How 2024-25 Liverpool compare to iconic Premier League champions after 13 games

Liverpool are running away with things at the top of the Premier League table.

After 13 games of the 2024-25 campaign, Arne Slot’s men are nine points clear. They’re odds-on favourites to lift the title and end Manchester City‘s reign of terror.

The Reds have collected 34 points from a possible 39, only failing to win two of their 13 games. This Liverpool team could achieve great things this season if they keep their run going.

But the question is, can they keep their run going? And if they do, what records are in their sights?

We took a look at some of the iconic Premier League champions in the competition’s history to see where they were after 13 games. We’ve broken them down into sections, based on what made them iconic — or record-breaking in a lot of cases.

Who had the most points after 13 Premier League games?

Only one team has hit 100 points in a single season in Premier League history. Man City’s 2017-18 title-winning team were record breakers in more ways than one, but most significant was the feat that gave them the Centurions tag.

A century of points in a 38-game season was previously unheard of in the Premier League. In the end, Man City needed a goal from Gabriel Jesus in the 94th minute against Southampton on the final day.

It had been on the cards, though. After 13 games, Man City took 37 points from a possible 39, the joint-most in a single Premier League campaign. The only time they dropped points was in the second gameweek with a draw against Everton. But Man City would win their next 18 overall, building up a commanding lead.

Liverpool’s 2019-20 Premier League title winners were the only other side to have 37 points after 13 games. They only dropped points during that start against Manchester United at Old Trafford, which can be excused. It turned out to be the only time Liverpool dropped points across their first 27 matches. Yes, TWENTY-SEVEN. That’s 79 points from a possible 81.

Slot’s current lot will take heart from history too. Of the eight other teams to have taken at least 34 points from their opening 13 Premier League games, only one have failed to win the title that year. Newcastle United and Kevin Keegan in 1995-96 will forever be remembered for it.

What about Premier League wins?

Another record held by Man City’s centurions, the 2017-18 champions won 32 of their 38 games en route to the title. They repeated the feat in 2018-19 and Liverpool copied them in 2019-20. They were setting the standard during that period.

Naturally, with 37 points from a possible 39, both Man City in 2017-18 and Liverpool in 2019-20 had won 12 of their opening 13 games. For Man City, that included wins over the likes of Liverpool (5-0 at the Etihad), Chelsea and Arsenal. Liverpool had wins over Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Man City in 2019-20.

Man City’s 2018-19 title winners won 11 of their opening 13 games, with two draws keeping them from the record points total. That included an opening weekend win against Arsenal and victories over Tottenham and Manchester United.

Even Arsenal’s Invincibles of 2003-04 only had 10 wins from 13 games, with three draws. They did beat Liverpool and Chelsea during that run.

Liverpool have 11 wins this season, including their recent 2-0 win over Man City at Anfield. The Reds have also beaten Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa.

Goals scored

Any guesses on who scored the most goals in a single Premier League season? No prizes for saying Man City’s Centurions. Pep Guardiola’s side scored 106 goals en route to the title, beating the record of 103 set by Chelsea in 2019-10.

In their first 13 games, Man City had scored 42 goals at an average of 3.23 per match. But they had scored at least five goals in four separate matches during that time, including the 5-0 win over Liverpool. Man City scored three or more goals seven times, and only netted one goal in a game twice.

Liverpool are the joint-second highest scorers in the Premier League this season, but they have only scored 26 goals. That’s an easily calculated average of two per game. The Reds have scored at least two goals in 11 of their 13 games so far, but have only hit three goals in three matches.

Goals conceded

While they aren’t blowing teams away in attack, Liverpool have been strong defensively. The Reds have conceded eight goals across 13 games, keeping seven clean sheets. At this stage of the season, you’ll start to see comparisons to the best defensive side in Premier League history.

In the 2004-05 Premier League season, Jose Mourinho led his Chelsea side to their first league title in 50 years. On the way, the Blues conceded just 15 goals. For some, this placed Chelsea as the best champions of that era, in a close battle with Arsenal’s Invincibles.

After 13 games of the 2004-05 season, Chelsea had conceded just four goals — half of Liverpool’s tally in 2024-25. They had kept nine clean sheets and didn’t conceded more than one goal in a single game during that run. Ominously for Liverpool, they did concede two in a game for the first time that season in their 14th match. Southampton, Man City, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham were the only teams to breach Chelsea’s net during their first 13 games.

Goal difference

Man City’s 2017-18 champions hold the record for the best goal difference in a Premier League season. Naturally that’s aided by their 106 goals scored, but Man City also conceded 27 goals for a goal difference of +79.

After 13 games, Man City had a goal difference of +34. As previously mentioned, they had scored 42 goals during that time. But they had also matched Liverpool’s current tally of just eight goals conceded. This was helped by four wins by a margin of five goals or more. Watford were beaten 6-0 for the biggest win during that time. Two years later, Man City’s goal difference was +35 after 13 games, scoring 40 and conceding just five.

This season, Liverpool’s current goal difference is +18, the best in the Premier League. The Reds’ biggest win so far has been 3-0, beating Man United and Bournemouth by that scoreline.

Which Premier League champions had the biggest lead?

With the most points in a single season in Premier League history, it makes sense that Man City have the biggest margin of any champion. The 2017-18 title winners were 19 points clear of second-placed Man United. Two years later, Liverpool went close to breaking the record, with a margin of 18 points over Man City in second.

But Man City don’t hold the record for the biggest points lead after 13 games. That season, they were eight points clear at the top of the table — one fewer than Liverpool’s current lead. In 2019-20, Liverpool were also eight points clear at the top.

This is a record held by Man United. In the 1993-94 season, arguably Man United’s best title-winning campaign, the Red Devils had an 11-point lead at the top of the table after 13 games.

Man United had taken 34 points from their opening 13 games, with second-placed Norwich City on just 23 points — level alongside Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers. The Red Devils did “only” win the title by eight points that season, though.

Liverpool’s 2019-20 season took onerecord thanks to their big early led. They won the Premier League title with seven games to spare, the quickest the championship has ever been claimed.