the timbre for the Essex club ‘s hopes and in like circumstances to Grimsby, the recurrence of early director Phil Brown late in the season proved to be besides late to save the Shrimpers from losing their 101-year Football League status .

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Wins; 6) Away goals; 7) Penalty points (sec 9.5); 8) 12-point sending off offences[15]
( C ) Champion; ( O ) Play-off winner; ( P ) Promoted; ( gas constant ) Relegated Updated to match ( e ) played on 31 May 2021. source : EFL Official Website Rules for classification : 1 ) Points ; 2 ) Goal remainder ; 3 ) Number of goals scored ; 4 ) neck and neck results ; 5 ) Wins ; 6 ) Away goals ; 7 ) penalty points ( sec 9.5 ) ; 8 ) 12-point sending off offencesChampion ; Play-off winner ; Promoted ; Relegated

National League [edit ]

In a season marked with different teams taking top spot across the season, angstrom well as delay, delays and expunged results off the field, Sutton United finished crown in their penult crippled and secured promotion to the Football League for the first clock in their 123-year history, despite playing effectively with no fans all season. Taking the final conflict through the play-offs, in a competitiveness that went all the way to penalties in the concluding at Ashton Gate, were Hartlepool United, who reversed a run of three bottom-half finishes since falling out of the Football League in 2017 and ended director Dave Challinor ‘s first gear full season as Pools director in brilliant fashion. Mounting fiscal problems finally took its toll on Macclesfield Town, who were expelled from the National League and then last wound up in the High Court before the campaign even began – the only positive coming late in the season, with the assets being rebranded as Macclesfield FC and the new club being given the enterprise to enter the tenth tier for adjacent season. Dover Athletic besides encountered fiscal problems, which resulted in the team defy to play due to a lack of promised fund and their results expunged for the season, on clear of a points subtraction being imposed at the begin of the adjacent campaign. As a result of the National League electing to declare the sixth tier null and nothingness, no teams were relegated or promoted between the fifth and sixth tiers ; a combination of all these factors proved beneficial for King ‘s Lynn Town and Barnet, who were at menace of being cut adrift at the bottom of the table with the most losses and the worst defences in the division, ensuring fifth tier status for both clubs for future temper .

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[16]
( C ) Champion; ( O ) Play-off winner; ( P ) Promoted
Notes: reservoir : National League official locate Rules for categorization : 1 ) Points ; 2 ) Goal difference ; 3 ) Number of goals scored ; 4 ) Number of matches won ; 5 ) neck and neck resultsChampion ; Play-off winner ; PromotedNotes :

  1. ^ due to the cancellation of both the National North and South seasons, there was no relegation from the National League in the 2020-21 season .
  2. ^ Dover Athletic refused to play matches due to a lack of promise fund starting with their repair on 30 January 2021. On 26 March 2021, it was announced the cabaret would play no share in the remainder of the season and all results would be expunged .
  3. ^ Macclesfield were deducted 17 points for entering into an insolvency event the previous season, before being expelled from the league on 29 September 2020. At the time of their expulsion before the 2020–21 National League Season, they had played no matches .

League play-offs [edit ]

EFL Championship [edit ]
final [edit ]
EFL League One [edit ]
final examination [edit ]
EFL League Two [edit ]
final [edit ]

National League play-offs [edit ]

National League [edit ]
final [edit ]

Cup competitions [edit ]

FA Cup [edit ]

final [edit ]

EFL Cup [edit ]

final examination [edit ]

Community Shield [edit ]

EFL Trophy [edit ]

2020 Final [edit ]
final [edit ]

FA Trophy [edit ]

2020 Final [edit ]
final [edit ]

FA Women ‘s Super League [edit ]

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored.
( C ) Champion; ( roentgen ) Relegated
Notes: reference : FA WSL Rules for classification : 1 ) Points ; 2 ) Goal remainder ; 3 ) Number of goals scored.Champion ; RelegatedNotes :

  1. ^ The total number of fans allowed to attend the final was established at 8,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  2. ^ Between the fourthly orotund and the semi-finals, Harrogate were promoted to the Football League through the National League play-offs after the temper had finished on an average points-per-game footing ascribable to curtailment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic .
  3. ^[20] On 7 May 2021, Birmingham City were deducted one point for fielding an ineligible actor in a draw against Reading on 25 April 2021 .

FA Women ‘s backing [edit ]

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
( C ) Champion; ( P ) Promoted; ( r ) Relegated
Notes: informant : FA WSL Rules for classification : 1 ) Points ; 2 ) Goal difference ; 3 ) Number of goals scoredChampion ; Promoted ; RelegatedNotes :

  1. ^ subject on obtaining a license .

FA Women ‘s National League [edit ]

On 5 June 2020, all results were expunged from the 2019–20 FA Women ‘s National League with no teams being promoted or relegated for the 2020–21 temper. [ 21 ]

Cup competitions [edit ]

FA Women ‘s Cup [edit ]

2019–20 Final [edit ]

The final was played at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 1 November 2020. [ 22 ]

final [edit ]

The final will be played at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 5 December 2021 .

FA Women ‘s League Cup [edit ]

final [edit ]

Women ‘s FA Community Shield [edit ]

managerial changes [edit ]

This is a list of changes of managers within English league football :

New clubs [edit ]

Clubs removed [edit ]

Deaths [edit ]

Retirements [edit ]

Diary of the season [edit ]

  • 30 September 2020: The first month of the condensed football season ends with Leicester City, Liverpool, and Everton leading the Premier League, all winning their three games played so far. Aston Villa, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and Leeds United have all also made good starts with six points from the first three matches. Burnley, Sheffield United, and Fulham (the only clubs without points so far) made up the bottom three. Reading and Bristol City are setting the early pace in the Championship with a full nine points each, followed by Swansea City, Bournemouth, and Watford on seven, and Blackburn Rovers in sixth due to a +8 goal difference at this early juncture. The third relegated club, Norwich City, finish September in midtable. Nottingham Forest, who missed the playoffs on the final day of the previous season, only avoid finishing the first month of the new season in the relegation zone due to Sheffield Wednesday’s 12-point deduction. Wednesday finish September on -8 points, joined in the relegation zone by Derby County (22nd) and newly promoted Wycombe Wanderers.
  • 31 October 2020: October ends with Liverpool on top of the table, three points ahead of Everton (who have a game in hand) and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Chelsea, Aston Villa, Leicester and Tottenham Hotspur hold fourth through to seventh, while Sheffield United, Fulham, and Burnley remain in the relegation zone (their only changes in position coming about from changes in goal difference). Reading continue their good start in the Championship with a four-point lead on second-placed Swansea. Bournemouth, Norwich, and Watford continue to make headway on their campaigns to immediately return to the Premier League and stand third, fourth, and sixth respectively (Middlesbrough are fifth). Sheffield Wednesday remain on a negative points tally, and Derby and Wycombe continue to occupy the basement of the second tier.
  • 30 November 2020: Tottenham take the lead over Liverpool at the top of the table as November ends, albeit only on goal difference. However, with a quarter of the season played the Premier League table still shows congestion, with two points separating Chelsea, Leicester, West Ham United, Southampton and Wolves in the top seven, and six separating Chelsea from 15th-placed Crystal Palace. Sheffield United, the only club in the top four divisions without a league win so far, are firmly rooted to the foot of the table. Fulham have climbed out of the relegation zone at the expense of West Bromwich Albion; Burnley are 19th. The three sides relegated to the Championship last season continue to lead the way in the Championship, occupying the top three positions. Swansea and Reading are level with third-placed Watford on points, and Bristol City are sixth. Sheffield Wednesday are now 23rd after their points deduction was cut to 6 points, replaced at the bottom by Derby, while Wycombe remains in the relegation zone despite some good recent form.
  • 31 December 2020: For the third year running Liverpool finish the year top of the table, three points ahead of arch-rivals Manchester United having played a game more. The race for European football remains hotly contested with Leicester and Everton finishing 2020 in the top four and Aston Villa, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City and Southampton all tied on 26 points. Sheffield United remain bottom with the worst-ever start to a Premier League season – 2 points from 16 matches. West Brom have dropped to 19th, prompting the sacking of Slaven Bilic in favour of Premier League veteran Sam Allardyce. Fulham are back in the relegation zone but have a game in hand over their nearest rivals, Brighton & Hove Albion. Norwich have climbed to the Championship summit, three points ahead of EFL Cup semi-finalists Brentford. Swansea consolidate third place, with them and Reading sandwiching Bournemouth and Watford, although the two relegated sides have a game in hand over their rivals. Derby have experienced a resurgence under former England international Wayne Rooney and finish December in 20th. Wycombe are now bottom. Sheffield Wednesday remain in the bottom three but have ceded 23rd place to Rotherham United, who have two games in hand over their Yorkshire neighbours due to postponements following a Covid outbreak.
  • 31 January 2021: A resurgent Manchester City finish January on top of the Premier League, having won all 9 games they played that month. Manchester United remain three points behind of the leaders in second, though City have the game in hand. A poor January that has seen the end of their 68-match unbeaten run at home sees Liverpool finish the month in third. Leicester drop to fourth, West Ham continue their unexpected run for European football to finish January fifth, and Spurs, Chelsea, and Everton are tied on 33 points to hold sixth through to eighth. The relegation zone remains unchanged from December despite Sheffield United picking up their first two league victories of the season, with Fulham 7 points adrift of 17th-placed Brighton. In the Championship, Norwich extend their lead to four points, with Swansea and Brentford swapping places from the end of 2020. Watford, Reading, and Bournemouth remain in the Championship top six (in that order), as do Rotherham (22nd), Sheffield Wednesday (23rd), and Wycombe (24th) in the bottom three.
  • 28 February 2021: Manchester City have extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to 12 points, having extended their winning run in all competitions to 20 games. Manchester United remain second, while Liverpool’s poor form has seen Leicester, West Ham and Chelsea leapfrog them in the chase for Champions League football, with seventh-placed Everton also having a chance of jumping ahead of their Merseyside rivals if they win their two games in hand. Fulham, West Brom and Sheffield United remain in the relegation zone, but Fulham are now only 3 points behind Brighton and Newcastle United. Meanwhile, Norwich’s lead in the Championship has been extended to 7 points, with Brentford taking back second place. Watford, Swansea (with two games in hand on their promotion rivals), Reading and Bournemouth remain in the top six, although Barnsley (who only avoided relegation the previous season with an injury-time goal in their final match) are only a point behind Bournemouth with a game in hand. The Championship relegation zone remains unchanged, but Rotherham hold two games in hand on relegation rivals Coventry City and Birmingham City.
  • 31 March 2021: Manchester City continue to extend their Premier League lead, standing 14 points ahead of Manchester United despite having their winning run ended by their city rivals. Leicester remain third, Chelsea and West Ham end the month exchanging their positions from February, and Liverpool have dropped to seventh, below Spurs. The relegation zone is unchanged, though Brighton have begun to pull away from the drop zone, leaving Fulham and Newcastle to fight for 17th. In the Championship, Norwich’s lead has been slightly increased to 8 points despite the resurgence of second-placed Watford, but more importantly they are 14 points clear of Swansea, who have 27 left to play for. Brentford have dropped to fourth, while Barnsley have climbed to fifth, knocking Reading and Bournemouth down a place each. For the fourth consecutive month Wycombe, Sheffield Wednesday, and Rotherham hold the bottom three spots, but with Rotherham’s multiple games in hand Coventry, Birmingham, and Derby are by no means out of the woods.
  • 30 April 2021: Manchester City are on the brink of their fifth Premier League title, standing 10 points ahead of Manchester United with only 5 games remaining. Leicester remain third with a 6 point lead over fourth-placed Chelsea who have a game in hand over them. West Ham remain fifth, three points behind Chelsea in the chase for a Champions League place. Liverpool and Spurs exchange their positions from March. The relegation zone in unchanged, though a resurgent Newcastle side are now 9 points clear of relegation places. Fulham and West Brom chances of staying are slim at this point, needing a highly unlikely turnaround in their last five games to have any chance of surviving. In the Championship, Norwich and Watford have been promoted to the Premier League after a single season at this level, with Norwich needing just another win to go up as league champions. Brentford have all but confirmed to finish the season third, meanwhile Swansea, Bournemouth and Barnsley have all confirmed their playoff spots as well. For the fifth consecutive month Wycombe, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham are in the relegation zone, with Wycombe needing a highly unlikely swing in the goal difference to stay up, but Rotherham still have a game in hand over Derby.

Notes [edit ]

  1. ^ Rooney was initially appointed as interim director until the end of the season, but the move was made permanent on 15 January 2021 .
  2. ^ Woodgate was initially caretaker director, but was then appointed as coach until the end of the season on 21 February 2021 .

References [edit ]