Will 40pts be enough to stay up this season?

1. Eighteen Premier League teams are currently on course to score forty points this season, which is supposedly enough to keep you up. This will be a concern to West Ham, who in 2002-03 became the only team ever to be relegated with over 40 points in the 20 team Premier League.

2. Blackburn have half as many points now as they did at this stage last season. However Paul Ince’s predecessor Mark Hughes has experienced just as much of a decline at Manchester City. They have eighteen points compared to 33 points after seventeen games last year and are fourth-bottom compared to fourth-top twelve months ago.

3. Away wins are at an all time high in the top-flight this season. 34% of Premier League games this season have been won by the visiting side, whereas a Premier League season has never ended with more than a 30% away win rate. Expect to read more about this trend later this week on chickendinner.

4. After wins for Newcastle and Sunderland this weekend, there are just two points between 11th and 18th. In comparison there were nine points between those positions last season and ten points ten years ago.

5. Hoffenheim top the Bundesliga at the halfway stage and in five of the last six seasons, the side that lead the way before the winter break have gone on to win the title. The top-flight newcomers are still 11/2 with Boylesports to win the league, where three points separate the top five.