What if?
16 famous title changes, replayed the other wayWe took famous Premier League title changes, flipped the result, and replayed every game since through the same rules. Sometimes the belt finds its way home within days. Sometimes it never does.
What if Arsenal had won?
Real result: Manchester United beat Arsenal 2–0 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by December 31, 2005, 433 days later, after 12 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Liverpool → Everton → Charlton Athletic → Arsenal → Bolton → Newcastle → Aston Villa → Tottenham → Middlesbrough → Tottenham → Chelsea → Man United
What if Liverpool had won?
Real result: Watford beat Liverpool 3–0 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by June 24, 2020, 116 days later.
The alternate belt: Man City
What if Leeds United had won?
Real result: Everton beat Leeds United 3–2 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by November 7, 1970, 434 days later, after 7 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Newcastle → Tottenham → Everton → Leeds → Stoke → Man City → Tottenham
What if Nottingham Forest had won?
Real result: Blackburn Rovers beat Nottingham Forest 7–0 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by March 15, 1997, 483 days later, after 16 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Newcastle → Man United → Tottenham → Aston Villa → Liverpool → Forest → Wimbledon → Blackburn → Tottenham → Wimbledon → Aston Villa → Chelsea
What if Nottingham Forest had won?
Real result: Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest 2–0 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by December 8, 1979, 364 days later, after 11 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Arsenal → Wolves → Middlesbrough → Everton → Bolton → Everton → Leeds → Forest → Norwich → Tottenham → Liverpool
What if Liverpool had won?
Real result: Everton beat Liverpool 1–0 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by September 16, 1989, 545 days later, after 17 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Forest → Liverpool → Newcastle → Coventry → Arsenal → Derby → Luton Town → Wimbledon → Coventry → Newcastle → Queens Park Rangers → Everton
What if Liverpool had won?
Real result: Huddersfield Town beat Liverpool 3–2 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by October 21, 1950, 315 days later, after 13 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Sunderland → Arsenal → Man United → Stoke → Huddersfield → Burnley → Wolves → Man City → Wolves → Fulham → Blackpool → Derby
What if Liverpool had won?
Real result: Manchester City beat Liverpool 2–1 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by April 14, 2019, 101 days later.
The alternate belt: Watford
What if Liverpool had won?
Real result: Manchester City beat Liverpool 3–0 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Brighton & Hove Albion, not Manchester City.
The alternate belt: Forest → Brighton → Aston Villa → Arsenal → Man United → Newcastle → Sunderland → Aston Villa
What if Manchester City had won?
Real result: Newcastle United beat Manchester City 2–1 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Brighton & Hove Albion, not Manchester City.
The alternate belt: Man United → Newcastle → Sunderland → Aston Villa → Fulham → Arsenal → Brighton
What if Newcastle United had won?
Real result: Sunderland beat Newcastle United 1–0 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Brighton & Hove Albion, not Manchester City.
The alternate belt: Man United → Newcastle → Sunderland → Aston Villa → Fulham → Arsenal → Brighton
What if Sunderland had won?
Real result: Brentford beat Sunderland 3–0 · the game
History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by January 31, 2026, 24 days later, after 1 reign that never happened.
The alternate belt: West Ham
What if Brentford had won?
Real result: Chelsea beat Brentford 2–0 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Brighton & Hove Albion, not Manchester City.
The alternate belt: Forest → Leeds → Man City → Aston Villa → Brighton → Chelsea → Arsenal → Brighton
What if Chelsea had won?
Real result: Arsenal beat Chelsea 2–1 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Brighton & Hove Albion, not Manchester City.
The alternate belt: Newcastle → Sunderland → Aston Villa → Fulham → Arsenal → Brighton
What if Arsenal had won?
Real result: AFC Bournemouth beat Arsenal 2–1 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Brighton & Hove Albion, not Manchester City.
The alternate belt: Man City → Aston Villa → Brighton → Chelsea → Arsenal → Brighton
What if AFC Bournemouth had won?
Real result: Manchester City beat AFC Bournemouth 2–1 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Liverpool, not Manchester City.
The alternate belt: Liverpool