Premier League Matchweek 28: what the stats say

Title contenders Manchester City and Liverpool will lock horns in the headline match of the weekend while elsewhere top four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur take on Aston Villa.

Here is what the Opta stats say about this round of matches:

MANCHESTER UNITED V EVERTON |SATURDAY 9 MARCH | 14H30 CAT

Manchester United have won all three of their Premier League games against Everton since the start of last season, while they last won four league meetings in a row against the Toffees from November 2006 to December 2007.

Everton have won just one of their last 30 Premier League games at Old Trafford (D8 L21), a 1-0 victory under Roberto Martínez against a Manchester United side managed by former Toffees boss David Moyes.

Manchester United’s 40 Premier League wins against Everton is the joint-most one side has against another in the competition’s history, with the Red Devils also winning 40 times against Aston Villa.

Manchester United have lost 11 of their 27 Premier League games this season (W14 D2), only losing more in a campaign in the competition in 2013-14 and 2021-22 (both 12). The Red Devils have lost both of their last two league games but haven’t lost three in a row within a single season since December 2015 under Louis van Gaal.

Everton are winless in 10 Premier League games (D5 L5), the longest ongoing run of any side currently in the division. Only from August-October 1994 (12) have the Toffees ever had a longer winless run in the competition.

Only Sheffield United (469) and West Ham (456) have faced more shots in the Premier League this season than Manchester United (444). The Red Devils have faced at least 20 shots in four of their last five league games, while their average of 16.4 shots faced per game is their highest on record in a single campaign (since 2003-04).Everton have the 10th-highest xG in the Premier League this season (41.6), but the third-lowest goal total (29), giving them the biggest difference between expected goals and goals scored in the competition this term (12.6).

Manchester United have scored fewer goals than any other side currently in the top-half of the Premier League table this season. Their 37 goals is their fewest after 27 games since 2015-16 (36), while this is the latest into a top-flight campaign they have a negative goal difference (-2) since they ended the 1989-90 campaign on -1.

Bruno Fernandes has had a hand in seven goals in eight Premier League games against Everton for Manchester United (4 goals, 3 assists), only being involved in more against Leeds (8). However, having scored four goals in his first three against the Toffees, he’s failed to find the net in any of his last five.

Abdoulaye Doucouré is Everton’s top scorer in the Premier League with six goals this season, though he hasn’t scored since December. Since Sean Dyche became manager of the club last February, the Toffees have won 36 per cent of their league games when Doucouré starts (13/36), winning none of their nine when he doesn’t (D3 L6).

BOURNEMOUTH V SHEFFIELD UNITED | SATURDAY 9 MARCH | 17H00

Bournemouth have won two of their last three league meetings with Sheffield United (D1), more than their first 16 against them before this (W1 D5 L10).

Sheffield United have lost just one of their nine previous league visits to Bournemouth (W5 D3), although that was the most recent, going down 2-1 in the Championship in October 2021.

Since their return to the competition last season, Bournemouth are unbeaten in all seven of their Premier League games against promoted sides (W5 D2), winning the last four in a row including all three so far this term.

Bournemouth’s 2-0 win against Burnley last time out ended a seven-game winless run in the Premier League. Their first win of the campaign also came against the Clarets, and also ended a long run without a win (13), kick-starting a run that saw them win seven times in nine games (D1 L1).

Away from home in the Premier League this season, Sheffield United have won the fewest games (1), earned the fewest points (5), suffered the most defeats (10), scored the fewest goals (10) and conceded the most goals (30) of any side.

Sheffield United have conceded 72 goals in their 27 Premier League matches this season, the most by any side in any of England’s top four divisions at this stage of a season since Doncaster Rovers in 1997-98 in the fourth tier (73).

Sheffield United have lost six Premier League matches by five or more goals this season, becoming only the third side in English top-flight history to achieve this unwanted feat, along with Darwen in 1891-92 (7) and Ipswich Town in 1963-64 (6).

After being involved in five goals in three Premier League games against promoted sides last season (3 goals, 2 assists), Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke has neither scored nor assisted in any of his three such matches so far this term.

Oliver McBurnie hasn't ended on the winning side in any of his 15 Premier League appearances this season, the most of any player (D3 L12). Indeed, the Scotland striker has lost 35 of his last 41 matches in the competition for Sheffield United (W2 D4).

James McAtee has scored four goals in his last four away games for Sheffield United in all competitions. Indeed, he’s netted four of the Blades’ last seven goals on the road.

CRYSTAL PALACE V LUTON TOWN | SATURDAY 9 MARCH | 17H00

This will be Crystal Palace’s first home league game against Luton Town since February 2007 in the Championship (won 2-1), and first in the top-flight since a 1-1 draw in February 1992.

After their 2-1 win in November, Luton could complete only their fourth ever league double over Crystal Palace, after 1936-37 (third division south), 1973-74 (second tier), and 2005-06 (Championship).

Crystal Palace have won four of their five Premier League games against promoted sides this season, though the exception was a 2-1 loss at Luton in the reverse fixture. The last promoted team to achieve the double over the Eagles were Sheffield United in 2019-20.

Crystal Palace have won three of their last four Premier League games at Selhurst Park (L1), as many as their previous 13 beforehand (D5 L5). The Eagles have scored exactly three goals in each of those three wins, after having only scored 3+ goals in three of their previous 31 home league matches prior to this.

Luton have lost each of their last four Premier League games, while they haven’t lost five league matches in a row since November 2019 in the Championship. In the top-flight, the Hatters last had a longer losing run within a single season from November-December 1974 (6 games).

Crystal Palace have dropped 16 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, only losing more in 2004-05 (18), 1992-93 (17) and 2021-22 (17).

Only the current top three sides Liverpool (24), Manchester City (15) and Arsenal (15) have scored more goals in the final 15 minutes of Premier League games this season than Luton (14), with 38 per cent of their overall strikes coming after the 75th minute. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have conceded more often in this timeframe than any other side (20).

Having beaten Burnley 3-0 in his first match in charge at Selhurst Park, Oliver Glasner is looking to become just the second manager to win both of his first two Premier League home games with Crystal Palace, after Tony Pulis in December 2013.

Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze has scored four goals in his last four Premier League games, while he has eight in his last 10 appearances at Selhurst Park stretching back to last April.

Only James Ward-Prowse (6) has more assists from set plays in the Premier League this season than Alfie Doughty, with five of the Luton full-back’s six assists so far this term coming from set pieces.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS V FULHAM | SATURDAY 9 MARCH | 17H00

Wolves have lost none of their seven Premier League home games against Fulham (W5 D2), the most they have played a side at Molineux without ever losing in the competition. Indeed, they are unbeaten in 14 home league games against Fulham overall (W10 D4) since a 0-4 reverse in April 1985.

After their 3-2 win at Craven Cottage in November, Fulham could complete their first ever league double over Wolves, in what is the 44th league campaign in which the two clubs have met.

Wolves have only failed to score in one of their last 20 Premier League home games, a 2-0 defeat to Brentford last month.

Fulham have won both of their last two Premier League games, last winning more consecutively between December and January last season (4). Both of these wins have come against sides in the top half of the table, while the Cottagers last won three consecutive Premier League games against sides starting the day in the division’s top 10 from October-December 2009 under Roy Hodgson.

Wolves have scored 40 goals in their 27 Premier League games this season; it’s their most in a single campaign since 2019-20 (51), with their average of 1.5 per game their highest in a Premier League season.

Fulham have earned four points from their last two Premier League away games (W1 D1), more than in their previous 10 on the road (W0 D3 L7). They’ve drawn 2-2 with Burnley and beaten Manchester United 2-1 in these games, with the Cottagers last scoring 2+ goals in more consecutive top-flight away games between September and November 2012 (4).

Hwang Hee-chan is Wolves’ top scorer in the Premier League this season with 10 goals, with Matheus Cunha just behind on nine. The last time Wolves had two players score 10+ goals in a single top-flight season was in 1979-80 (John Richards 13 and Andy Gray 11).

After scoring in seven of eight Premier League home appearances between May and December, Hwang Hee-chan hasn’t scored in any of his last four for Wolves at Molineux. However, his six home goals this season are still the most by a Wolves player in a single campaign since 2019-20 (Raúl Jiménez, 8).

Willian has been involved in four goals in his last five Premier League games against Wolves (2 goals, 2 assists), netting twice in Fulham’s 3-2 victory in the reverse fixture. Meanwhile, teammate Alex Iwobi has netted more Premier League goals against Wolves than against any other opponent (4).

Having not scored in any of his first 10 Premier League appearances, Rodrigo Muniz has since netted five in his last five league games for Fulham. Indeed, his five goals are the most by a player aged 22 or younger in a Premier League season for the Cottagers since Collins John in 2005-06 (11).

ARSENAL V BRENTFORD | SATURDAY 9 MARCH | 19H30

Arsenal have only lost one of their last 10 meetings with Brentford in all competitions (W7 D2), a 0-2 defeat in the Bees’ first ever Premier League game in August 2021.

Brentford have won just once in nine visits to Arsenal in all competitions (D4 L4), a 2-0 league win in April 1938.

After losing 2-0 to West Ham and 2-1 to Fulham at the end of 2023, Arsenal’s two Premier League London derbies so far in 2024 have seen them beat Crystal Palace 5-0 and West Ham 6-0. Only the Gunners themselves in 1934-35 have ever scored 5+ goals in three consecutive London derby matches in English league history.

Arsenal have won all seven of their Premier League matches in 2024, scoring 31 times and conceding just three. They are the first side in English top-flight history to have scored 30+ goals in their first seven games in a year, with 29 the previous most by Sunderland in 1893 and Arsenal in 1931.

Brentford have dropped a league-high 28 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season; it’s the most since Southampton in 2021-22 (29), while only four sides have ever dropped 30+ in a single campaign – Newcastle in 2004-05 (31), Chelsea in 1995-96 (33), Wimbledon in 1999-00 (33) and Tottenham in 2007-08 (33).

Brentford had earned 16 points from their first 11 Premier League games this season, at an average of 1.5 per game (W4 D4 L3). Since then, they’ve taken just 10 points from 16 Premier League games, an average of 0.6 per game (W3 D1 L12).

Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale has kept a clean sheet in both of his meetings with Brentford this season, 1-0 wins away from home in both the Premier League and EFL Cup. The last Gunners ‘keeper to record three shutouts against an opponent in a campaign was Jens Lehmann against Blackburn Rovers in 2004-05.

Only three players have been directly involved in more Premier League goals this season than Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (21 - 13 goals, 8 assists), with Saka the only player this season to have had 200+ touches in the opposition’s box (202).

Arsenal forward Kai Havertz has three goals and two assists in his last three Premier League appearances, as many goals and assists as he had in his previous 32 league games combined (4 goals, 1 assist). Havertz has both scored and assisted in his last two matches (vs Newcastle and Sheffield United), with Cesc Fàbregas the last Gunners player to do three in a row back in September 2007.

Brentford’s Yoane Wissa is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time. Six of his last eight goals in the competition have come in London derby matches, though Arsenal are the only London team he’s faced but not scored against.

ASTON VILLA V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR | SUNDAY 10 MARCH | 15H00

Aston Villa have won their last three Premier League meetings with Tottenham, their longest league winning run over Spurs since January 1996 (a run of 4).

After a run of 11 unbeaten Premier League visits to Villa Park from March 2009 to April 2022 (W9 D2), Spurs lost this exact fixture last season 2-1. They last suffered back-to-back league defeats away to Aston Villa in November 2004.

Aston Villa have scored 59 Premier League goals this season, already their most in a season at this level since 2007-08 under Martin O’Neill (71). It’s their most at this stage of a top-flight season since 1932-33 (68).

Tottenham have only won one of their last six away Premier League games (D3 L2) despite scoring two or more goals in five of those games, all of which have been in their last five trips. Spurs last scored 2+ goals in six away league games in a row between May and September 2017.

Aston Villa have won four of their last five Premier League matches, including the last three in a row. It’s their fourth run of 3+ consecutive wins under Unai Emery, something only two managers had managed for Villa since the departure of Martin O’Neill in 2010 and before Emery’s appointment (Dean Smith in 2020 and Steven Gerrard in 2022).

Spurs have scored in all 26 Premier League matches under Ange Postecoglou so far, the best run of scoring from a manager’s first game in the English top-flight since Arthur Rowe at Spurs in the 1950-51 season, when they won the title (scored in first 27 games).

Aston Villa have conceded nine goals in their last four Premier League games at Villa Park (W2 L2), more than they had in their previous 16 on home soil (8). They’ve shipped 2+ goals in each of their last four but have gone on to win two of them (3-2 v Burnley, 4-2 v Nottm Forest); between 2019-20 and 2022-23, Villa only won one of 31 games when shipping 2+ goals at home (D4 L26).

Ollie Watkins has scored 16 Premier League goals this season, his most in a single campaign. Indeed, only two players have scored more in a season in the competition for Aston Villa: Christian Benteke (19 in 2012-13) and Dwight Yorke (17 in both 1995-96 and 1996-97).

All nine of Douglas Luiz’s Premier League goals this season have come at Villa Park, with only Georginio Wijnaldum (11 in 2015-16) and Les Ferdinand (10 in 2000-01) scoring more in a campaign with 100 per cent coming at home. In his career, 16 of the Brazilian’s 20 Premier League goals have come at Villa Park (80 per cent), the highest ratio at a single stadium of any player with 20+ goals in the competition’s history.

Since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, only Mohamed Salah (118) and Harry Kane (96) have more goals and assists combined in the Premier League than Spurs’ Son Heung-min (63 goals, 29 assists). Son also has five goals in three appearances at Villa Park (one every 52 minutes); among players to play 250+ minutes at a Premier League stadium, only Luis Suárez at Carrow Road (one every 38 minutes) has a better mins/goal ratio than Son at Villa Park.

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION V NOTTINGHAM FOREST | SUNDAY 10 MARCH | 16H00

After their 3-2 win at the City Ground in November, Brighton are looking to complete a league double over Nottingham Forest for a third time, after 1979-80 (top-flight) and 2015-16 (Championship).

Nottingham Forest have failed to score in each of their last three league visits to Brighton (D1 L2) since winning 3-2 in the Championship in 2014-15 under Dougie Freedman.

Brighton and Hove Albion have kept just three clean sheets in their last 31 Premier League matches and have lost two games by 3+ goals already in 2024 (4-0 v Luton, 3-0 v Fulham), only one fewer than they did in the entirety of 2023 (3).

Nottingham Forest have lost 11 of their last 16 Premier League matches (W3 D2); since the start of this run (November 12th), only Brentford have suffered more defeats (12).

Brighton are unbeaten in 11 Premier League home games (W5 D6), their longest ever top-flight run without defeat at home. In any division, it’s their longest home league unbeaten spell since going 14 without defeat in their promotion-winning 2016-17 Championship campaign from September to February that term.

Since the start of last season, no Premier League team has lost more games to a 90th-minute winning goal than Nottingham Forest (4, level with Crystal Palace and Man Utd), with Darwin Núñez’s goal for Liverpool last time out the fourth-latest winning goal Opta has on record in the division since 2006-07 (98:37).

Brighton completed 660 passes in their 3-0 defeat away at Fulham last time out. Since 2003-04, they were only the third side to complete that many but lose by a margin of 3+ goals in a Premier League game, along with Chelsea v Sheffield United in July 2020 (712, lost 3-0) and Fulham v Newcastle in May 2019 (690, lost 4-0).

Only Spurs (4) and Luton (0) have given fewer Premier League minutes to teenage players this season than Nottingham Forest (8). Conversely, Brighton have awarded more minutes to teenagers than anyone else (3 749), with those the most by a side in a season since Southampton in 2013-14 (6 627). A teenager has appeared in their last 52 matches, with only Everton (69 between 1997 and 1999) and Arsenal (103 between 2004 and 2007) having longer runs of consecutive matches featuring a teenager.

Among the 123 managers to take charge of 50+ Premier League matches, Roberto De Zerbi has the highest overall goals-per-game ratio of any of them (3.42, 202 in 59 matches). By comparison, Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo ranks 99th in this list (2.49 per game).

Of players to play at least 500 minutes in the Premier League this season, three of the four players with the most successful passes per 90 minutes are Brighton defenders Lewis Dunk (98.7, 2nd), Jan Paul van Hecke (90.5, 3rd), and Adam Webster (88.9, 4th).

WEST HAM UNITED V BURNLEY | SUNDAY 10 MARCH | 16H00

West Ham are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games against Burnley (W3 D2), this after having lost three in a row versus the Clarets beforehand.

Burnley have only won two of their eight Premier League visits to West Ham (D1 L5), a 3-0 victory in March 2018 and a 1-0 win in July 2020.

West Ham have won nine of their last 10 Premier League home games against newly promoted opposition, including each of their last six since a 1-2 defeat to Brentford in October 2021.

West Ham have won both of their last two Premier League games, scoring seven goals in the process, as many as they had netted in their previous eight league fixtures beforehand. The Hammers could score 3+ goals in three consecutive Premier League matches within a single season for the first time since April 2021.

Burnley have lost each of their last four away league games, conceding exactly three goals in each. The Clarets last lost more successive Premier League away matches from November 2016 to February 2017 (7), while this is their longest run of conceding 3+ goals away from home in the competition since November 2009 (6 in a row).

West Ham have won 12 games and scored 43 goals in the Premier League this season, already more than they managed for both wins (11) and goals (42) in the entirety of last season.

Burnley have scored 25 goals from 281 shots in the Premier League this season, a ratio of 8.9 per cent; only Everton (7.8 per cent) have a lower such proportion. Indeed, 37.4 per cent of Burnley’s shots in the competition this term have been from outside the box, with only Fulham (37.9 per cent) attempting a higher share from range, while the Clarets’ expected goals (xG)/shot ratio is 0.09, the lowest of any side in the top-flight in 2023-24.

Burnley enjoyed 74.7 per cent possession in their 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday, their highest average possession figure in a Premier League match. They had 20 shots without scoring, their joint-most in a match in the competition without finding the net, with the 20 they had in a 1-0 defeat against West Brom in August 2017 also the match in which they’d previously recorded their most possession (67.8 per cent) before last Sunday’s game.

James Ward-Prowse has seven Premier League assists this season, the most of any West Ham player. Since his debut season in the competition in 2012-13, he has more assists from set plays than any other player (30), although Burnley are the only side he’s faced more than three times in the Premier League without scoring or assisting against them (12 games, 849 minutes).

Against Bournemouth, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany suffered his 20th Premier League defeat as boss in his 27th game, with only Mick McCarthy losing 20 games in fewer matches as a manager in the competition (23). Kompany’s final 20 defeats as a Premier League player came over a period of 155 appearances.

LIVERPOOL V MANCHESTER CITY | SUNDAY 10 MARCH | 17H45

Liverpool have only lost one of their last 20 home league games against Manchester City (W13 D6), a 1-4 defeat in February 2021. However, home and away they have enjoyed only one win in their last eight Premier League matches against the Citizens (D4 L3), a 1-0 victory in this exact fixture at Anfield last season.

Just two of the last 30 Premier League matches between Liverpool and Manchester City have been won by the away side (16 home wins, 12 draws). Indeed, of the 54 fixtures to have been played 40+ times in the Premier League, Liverpool v Manchester City has the lowest proportion won by the away team (11 per cent - 6/53).

Liverpool (22) and Manchester City (21) are the top two sides for points gained from losing positions in the Premier League this season. However, the side scoring first has only lost one of the last 19 league meetings between the two clubs (W13 D5 – excluding 0-0 draws), with that being the Reds’ 1-4 defeat at the Etihad Stadium last season.

Since their 4-1 defeat against Man City at the Etihad last season, Liverpool have won more points (88), scored more goals (91) and lost fewer games (2) than any other Premier League side, while also keeping the joint-most clean sheets (13).

Manchester City have won their last nine away matches in all competitions, scoring 25 goals across that run. There’ve only been six previous instances of a top-flight side winning 10+ away games in a row, and two of those have been Pep Guardiola’s City side (11 between May and November 2017 and 20 between December 2020 and May 2021).

Substitutes have scored or assisted 22 goals in the Premier League this season for Liverpool (11 goals, 11 assists), with only Man City in 2011-12 (24) and Arsenal in 2009-10 (23) having more sub goal involvements in a season in the competition. A substitute has scored or assisted in their last four games, with five games in a row the Premier League record for a team having a sub score or assist, achieved by five teams previously.

Manchester City are the only side yet to concede a Premier League goal when they’ve been losing in matches this season, scoring 10 goals while trailing. They’ve also had 75 more shots than their opponents when losing (99 for, 24 faced), the best differential of any side when behind, despite the fact they’ve trailed for the lowest per centage of minutes in games of any side in the division this season (13 per cent).

Liverpool have scored 10 Premier League goals in the 90th minute of matches this season, their joint-most in a single season (also 10 in 2008-09). Darwin Núñez’s goal at Nottingham Forest (98:37) was their latest goal in a Premier League match since Dirk Kuyt scored in the 102nd minute v Arsenal in April 2011.

Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 17 goals in 19 appearances for Liverpool against Manchester City in all competitions, scoring 11 and assisting seven. It’s his highest number of goal involvements against any opponent for the Reds, while his 11 goals are the most any player has scored against sides managed by Pep Guardiola in the Spaniard’s top-flight managerial career.

Phil Foden has been directly involved in 18 Premier League goals this season (11 goals, 7 assists), his most in a single campaign for Manchester City. Foden also ranks in the top five for each of chances created in open play (50), shots attempted (83) and shots on target (34) in the Premier League this season.

CHELSEA V NEWCASTLE UNITED | MONDAY 11 MARCH | 22H00

Chelsea have lost just one of their 28 Premier League home games against Newcastle United (W20 D7), a 0-2 reverse in May 2012 under Roberto Di Matteo.

After beating Chelsea 4-1 at St. James’ Park in November, Newcastle could complete their first league double over the Blues since 1986-87.

Chelsea come into this match below Newcastle in the table for a fourth consecutive Premier League meeting between the sides, their longest such run since their first eight such games between 1993 and 1997. Across the last three seasons, the Blues have won just 11 per cent of their league games against sides above them in the table (P27 W3 D8 L16).

Chelsea won seven of their first eight Premier League games under Mauricio Pochettino when scoring first (D1), but are winless in their last three (D2 L1), drawing their last two games after netting the opener. The Blues haven’t scored first and failed to win in three consecutive league games since May 2016.

Newcastle have scored 57 Premier League goals this season, 16 more than they had at this stage last season (41). However, the Magpies have shipped 45 goals, 26 more than after 27 games in 2022-23 (19). Their matches are averaging 3.8 goals-per-game this season, the second-highest ratio by a team in a Premier League season, behind only Liverpool in 2013-14 (151 in 38 games, 4 per game).

Chelsea haven’t lost a home Premier League game in the month of March since 2001 (2-4 v Sunderland), going unbeaten in 37 such matches since then (W31 D6).

Newcastle have lost six of their last eight Premier League away games (W2), as many as their previous 27 beforehand (W11 D10 L6). Indeed, only Sheffield United (30) have conceded more goals away from home in the top-flight this season than the Magpies (29), who have gone 10 away league games without a clean sheet (25 goals conceded).

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has won four of his last seven Premier League matches against Chelsea (D2 L1), and has a 43 per cent win ratio against them overall (6 wins in 14). Among managers to face

Chelsea more than 10 times in the competition, only Kenny Dalglish (77 per cent) and Pep Guardiola (56 per cent) have a better win ratio against the Blues.

Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon has had a hand in 15 goals in his last 27 Premier League appearances (10 goals, 5 assists), five more than he managed in his first 80 games in the competition beforehand (7 goals, 3 assists). Gordon has also netted in his last two Premier League games against Chelsea, with no Magpies player ever netting in three in a row against the Blues in the competition.

Cole Palmer has been directly involved in 17 goals in his last 18 Premier League appearances for Chelsea (10 goals, 7 assists). His assist against Brentford took him ahead of Arjen Robben in 2004-05 (16) to give him the most goals and assists combined by a player aged 21 or younger in a season in the competition for the Blues.