Alternative Premier League table for aggregate scores would see Burnley safe and Liverpool crowned champions

The Clarets won just seven games all season — with four of those in the final 10 fixtures — as they returned to the Championship following six successive campaigns in the top flight.

Mike Jackson’s side were pipped to 17th place on the final day of term as Leeds United capitalised on their defeat at the hands of Newcastle United at Turf Moor by beating Brentford with the last kick of the game.

However, if aggregate scoring was taken into account, with points being awarded for the outcome of both games against each opponent in the division, neither side would have faced the threat of relegation.

Burnley came out on top against four clubs, including Southampton, who would have finished the season in the bottom three if the standings had been decided using this method, with the data compiled by Odds Comparison analysts.

The aggregate score between the two teams was 4-2, which included a thrilling 2-2 draw at St Mary’s, meaning the Clarets would have finished a point above their rivals with 16 from a possible 57.

They would also have collected three points from their head-to-head record with Brighton, which ended in the same score-line over both legs, while Watford and Wolves were beaten 2-1 and 1-0 respectively.

Burnley also added points against Spurs (1-1), West Ham (1-1), Crystal Palace (4-4) and Brentford (3-3). Leeds, on the other hand, would have culminated the campaign in 15th spot with 20 points, with Wolves (19 points) wedged in-between.

The most damning aggregate score-line for the Clarets, perhaps, was the 2-0 loss against bottom-of-the-table Norwich City, who came out on top against three sides in total when both fixtures were considered.

Other findings from the research include:

Liverpool would be crowned champions based on aggregate results and would have finished the season unbeaten with 49 points. Man City’s aggregate defeats to Crystal Palace and Spurs would have cost them the title.

Manchester United’s poor season would have been even worse based on aggregate results — with big defeats including 9-0 to Liverpool and 6-1 to Man City.

Southampton would have joined Watford and Norwich in relegation after only managing four aggregate victories all season.

Arsenal would have beaten Chelsea to a top four finish along with Spurs despite drawing 4-4 with them on aggregate.