"First half v second half Football is most certainly a game of two halves. It may not come as much of a shock to learn the table changes quite drastically when looking at first-half or second-half results in isolation. Some teams will be fitter or mentally stronger than others, and this may contribute to them being better in second halves. Similarly, others are more fired up in the first half and this can contribute to them running out of steam later."
"A good place to start is with Manchester City. You might remember that, across their first six league games of 2026, they didn't score a single goal in the second half of matches they did score six first-half goals, however. That is very much in keeping with their first-half superiority over the whole season. If we only considered results at half-time, City would be nine points clear of Arsenal at the summit."
League tables show season standings but hide performance differences between match halves. First-half and second-half results create markedly different tables that reflect fitness, mentality and tactical patterns. Manchester City excel in first halves but struggle after halftime, scoring six first-half goals in six early 2026 games and none in second halves; using only half-time results would place City nine points clear. Second-half tables place City sixth and reveal dramatic shifts: Manchester United fall from fourth to 13th, Aston Villa rise from 13th to second, and West Ham drop from 10th to 20th. Second-half success modestly correlates with younger starting XIs and is affected by game state.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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