Man City top 2022 table, Newcastle are most improved

Manchester City have maintained their status as the leading side in English club football in 2022.

A disappointing draw at home to Everton on New Year’s Eve was not enough to knock them off top spot, with Pep Guardiola’s men averaging more points per game across the calendar year (2.32) than any other team in the Premier League or English Football League (EFL).

It is the third time in five years that City have topped the combined table, although their cushion over the chasing pack has narrowed considerably since 2021, when they amassed 110 points from 44 games.

(PA graphic)

Liverpool (2.26) rank second behind City courtesy of their strong end to last season, in which they won 16 of their final 19 league matches from January 1.

Arsenal (2.20), meanwhile, are third on the back of their fast start to the current campaign.

The 4-2 win at Brighton was the Gunners’ 25th of an impressive 2022, one more than the tally managed by Liverpool or Man City. Mikel Arteta’s side are increasingly turning draws into victories, having shared the spoils only twice all year and possessing a goal difference of +30 – far inferior to the margins enjoyed by Klopp’s Liverpool (+48) or Guardiola’s City (+62).

Remarkable turnaround at Newcastle

Miguel Almiron and Newcastle struggled in 2021 but have flourished under Eddie Howe in 2022 (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Newcastle’s dramatic improvement in results since their Saudi takeover has seen them rise to sixth in the calendar year table.

The Magpies were second-bottom in 2021 with 37 points from 42 games, but climbed 85 places in 2022 with a tally of 72 points in 36 matches.

Even including Saturday’s goalless draw with Leeds, Eddie Howe’s team have outperformed three of the traditional ‘big six’ in Tottenham (eighth), Chelsea (18th) and Manchester United (22nd).

United in particular had a poor 2022, ending with a goal difference of zero in league matches despite finishing the year in good form under Erik ten Hag.

Man Utd have showed signs of improvement under Erik ten Hag after a torrid first half of 2022 (Zac Goodwin/PA)

Elsewhere, West Ham have endured the joint-largest decline (alongside Hartlepool) among Premier League or EFL clubs, falling 66 places from 10th in 2021 to 76th in 2022.

David Moyes’ Hammers collected just 39 points from 36 top-flight games, compared with 73 in 41 outings last year.

Only four Premier League sides have fared worse, namely Leeds (78th), Wolves (79th), Everton (87th) and Southampton (90th).

The Saints – who have lost 11 of their 17 league matches this term – have ranked in the bottom six among England’s top four tiers in three of the last five calendar years.

(PA graphic)

Good year for Sheffield clubs

Sheffield Wednesday are the only non-Premier League team to average more than two points per game in 2022.

The Owls have taken 97 points from 47 matches in League One, narrowly missing out on promotion last season and sitting third at the turn of the year in this campaign. Only Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal have better records.

Their city rivals Sheffield United have been almost as impressive in the Championship. The Blades are ninth in the calendar year table and – more importantly – 11 points ahead of nearest challengers Blackburn in the race for a return to the top flight.

At the other end of the spectrum, League Two bottom side Gillingham have the worst record of any team in 2022, claiming just 37 points from 46 games and scoring only 24 goals in the process.

Perfect symmetry at Coventry

Coventry manager Mark Robins has steered the club to 17 wins and 17 defeats in an up-and-down 2022 (Joe Giddens/PA)

It has been another turbulent year on and off the pitch at Coventry.

The Sky Blues have overcome a temporary transfer embargo and a stadium eviction notice to end 2022 with a perfectly symmetrical record of 17 wins, 17 defeats and a goal difference of zero.

Crystal Palace are the only Premier League or EFL club with a similar set of results.

The New Year’s Eve victory over Bournemouth was Palace’s 12th of 2022, to go with 11 draws and 12 defeats. Patrick Vieira’s side have also scored exactly the same number of goals as they have conceded (40).

2022 league table in full

1. Man City (Premier League); 34 games; 79 points; 2.32 points per game
2. Liverpool (Premier League); 35; 79; 2.26
3. Arsenal (Premier League); 35; 77; 2.2
4. Sheff Wed (League One); 47; 97; 2.06
5. Stockport (League Two); 46; 92; 2
6. Newcastle (Premier League); 36; 72; 2
7. Plymouth (League One); 46; 90; 1.96
8. Tottenham (Premier League); 37; 71; 1.92
9. Sheff Utd (Championship); 49; 93; 1.9
10. Ipswich (League One); 46; 87; 1.89
11. Bolton (League One); 47; 84; 1.79
12. Mansfield (League Two); 47; 83; 1.77
13. Fulham (Premier League); 40; 70; 1.75
14. Bristol Rovers (League One); 49; 85; 1.73
15. Northampton (League Two); 48; 83; 1.73
16. Luton (Championship); 48; 82; 1.71
17. Leyton Orient (League Two); 47; 80; 1.7
18. Chelsea (Premier League); 33; 56; 1.7
19. Exeter (League One); 49; 82; 1.67
20. Salford (League Two); 47; 78; 1.66
21. Swindon (League Two); 49; 81; 1.65
22. Man Utd (Premier League); 36; 59; 1.64
23. Burnley (Championship); 47; 77; 1.64
24. Wycombe (League One); 47; 76; 1.62
25. Stevenage (League Two); 47; 75; 1.6
26. Nott’m Forest (Premier League); 37; 59; 1.59
27. Port Vale (League One); 48; 75; 1.56
28. Sunderland (Championship); 47; 72; 1.53
29. Grimsby (League Two); 47; 72; 1.53
30. MK Dons (League One); 47; 72; 1.53
31. Millwall (Championship); 47; 72; 1.53
32. Carlisle (League Two); 48; 73; 1.52
33. Portsmouth (League One); 45; 68; 1.51
34. Huddersfield (Championship); 45; 68; 1.51
35. Sutton (League Two); 48; 72; 1.5
36. Tranmere (League Two); 47; 70; 1.49
37. Rotherham (Championship); 48; 70; 1.46
38. Middlesbrough (Championship); 46; 67; 1.46
39. Bournemouth (Premier League); 38; 55; 1.45
40. Bradford (League Two); 47; 68; 1.45
41. Preston (Championship); 49; 70; 1.43
42. Wigan (Championship); 50; 71; 1.42
43. Brighton (Premier League); 36; 51; 1.42
44. Swansea (Championship); 49; 69; 1.41
45. Derby (League One); 45; 62; 1.38
46. Oxford (League One); 46; 63; 1.37
47. Coventry (Championship); 47; 64; 1.36
48. Crystal Palace (Premier League); 35; 47; 1.34
49. Blackburn (Championship); 47; 63; 1.34
50. Brentford (Premier League); 37; 49; 1.32
51. QPR (Championship); 48; 63; 1.31
52. West Brom (Championship); 47; 61; 1.3
53. Barnsley (League One); 44; 56; 1.27
54. Lincoln (League One); 46; 58; 1.26
55. Newport (League Two); 47; 59; 1.26
56. Walsall (League Two); 47; 59; 1.26
57. Cheltenham (League One); 45; 56; 1.24
58. Cardiff (Championship); 48; 59; 1.23
59. Cambridge (League One); 46; 56; 1.22
60. Hull (Championship); 48; 58; 1.21
61. Forest Green (League One); 50; 60; 1.2
62. Charlton (League One); 46; 55; 1.2
63. Blackpool (Championship); 46; 55; 1.2
64. Bristol City (Championship); 47; 56; 1.19
65. Barrow (League Two); 47; 56; 1.19
66. Doncaster (League Two); 47; 56; 1.19
67. Leicester (Premier League); 37; 44; 1.19
68. Stoke (Championship); 48; 57; 1.19
69. Shrewsbury (League One); 45; 53; 1.18
70. Crawley (League Two); 49; 57; 1.16
71. Peterborough (League One); 46; 53; 1.15
72. Reading (Championship); 49; 56; 1.14
73. Aston Villa (Premier League); 36; 41; 1.14
74. Accrington (League One); 44; 49; 1.11
75. Norwich (Championship); 44; 48; 1.09
76. West Ham (Premier League); 36; 39; 1.08
77. Birmingham (Championship); 48; 52; 1.08
78. Leeds (Premier League); 36; 38; 1.06
79. Wolves (Premier League); 37; 39; 1.05
80. Watford (Championship); 46; 47; 1.02
81. Colchester (League Two); 49; 50; 1.02
82. Burton (League One); 48; 47; 0.98
83. Harrogate (League Two); 46; 45; 0.98
84. Wimbledon (League Two); 48; 46; 0.96
85. Hartlepool (League Two); 47; 45; 0.96
86. Fleetwood (League One); 46; 44; 0.96
87. Everton (Premier League); 38; 35; 0.92
88. Rochdale (League Two); 46; 41; 0.89
89. Morecambe (League One); 46; 40; 0.87
90. Southampton (Premier League); 36; 31; 0.86
91. Crewe (League Two); 44; 36; 0.82
92. Gillingham (League Two); 46; 37; 0.8