How to read the Premier League 2018/19 season review
By Arasi Rex · Updated 15 August 2026 · 5 min read
The 2018/19 Premier League season review is best read as a study in constraints. By then the Premier League had settled into a format of 20 clubs playing 38 matches each, 380 matches in total, with three points for a win and one for a draw. Everything else in the review, from the title race to the relegation fight, sits underneath those numbers.
The mechanism: what a Premier League table really records
A season review is a story built on the table, and the table is built on one ordering. Points come first. If two clubs are level on points, goal difference decides. If they are still level, goals scored decides. If they are still level, head-to-head record comes next. Only then can a play-off at a neutral venue be used, and only when the position decides the title, relegation, or European qualification. That is why a review cannot just say they finished above someone. It has to say which tiebreaker got them there.
| Tiebreaker | How it is applied |
|---|---|
| Points | Highest total wins the place |
| Goal difference | Used when points are level |
| Goals scored | Used when points and goal difference are level |
| Head-to-head record | Used after goals scored |
| Neutral play-off | Used only if the position decides title, relegation, or European qualification |
The same mechanism applies at the bottom. The bottom three in the table are relegated to the Championship. Three clubs come up: two automatically and one through the play-off. Those promotions are part of the 2018/19 season review's aftermath, because the next campaign is built from those three arrivals.
European qualification is also tied to the table. The typical structure sends the top four to the Champions League league phase, the fifth-place club and the FA Cup winner to the Europa League, and the League Cup winner to the Conference League play-off. Additional Champions League places can be earned through UEFA coefficient performance. If a cup winner has already qualified through the league, the place passes down. A careful review does not assume the same allocation every season; it checks which places were active in that campaign.
History and evolution: from 22 clubs to 20
The Premier League began on 20 February 1992 as the FA Premier League, when First Division clubs broke away to negotiate their own broadcast deals. That first season, 1992/93, had 22 clubs. The number was reduced to 20 in 1995/96. By 2018/19, the 20-club structure was not a new idea. It was the settled compromise that gave every club 38 matches, a home and an away game against each opponent. Any review that treats 38 games as a random number misses the history.
The squad rules have their own history. For players over 21, each club must name a 25-player squad list. At least eight of those players must be homegrown, meaning trained in England or Wales for three years before turning 21. Under-21 players do not count against the 25. This rule matters for a season review because it explains why the squad list on a club website is not the whole squad. It also shapes transfer decisions, loan calls, and how much depth a manager really has.
Edge cases and common confusions
One common confusion is the word homegrown. It does not mean came through the club's own academy. It means trained in England or Wales for three years before turning 21. A player can be homegrown for a rival and still count. Another confusion is age. The homegrown minimum applies only to the over-21 list, so a promising teenager does not take a spot in the 25.
Modern reviews also have to acknowledge the substitution rule. Five substitutes are allowed per match, made in a maximum of three windows plus half-time. More changes are available than in older seasons, but they come in chunks. That can change how a review judges a manager's use of the bench and how a late-season review measures squad rotation.
Fantasy football is not a rule of the league, but it shapes how people read a season review. FPL uses a 15-player squad, 11 starters, a £100.0m budget, and a maximum of three players per club. Goals are valued by position: 6 for a goalkeeper or defender, 5 for a midfielder, 4 for a forward. Assists are worth 3. Clean sheets are worth 4 for a goalkeeper or defender and 1 for a midfielder. A yellow card costs -1, a red card costs -3, an own goal costs -2, and a penalty miss costs -2. A goalkeeper earns 1 point per three saves and 5 for a penalty save. Every two goals conceded costs a goalkeeper or defender -1. The captain scores double, and a transfer beyond the free allowance costs -4. Bonus points go 3/2/1 to the top three BPS scorers in each match. That is a separate scoring system from the league table, and a review should keep the two apart.
Key takeaways
- The 2018/19 review uses the settled 20-club, 38-match format, with each club playing home and away and 380 matches in total.
- Table order is points, goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head, then a neutral-venue play-off if needed.
- The bottom three are relegated to the Championship; two automatic places and one play-off place come back up.
- Squad reviews must respect the 25-man over-21 limit and the eight-homegrown minimum.
- European spots typically go to the top four for the Champions League, fifth and the FA Cup winner for the Europa League, and the League Cup winner for the Conference League play-off.
FAQ
How many matches did each club play in the Premier League 2018/19 season?
Each of the 20 clubs played 38 matches, one home and one away against every other club. That made 380 matches in total for the season.
How are Premier League teams separated when points are level?
Teams are separated by goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head record. If the position still matters for the title, relegation, or European qualification, a play-off at a neutral venue may be used.
What does homegrown mean in the Premier League?
Homegrown means trained in England or Wales for three years before turning 21. Each club must include at least eight homegrown players in its 25-man squad list for over-21 players. Under-21 players do not count against that list.
How many clubs get relegated from the Premier League?
The bottom three clubs are relegated to the Championship. They are replaced by three clubs coming up: two automatic promotion places and one play-off winner.