Three teams won promotion to the Premier League for 2025-26: Leeds United, Burnley, and Sunderland. They replaced Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton who were relegated.
The key question: are the new boys performing better or worse than the teams they replaced? We compare each promoted team's results against the same fixtures the relegated teams faced last season.
Leeds United
Replaced Leicester City
Burnley
Replaced Ipswich Town
Sunderland
Replaced SouthamptonSummary Comparison
| Promoted Team | Replaced | Points | Relegated Had | Diff | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sunderland
|
Southampton | 48 | 12 | +36 | Safe (51 proj) |
|
Leeds United
|
Leicester City | 44 | 24 | +20 | Safe (46 proj) |
|
Burnley
|
Ipswich Town | 21 | 22 | -1 | Danger (22 proj) |
What Does This Mean?
📊 The Comparison Explained
We compare each promoted team to the relegated team that finished in their "slot" last season. For example, Leeds replaced Leicester City, so we compare Leeds' results against the same opponents Leicester faced at the same venues.
A positive difference means the promoted team is doing better than the relegated team did - a strong sign they can survive. A negative difference is a warning sign, though fixture difficulty varies.
Best Performer: Sunderland
Sunderland are the standout promoted team, with 48 points from 36 matches. This is +36 compared to Southampton's results in the same fixtures.
Toughest Time: Burnley
Burnley face the biggest challenge, currently 1 points behind Ipswich Town's pace from the same fixtures. They'll need to find form quickly to avoid a return to the Championship.