Friday 17 April 2020 09:48, UK
Would Manchester United's points-per-game ratio this season typically win the Premier League?
United have struggled to keep pace with rivals Manchester City this term, sitting 13 points shy in the runners-up spot with just four games remaining.
Jose Mourinho's men managed to put the coronation party on ice with a 3-2 win at the Etihad - before handing City the title with a shock 1-0 defeat to West Brom at the weekend.
Mourinho all but conceded the title back in February, saying: "We must try to start next season in a good way, like we did this season, but try to be consistent and try not to lose points like we did this season in some matches where we shouldn't."
However, United's current haul of 74 points at matchday 34 is the highest since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club in 2013 - an improvement that has been overshadowed by a City side on course to smash a plethora of league records.
If maintained, City's current average of 2.64 points per game would surpass Chelsea's record of 2.50 set in 2004/05 and take them to a remarkable 100 points at the end of the season.
United's current points-per-game ratio of 2.18 would have won the Premier League title in nine of the previous 26 seasons, trumping Ferguson's champions of 1992/93, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1998/99, 2000/01 and 2010/11, in addition to 1994/95 winner Blackburn, Arsenal in 1997/98 and Leicester in 2015/16.
In fact, United's points ratio this term ranks 10th out of their 26 Premier League campaigns - 10 points shy of the 84 they collected at matchday 34 during 2012/13.
United's form plummeted after winning the Premier League in Ferguson's final season in charge during 2012/13, crashing from 2.45 points per game to just 1.73 under David Moyes and caretaker boss Ryan Giggs.
Louis van Gaal replaced Moyes at the helm for the start of 2014/15 and boosted the ratio to 1.97 before recording United's lowest return during the modern era with just 1.70 in his final season at Old Trafford in 2016/17.
If United maintain their current return of 2.18 points per game, the club will surpass an average of 2.00 a game for the first time since Ferguson left the club.
In addition to improving results, Mourinho will be looking to keep United in the hunt for silverware when they face Tottenham in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley on Saturday.
On the same day, the Portuguese will also be hoping West Brom produce a second-successive giant-killing when they host Liverpool in the Premier League - in order to secure runners-up spot and prepare to match City next season.
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