How to Use League Tables to Inform Your Predictions
Most people glance at the league table, note who is first and who is last, and move on. That is fine if you just want to know the standings. But if you are making score predictions, the table is hiding a goldmine of information behind that simple points column - you just need to know where to look.
The Premier League table is one of the most useful tools available to anyone playing score prediction games. Not because it tells you who will win - it is more nuanced than that. It tells you how teams tend to win, lose, and draw, and that is far more valuable when you are trying to pick a scoreline.
Points Only Tell Half the Story
Two teams on 45 points might look identical in the table, but their seasons could not be more different. One might have 15 wins and 15 losses with zero draws - an all-or-nothing side that either dominates or collapses. The other might have 10 wins, 15 draws, and 13 losses - a team that grinds out results and rarely gets hammered.
These two teams require completely different prediction approaches. For the first, you are probably looking at decisive scorelines - 2-0, 3-1, 0-2. For the second, draws and tight margins are far more likely - 1-1, 0-0, 1-0.
Before you even think about predicting a specific match, look at the wins, draws, and losses columns. They tell you what kind of team you are dealing with. This connects directly to how you pick the right scoreline - understanding whether a team is more likely to produce a draw or a clear result.
Goal Difference Is Your Best Friend
Goal difference is probably the single most underused column in the league table for prediction purposes. It tells you something that points cannot - the margin by which teams tend to win and lose.
A team with a goal difference of +25 from 30 games is averaging nearly a goal per game more than their opponents. A team on -20 is conceding almost a goal more than they score each match. When these two teams meet, the numbers suggest a comfortable win for the first side.
But it gets more interesting when you break it down further. Look at goals scored and goals conceded separately:
- High goals scored, high goals conceded - expect an open, entertaining match with goals at both ends
