Manchester City are the defending English champions but, with the season now in the home straight, their chances of retaining the Premier League title are very remote as they trail Manchester United by 15 points with only nine matches left.
In the history of English football, there have been 25 occasions when the champion club defended their crown successfully the following year.
Statistics denote how champions fared the season after winning the title since season 1946-47.
How title winners fared in the following season
| Season | Champions | Season | Position |
| 1946-47 | Liverpool | 1947-48 | 11th |
| 1947-48 | Arsenal | 1948-49 | 5th |
| 1948-49 | Portsmouth | 1949-50 | Champions |
| 1949-50 | Portsmouth | 1950-51 | 7th |
| 1950-51 | Tottenham | 1951-52 | 2nd |
| 1951-52 | Manchester Utd | 1952-53 | 8th |
| 1952-53 | Arsenal | 1953-54 | 12th |
| 1953-54 | Wolves | 1954-55 | 2nd |
| 1954-55 | Chelsea | 1955-56 | 16th |
| 1955-56 | Manchester Utd | 1956-57 | Champions |
| 1956-57 | Manchester Utd | 1957-58 | 9th |
| 1957-58 | Wolves | 1958-59 | Champions |
| 1958-59 | Wolves | 1959-60 | 2nd |
| 1959-60 | Burnley | 1960-61 | 4th |
| 1960-61 | Tottenham | 1961-62 | 3rd |
| 1961-62 | Ipswich Town | 1962-63 | 17th |
| 1962-63 | Everton | 1963-64 | 3rd |
| 1963-64 | Liverpool | 1964-65 | 7th |
| 1964-65 | Manchester Utd | 1965-66 | 4th |
| 1965-66 | Liverpool | 1966-67 | 5th |
| 1966-67 | Manchester Utd | 1967-68 | 2nd |
| 1967-68 | Manchester City | 1968-69 | 13th |
| 1968-69 | Leeds United | 1969-70 | 2nd |
| 1969-70 | Everton | 1970-71 | 14th |
| 1970-71 | Arsenal | 1971-72 | 5th |
| 1971-72 | Derby County | 1972-73 | 7th |
| 1972-73 | Liverpool | 1973-74 | 2nd |
| 1973-74 | Leeds United | 1973-74 | 9th |
| 1974-75 | Derby County | 1975-76 | 4th |
| 1975-76 | Liverpool | 1976-77 | Champions |
| 1976-77 | Liverpool | 1977-78 | 2nd |
| 1977-78 | Nottm Forest | 1978-79 | 2nd |
| 1978-79 | Liverpool | 1979-80 | Champions |
| 1979-80 | Liverpool | 1980-81 | 5th |
| 1980-81 | Aston Villa | 1981-82 | 11th |
| 1981-82 | Liverpool | 1982-83 | Champions |
| 1982-83 | Liverpool | 1983-84 | Champions |
| 1983-84 | Liverpool | 1984-85 | 2nd |
| 1984-85 | Everton | 1985-86 | 2nd |
| 1985-86 | Liverpool | 1986-87 | 2nd |
| 1986-87 | Everton | 1987-88 | 4th |
| 1987-88 | Liverpool | 1988-89 | 2nd |
| 1988-89 | Arsenal | 1989-90 | 4th |
| 1989-90 | Liverpool | 1990-91 | 2nd |
| 1990-91 | Arsenal | 1991-92 | 4th |
| 1991-92 | Leeds United | 1992-93 | 17th |
| (Last Football League title – start of Premier League) | |||
| 1992-93 | Manchester Utd | 1993-94 | Champions |
| 1993-94 | Manchester Utd | 1994-95 | 2nd |
| 1994-95 | Blackburn | 1995-96 | 7th |
| 1995-96 | Manchester Utd | 1996-97 | Champions |
| 1996-97 | Manchester Utd | 1997-98 | 2nd |
| 1997-98 | Arsenal | 1998-99 | 2nd |
| 1998-99 | Manchester Utd | 1999-2000 | Champions |
| 1999-00 | Manchester Utd | 2000-01 | Champions |
| 2000-01 | Manchester Utd | 2001-02 | 3rd |
| 2001-02 | Arsenal | 2002-03 | 2nd |
| 2002-03 | Manchester Utd | 2003-04 | 3rd |
| 2003-04 | Arsenal | 2004-05 | 2nd |
| 2004-05 | Chelsea | 2005-06 | Champions |
| 2005-06 | Chelsea | 2006-07 | 2nd |
| 2006-07 | Manchester Utd | 2007-08 | Champions |
| 2007-08 | Manchester Utd | 2008-09 | Champions |
| 2008-09 | Manchester Utd | 2009-10 | 2nd |
| 2009-10 | Chelsea | 2010-11 | 2nd |
| 2010-11 | Manchester Utd | 2011-12 | 2nd |
| 2011-12 | Manchester City | 2012-13 | |