Photo by Duncan

Have you ever watched the Premier League and felt a sense of injustice? Have you ever wondered what the league would look like if points were awarded on the basis of winning margins, away wins and strength of opponent? Do you think Manchester United’s 7-1 obliteration of Blackburn, Blackpool’s shock win at Anfield and Wolves’ win against Chelsea deserved more than the standard three points? If you answered ‘yes’ to all, or any of the above questions then the Alternative Premier League (APL) might be right up your street.

As the name suggests, the APL offers an alternative, more detailed look at order in England’s top flight, and you can see the league evolve right here on EPL Talk in a new, regular column throughout the season.

To put it simply, the APL rewards points to teams based on the following criteria:

  • Result of the game (win, draw or loss)
  • Score of the game (the goal difference from the individual match)
  • Strength of opponent
  • Comparative APL position of the two teams
  • Away win bonus

Because of the amount of variables that contribute to the winning of points each game is unique and the teams who entertain and score goals are the teams who get the big rewards. It is also worth noting that because of the way scores are calculated, losing teams are also awarded points. While it seems strange to award points to a losing team it is a useful tool for rewarding a good, albeit unsuccessful, performance.

Let the season commence!