History reveals how the Premier League will look next season – and proves Arsenal and Man Utd will not win it

MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal look set for another season of misery next year and will not be challenging for the title.

That is according to research into the history of the Premier League, which is reaching the conclusion of its 27th season.

The two clubs – who have won 16 titles between them since the reformation in 1992 – are on the brink of missing out on the top four this season.

Arsenal are currently fifth on 66 points, one clear of Manchester United in sixth, with two games to go.

But if Spurs win one of their two remaining matches and Chelsea win both, Unai Emery and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will statistically be set for another tough season.

That is because no team has ever gone on to win the Premier League after finishing in the Europa League spots in the season before.

And alarmingly, 77 per cent of sides to finish in those places finish in the same spot or lower the following year, with just 23 per cent securing a Champions League spot.

It means more misery for the Gunners and the Red Devils, although Arsenal could be buoyed if they win the Europa League and therefore go through the back door into the Champions League.

At the top of the tree, Manchester City and Liverpool look set to do battle once again.

City are on course to become the first side for a decade to retain the Prem.

So far, 26 per cent of winning teams have retained the league and 22 per cent of sides that finish in the top four go on to the win title – virtually a quarter – with Leicester’s 5,000-1 success skewing the figures somewhat.

There is good news for Spurs, too, as 54 per cent of sides that finish in the top four repeat the feat the following year.

But Chelsea will be feeling nervous – 25 per cent of teams that finish fourth drop out of the Champions League spots the next season.