Three points | OneFootball

Three points for a win.

Introduced in 1981, this change from the previous two points for a win system was proposed by Jimmy Hill.

The new system was intended to encourage more attacking football and discourage teams from playing for draws.

Whilst this system was first implemented in the English Football League, it wasn’t until 1994 that FIFA formally adopted it, and it became standard in international tournaments and most national leagues shortly after.

The three points for a win system was responsible for introducing a couple of new football clichés overnight.

When a team draws a match, it’s often said that they’ve in fact ‘lost’ two points. Conversely, sometimes a hard fought draw can lead to the assertion that it was a point ‘gained’.

Over these past two weekends, both expressions have been widely used when it comes to the pursuit of a place in next season’s Champions League.

On 4 May, an Alex Isak 89th minute penalty at the Amex Stadium ‘gained’ Newcastle United a truly invaluable point.

The day before, Aston Villa had beaten Fulham, whilst the day before that, Man City had despatched Wolverhampton Wanderers. On the same day United gained that invaluable point against Brighton, Chelsea also won, beating Liverpool reserves by three goals to one.

That point gained left United level pegging with Chelsea and three points clear of Aston Villa, with a vastly superior goal difference when compared to the team that plays in claret and blue.

The importance of this point gained by United wasn’t lost on the folk at Opta or the bookies, especially considering NUFC were playing Chelsea at St James’ Park in their next fixture.

Fast forward to the following weekend and a case of a litany of draws for those in the Champions League race.

Forest ‘lost’ two points in their hotly contested East Midlands derby against Leicester City, fresh from another two points lost at Crystal Palace the previous Monday.

Man City somehow conspired to lose two points at St Mary’s, whilst Arsenal, who until very recently seemed nailed on to finish runners up were also at it, losing two points at Anfield.

Newcastle United meanwhile, with a hard fought victory took all three points in their high-noon showdown with Chelsea at St James Park.

All of this leaves the Premier league table looking like this:

This is where I think my ramblings to this point, emphatically make the point.

With two games to go, Newcastle United will be assured of runners up spot if they win their final two matches.

Irrespective, one more win will guarantee top five because Chelsea and Forest (who still have to play each other at the City Ground) can’t both gain maximum points and I’m willing to wager that Aston Villa won’t make up a sixteen goal deficit on United either.

Now consider if Alex Isak hadn’t converted that late penalty and Newcastle United hadn’t gained that impressive point at the Amex. Our goal difference deficit when compared to that of Arsenal would mean there’d be little talk of overhauling Mikel Arteta’s mob, even with victory at the Emirates.

In fact, it would seem very likely that without that invaluable point gained at the Amex, United would need more than three points to secure Champions League football.

If I’m being honest, I think it will be difficult for us to win both our remaining matches. I am backing us to get at least three points and they’ll likely materialise on the last day when we entertain Everton at SJP.

With both Aston Villa and Chelsea entertaining those basket case Europa League finalists on Friday evening and Man City playing hosts to Bournemouth on Tuesday night, albeit just 72 hours after they meet Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, I’m sensing it will go to the wire and that we’ll witness a last day that will have multiple twists and turns, with jeopardy and high drama aplenty.

So what if Newcastle United somehow conspires to finish outside of the top five?

I don’t think we will, but if we do, the season will have hardly been an unmitigated disaster considering Sir Edward guided us to that historic League Cup victory in March.

If we do end up in next season’s Europa League, given the shambles that has reached the final this time around, I’d back us to go all the way anyway and for Eddie to deliver another trophy in 12 months time.

(ED: This is how the Premier League table would now look with two games (and four points…) each to play for, if it was still two points for a win, as in back in the day…

58 Liverpool (GD +46)

46 Newcastle United (GD +23)

45 Chelsea (GD +19)

45 Villa (GD +7)

44 Forest (GD +12)