When it comes to beating Manchester City to the title after the champions' four successive successes, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his team will need to be perfect.
Asked for his target this season, he stated that he is looking for the maximum possible points total, saying: "[We're looking for] 114 points. If we do that, we win the league for sure, so this is the objective."
Of course, Arteta was joking. No team have ever won all 38 of their Premier League matches in a season. Indeed, only one team have reached 100 points. That was in 2017/18, when Man City won 32, drew four and lost two matches, winning the title by 19 points.
The most points won by a team who FAILED to win a title is 97 points, achieved by Liverpool in 2018/19 when they were runners-up by a point to Man City.
Most points in a PL season
| Club | Season | Points | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man City | 2017/18 | 100 | 1st |
| Liverpool | 2019/20 | 99 | 1st |
| Man City | 2018/19 | 98 | 1st |
| Liverpool | 2018/19 | 97 | 2nd |
| Chelsea | 2004/05 | 95 | 1st |
So, history suggests that a total below 100 points will be enough this season. But how far below? What might a team actually require?
We've looked at the data from all 32 previous Premier League seasons, including the first three, when clubs played 42 matches each, to answer that question.
Only twice have a team won the title with fewer than 80 points - Manchester United in 1996/97 and 1998/99 - so that is unlikely to be enough.
The average points won by the champions across the Premier League era is 87.8 points.
Recent history suggests the 2024/25 title contenders will need more than that, largely because of one man.
Since the 2016/17 season, when Pep Guardiola joined the league, the average has jumped to 93.6 points, with a slight drop to 90.0 points over the last two campaigns.
Guardiola is up for the task of reaching that total again as Man City try to win a FIFTH straight title.
"I'm fully excited for the season," he said. "It's a new challenge. Like we were able to break our own record [with a fourth straight title] last season, we had never done it before but broke our own record. Now we will see what is the ambition of ourself."
Can Liverpool improve their average?
Liverpool, whose lone 2018/19 title success preceded City's historic run, have averaged 84.3 points over the last six seasons and will need to find something extra to win the crown again.
"It's important for us to improve," said new head coach Arne Slot. "You can expect other teams to become better. That's the aim we have."
Liverpool's points tallies in last six seasons
| Season | Points | Final position |
|---|---|---|
| 2018/19 | 97 | 2nd |
| 2019/20 | 99 | 1st |
| 2020/21 | 69 | 3rd |
| 2021/22 | 92 | 2nd |
| 2022/23 | 67 | 5th |
| 2023/24 | 82 | 3rd |
Aston Villa side finished fourth last season, 23 points behind Man City, and head coach Unai Emery knows the level that is required to compete for the ultimate Premier League prize.
"It is a dream [to win the title]. It is very difficult," said Emery. "When we were at the beginning of the [2023/24] season playing two matches against City and Arsenal, we won both matches. We were there.
"Those teams are amazing with consistency. I want to get better and I have my dreams and I believe in my dreams. Of course my objectives is to win the Premier League or the Champions League."