Football League First Division 1980/81
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Aston Villa | 42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 72 | 40 | +32 | 60 | Champions ♦EC |
| 2nd | Ipswich Town | 42 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 77 | 43 | +34 | 56 | Runners Up ♦UC |
| 3rd | Arsenal | 42 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 61 | 45 | +16 | 53 | ♦UC |
| 4th | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 60 | 42 | +18 | 52 | ♦UC |
| 5th | Liverpool | 42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 62 | 42 | +20 | 51 | ♦EC |
| 6th | Southampton | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 76 | 56 | +20 | 50 | ♦UC |
| 7th | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 62 | 44 | +18 | 50 | - |
| 8th | Manchester United | 42 | 15 | 18 | 9 | 51 | 36 | +15 | 48 | - |
| 9th | Leeds United | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 39 | 47 | -8 | 44 | - |
| 10th | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 70 | 68 | +2 | 43 | ♦ECWC |
| 11th | Stoke City | 42 | 12 | 18 | 12 | 51 | 60 | -9 | 42 | - |
| 12th | Manchester City | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 56 | 59 | -3 | 39 | - |
| 13th | Birmingham City | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 50 | 61 | -11 | 38 | - |
| 14th | Middlesbrough | 42 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 53 | 61 | -8 | 37 | - |
| 15th | Everton | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 55 | 58 | -3 | 36 | - |
| 16th | Coventry City | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 48 | 68 | -20 | 36 | - |
| 17th | Sunderland | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 52 | 53 | -1 | 35 | - |
| 18th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 43 | 55 | -12 | 35 | - |
| 19th | Brighton & Hove Albion | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 54 | 67 | -13 | 35 | - |
| 20th | Norwich City | 42 | 13 | 7 | 22 | 49 | 73 | -24 | 33 | ▼Relegated |
| 21st | Leicester City | 42 | 13 | 6 | 23 | 40 | 67 | -27 | 32 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Crystal Palace | 42 | 6 | 7 | 29 | 47 | 83 | -36 | 19 | ▼Relegated |
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End of Season Notes |
| ♦ Aston Villa finished as Football League First Division Champions |
| ♦ Ipswich Town finished as Football League First Division Runners Up |
| ▼Norwich City were Relegated to the Football League Second Division |
| ▼Leicester City were Relegated to the Football League Second Division |
| ▼Crystal Palace were Relegated to the Football League Second Division |
| ▲West Ham United were Promoted from the Football League Second Division |
| ▲Notts County were Promoted from the Football League Second Division |
| ▲Swansea City were Promoted from the Football League Second Division |