Premier League Matchweek 1: what the stats say

MANCHESTER UNITED – FULHAM

Manchester United have lost just four of their 34 Premier League meetings with Fulham (W24 D6) but one of those came in their most recent encounter in February, with the Cottagers winning 2-1 at Old Trafford.

Following their Premier League victory at Old Trafford last season, Fulham are looking to win consecutive away league visits to Manchester United for the first time. They’ve faced them at Old Trafford in their opening league match three times previously, losing all three (0-1 in 1950-51, 2-3 in 2001-02 and 1-5 in 2006-07).

Three of the last four Premier League meetings between Manchester United and Fulham have been won by the away side, with each of these victories coming courtesy of a 90th-minute winning goal (Man Utd x2, Fulham x1).

This will be the seventh time in the last eight seasons that the opening Premier League game of the campaign has been on a Friday, with the only exception being 2020-21. The last seven opening matches in the competition have seen a total of 25 goals (3.6 per game), with the last five in a row all seeing one side win by at least a margin of two goals.

For the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, Manchester United will begin their Premier League campaign with a home match, including now their last eight seasons in a row. They are the first side in Premier League history to start a season with a home game in eight seasons consecutively.

Fulham have only lost their opening Premier League match in two of their last nine seasons at this level (W4 D3), keeping six clean sheets across these nine games.

Manchester United have lost their last two Premier League home games against sides from London, with Fulham winning 2-1 in February and Arsenal winning 1-0 in May. London clubs haven’t won three consecutive league visits to Old Trafford since a run of five between December 1985 and September 1986.

Fulham won two of their final three Premier League away games last season (D1), as many as they managed in their first 16 on the road in 2023-24 (D5 L9).

New Fulham signing Emile Smith Rowe scored on his only previous Premier League start against Man Utd at Old Trafford, in a 3-2 defeat with Arsenal in December 2021. Only three players have scored away against the Red Devils with two different London clubs in the Premier League – Darren Bent (Fulham, Tottenham), Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, Tottenham) and Frank Lampard (Chelsea, West Ham).

Marco Silva is unbeaten in his last nine MD1 league matches as a manager (W3 D6) encompassing games with Estoril (W1), Sporting CP (D1), Olympiakos (W1), Watford (D1), Everton (D2), and current club Fulham (W1 D2), with his last such defeat coming in the Primeira Liga with Estoril in 2012-13 (1-2 v Olhanense).

IPSWICH TOWN – LIVERPOOL

Ipswich Town’s most recent Premier League game was in May 2002 against Liverpool at Anfield, losing 5-0 as they were relegated. Since then, the two sides have only faced once, a 1-1 draw in the League Cup in December 2002 before the Tractor Boys lost 5-4 on penalties.

Liverpool have never lost a Premier League match at Portman Road against Ipswich Town (P5 W3 D2), with their last visit a 6-0 win in February 2002. They’ve played more games there without losing than any other ground in the Premier League.

Ipswich Town are unbeaten in their opening league match of the season in each of the last 10 seasons (W6 D4) since losing 2-1 to Reading in the Championship in 2013-14.

For the fifth time in the last six seasons, Liverpool begin their Premier League season with a match against a newly promoted side (W3 D1 previously). They are unbeaten on MD1 in their last 11 seasons (W8 D3) since losing 3-0 to West Brom in 2012-13 in Brendan Rodgers’ first game in charge.

Between December and February in their last Premier League campaign of 2001-02, Ipswich had a run of seven wins in eight games (L1) which moved them to 12th in the table. However, following that run they won just one of their last 13 matches (D3 L9), and were ultimately relegated.

Only Stockport County (96) and Manchester City (96) scored more league goals than Ipswich Town in England’s top four tiers last season (92). Indeed, since Kieran McKenna took charge of the club for the first time in December 2021, only Man City (239) have scored more league goals than the Tractor Boys (222).

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna will be the 16th manager whose first ever Premier League game in charge comes in a match against Liverpool. Just four of the previous 15 have won (D4 L7), with Brian Clough (1992), John Gregory (1998), Paul Sturrock (2004) and Craig Shakespeare (2017) doing so.

This will be Arne Slot’s first game in charge of Liverpool. Only one of the eight managers to take charge of the Reds in the Premier League have won their first such game (D4 L3), with Gérard Houllier beating Southampton while jointly in charge with Roy Evans in August 1998. Houllier, however, lost his first game in sole charge of the club (vs Leeds in November 1998).

This will be the first time two managers (Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna and Liverpool’s Arne Slot) are taking charge of their first ever Premier League match in a game against each other since David Wagner’s Huddersfield beat Frank De Boer’s Crystal Palace 3-0 in August 2017.

No player in Premier League history has scored more goals on MD1 than Liverpool’s Mo Salah (8, level with Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard, and Wayne Rooney), while only Wayne Rooney (13 – 8 goals, 5 assists) has more goal involvements on the opening matchday in the competition than the Egyptian (12 – 8 goals, 4 assists).

ARSENAL – WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

Arsenal have won each of their last six Premier League matches against Wolves, their joint-longest winning run against them in the competition (also six in a row from 2003 to 2011).

Wolverhampton Wanderers have won just one of their last 13 away top-flight visits to Arsenal (D4 L8), winning 2-1 at the Emirates in November 2020 under Nuno Espírito Santo.

Arsenal have scored in each of their last 33 meetings with Wolves in all competitions, since a 1-0 home loss in February 1979. It’s both the Gunners’ longest scoring streak against an opponent, and Wolves’ longest run without a clean sheet against a side in their respective histories.

Arsenal have won their opening Premier League match in each of the last two seasons, beating Crystal Palace in 2022-23 and Nottingham Forest last season. The Gunners last started their season with a win in three seasons in a row between 2007-08 and 2009-10.

Wolves have lost their opening Premier League game in each of the last three seasons. They have never started a league season with defeat in four seasons in a row in their history.

This is the first time Arsenal have kicked off their Premier League campaign with a Saturday 3pm game since 2013-14, and a 3-1 home loss to Aston Villa. It’s also only the second time in the last 21 campaigns that a team who finished in the top two the previous season has played their first game in that kick-off slot, after reigning champions Chelsea lost 3-2 at home to Burnley in 2017-18.

Arsenal have won 16 of their 18 Premier League games so far in 2024 (D1 L1), comfortably their highest win rate across a calendar year in their league history (89 per cent). They’ve also scored 54 goals in these games (3 per game) and conceded just nine (0.5 per game).

Wolves lost five of their last six Premier League games in 2023-24 (W1), including the last three in a row. They last had a longer run of defeats between May and August 2021 – their final three of 2020-21 and their first three of 2021-22.

William Saliba has been on the winning side in 49 of his 65 Premier League games for Arsenal. Should he play and win this game, it would be the fastest a Gunners player has reached 50 victories in the competition (currently Nacho Monreal, 70 games).

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has scored more Premier League goals against Wolves (4) than he has against any other opponent. However, three of his four strikes against them have come away from home.

EVERTON – BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION

Everton won their first four home Premier League games against Brighton and Hove Albion but are since winless in their last three against them at Goodison Park (D1 L2).

The team scoring first has never lost a Premier League meeting between Everton and Brighton (W10 D3), although the Toffees went 1-0 up in both games last season and both ended 1-1.

Everton have lost their opening Premier League match in each of the last two seasons, losing 1-0 at home both times to Chelsea in 2022-23 and Fulham in 2023-24. They haven’t begun a campaign with defeat in three seasons in a row since between 2008-09 and 2011-12 (four consecutively).

Brighton lost their first match in three of their first four Premier League campaigns but have begun their last three seasons with victory. The Seagulls are looking to win their opening league game in four consecutive seasons for the first time ever.

Everton have won five of their last eight Premier League games (D1 L2), having been winless in their previous 13 (D6 L7). Indeed, since the first victory in that run on 6th April, only four teams have won more Premier League points than the Toffees (16).

Among current Premier League sides, only Nottingham Forest (16) have earned fewer points so far in 2024 than Brighton (18). Indeed, in the 2023 calendar year the Seagulls only failed to score in two of their 41 Premier League games – so far in 2024 they’ve failed to score in a league-high nine games (19 played).

Brighton finished the 2023-24 Premier League campaign with defeats against Chelsea and Manchester United. They last lost three consecutive league games in February/March 2022 (a run of six).

This will be Fabian Hürzeler’s first game as Brighton manager. Born in February 1993, he will be the first manager to take charge of a Premier League game who was born after the competition started, while at 31 years and 173 days he’ll be the second-youngest to ever take charge of a Premier League match (Ryan Mason, 29y 312d).

19-year-old Evan Ferguson scored in Brighton’s 4-1 win against Luton on the opening weekend of the Premier League last season. The only teenager to score on MD1 in more than one campaign is Michael Owen (1997-98 and 1998-99).

Brighton’s James Milner is set to appear in his 23rd different Premier League season, which would be a new outright competition record, surpassing Ryan Giggs’ 22. Should he feature against Everton, at 38 years and 226 days old he will also become Brighton’s oldest ever Premier League player, overtaking Bruno (38y 223d).

NEWCASTLE UNITED – SOUTHAMPTON

Newcastle United have won seven of their last nine Premier League matches against Southampton, including the last three in a row. The Magpies have never won four league games in a row against the Saints before.

Southampton have managed just one win in their last 18 Premier League visits to St James’ Park to face Newcastle (D4 L13), winning 2-1 under Ronald Koeman in January 2015.

Newcastle have lost just one of their last 20 Premier League games against promoted sides (W11 D8), with that defeat coming away against Luton Town last season (0-1).

Newcastle have won their opening Premier League match in both campaigns under Eddie Howe. They haven’t won their opening league match in three seasons in a row since between 1982-83 and 1984-85, while the last manager to do so with the Magpies was Joe Harvey between 1972-73 and 1974-75.

Among teams to have played in 10 or more Premier League seasons, Southampton have the lowest win ratio in their opening matches of the season, winning just two of 24 games (8 per cent). Their 12 defeats to open a season are also the joint second most alongside Newcastle and behind only West Ham United (15 defeats).

Newcastle have scored in each of their last 19 Premier League home games – only between January 1995 and February 1996 have they had a longer scoring streak at St James’ Park in the competition (24).

Southampton are without a win in their last 13 Premier League games (D4 L9), since beating Leicester City 1-0 in March 2023. It’s their longest run without a win in the top-flight since a run of 17 between November 1988 and March 1989.

In last season’s Championship (excl. play-offs), Russell Martin’s Southampton side were top for average possession (66.1 per cent), passes/game (667), and passes ending in the final third/game (179), while they were also second-highest for shots/game (15.5) and expected goals/game (1.76).

Alexander Isak has scored 13 Premier League goals so far in 2024, including 11 in his last 12 appearances. It’s more than twice as many as any other Newcastle player has scored so far this calendar year (Bruno Guimarães next highest with six).

If Adam Lallana plays, it would be his first Premier League game for Southampton in 10 years and 98 days, the fifth-longest gap between appearances for the same side in the competition’s history. Meanwhile, his last goal for Saints came against today’s opponents Newcastle, in a 4-0 win in March 2014.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST – BOURNEMOUTH

Nottingham Forest are winless in their last eight league games against Bournemouth (D3 L5), losing each of their last three at home against the Cherries.

This will be the second time Bournemouth have faced Nottingham Forest in their opening league match of a season, following a 0-0 draw at the City Ground in League One in 2007-08.

The team scoring first has won none of the four Premier League meetings between Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth (D2 L2). The only fixture in the competition’s history to see the side scoring first fail to win any of the first five meetings is Newcastle v Sunderland.

Nottingham Forest have lost their opening league game in each of the last five seasons, conceding exactly two goals each time.

Having lost their opening match in each of their first three Premier League campaigns, Bournemouth are now unbeaten in their last four season openers in the competition (W2 D2).

Nottingham Forest have earned just 16 points so far in 2024 (W4 D4 L10), the fewest of any current Premier League side. However, they’ve won two of their last three league games (L1), as many as they had in their first 15 this calendar year (D4 L9).

Bournemouth have only failed to score in three of their last 30 Premier League games, with each of those coming against last season’s top three (0-4 v Liverpool in January, 0-1 v Man City in February, 0-3 v Arsenal in May).

Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espírito Santo hasn’t lost on MD1 in any of his last 11 league campaigns (W7 D4), taking into account time in Portugal, Spain, England and Saudi Arabia. His sides have won their last four such matches, keeping a clean sheet each time.

Since their return to the Premier League in 2022, Morgan Gibbs-White has been involved in more Premier League goals than any other Nottingham Forest player (28 – 10 goals, 18 assists). His 18 assists in this time are twice as many as any other Forest player, while in the competition’s history only Ian Woan has provided more for the Tricky Trees (27).

Chris Wood has scored 11 goals in 16 Premier League games for Nottingham Forest under Nuno Espírito Santo, having scored just four times in 22 appearances under Steve Cooper. Wood has also been involved in six Premier League goals against Bournemouth (4 goals, 2 assists), only having a hand in more against West Ham (8) and Wolves (7).

WEST HAM UNITED – ASTON VILLA

West Ham have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League games against Aston Villa (W6 D5), a 4-1 loss at Villa Park last season.

Aston Villa are winless in their last nine Premier League away games against West Ham (D5 L4), since a 2-1 victory at Upton Park in April 2011.

West Ham have lost on five of the six occasions they’ve begun a Premier League campaign against a side who finished in the previous season’s top four. The only exception was a 2-0 away win at Arsenal in 2015-16.

West Ham have won their opening Premier League match in just one of the last eight seasons (D1 L6), beating Newcastle 4-2 in 2021-22. Indeed, the Hammers have lost their opening game in the Premier League more often than any other side (15).

Aston Villa have lost their opening Premier League match in each of the last three seasons, conceding 10 goals in these games. They also lost the last time they faced West Ham in their first game, going down 1-0 at Upton Park in 2012-13.

West Ham have conceded at least once in each of their last 18 Premier League games – only once have they had a longer run without a clean sheet in the competition, going 24 games between March and November 2008.

Aston Villa failed to win any of their last four Premier League games in 2023-24 (D2 L2), their longest run without a win under Unai Emery. Indeed, the Spaniard last had a longer run without a league win between May and September 2021 with Villarreal (D4 L1).

This will be Julen Lopetegui’s first game in charge of West Ham. He won his first Premier League game in charge of Wolves (2-1 v Everton), while his last victory in the competition was a home game against Aston Villa (1-0 in May 2023).

West Ham’s new signing Crysencio Summerville was involved in 28 Championship goals last season for Leeds United (19 goals, 9 assists, excluding play-offs). Only Southampton’s Adam Armstrong (34) and Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics (31) were involved in more.

Ollie Watkins is Aston Villa’s highest ever Premier League goalscorer in games played in London, with 13 goals in the capital so far. He has 59 overall in the competition, behind only Gabriel Abgonlahor (74) and Dwight Yorke (60) for the Villans.

BRENTFORD – CRYSTAL PALACE

Brentford are winless in all six of their Premier League meetings with Crystal Palace (D5 L1) – it’s both the joint-most the Bees have faced a side in the competition without ever winning (also 6 v Newcastle) and the joint-most the Eagles have faced a side without ever losing (also 6 v QPR).

Following a 3-1 win against Brentford in December last year, Crystal Palace are looking to win consecutive league games against the Bees for the first time since December 1957.

For the third time in four Premier League seasons, Brentford are beginning the campaign with a London derby. They beat Arsenal 2-0 in 2021-22, before a 2-2 draw with Spurs last season.

Crystal Palace beat Sheffield United 1-0 in their opening league game last season but haven’t won their first league match in consecutive campaigns since 2006-07/2007-08.

After a 14-game unbeaten run in Premier League London derbies between October 2022 and November 2023, Brentford have now lost five of their last seven against fellow London opponents (D2).

Brentford have won three of their last six Premier League games (D1 L2), as many as they had in their previous 21 combined (D4 L14).

Crystal Palace finished the 2023-24 Premier League campaign with six wins from seven games (D1), winning the last three in a row by an aggregate score of 12-1. They last won four in a row between February and June 2020.

After scoring in four of his first five games following his return from suspension last season, Brentford’s Ivan Toney has now gone 12 Premier League games without a goal. Only once has he had a longer drought in English league football, going 15 games between December 2015 and August 2016 during spells with Barnsley, Newcastle and Shrewsbury Town.

In his previous spell in English league football between 2019 and 2023, Crystal Palace’s new signing Ismaïla Sarr led all Watford players for goals (33), assists (17), chances created (124), total shots (251) and touches in the opposition box (539), while only João Pedro (242) completed more dribbles than the Senegal international (208).

Since Oliver Glasner’s first game in charge on 24th February, Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored more Premier League goals than any player (13). Indeed, he’s netted more in 13 appearances under Glasner (13) than he had in his first 80 Premier League games (11).

CHELSEA – MANCHESTER CITY

Chelsea are winless in their last six Premier League meetings with Manchester City (D2 L4), since a 2-1 away win in May 2021.

Since losing the Uefa Champions League final in May 2021, Manchester City are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Chelsea in all competitions (W7 D2) – it’s their joint longest run without defeat against the Blues in their history (also 9 between 1936 and 1949).

No team has earned more points from their opening matches of the Premier League season than Chelsea (67), with only Manchester United picking up more wins (21) than the Blues (20).

This is the first time Chelsea have begun a top-flight campaign with a match against the reigning champions since 1971-72, when they lost 3-0 against Arsenal at Highbury.

Manchester City have won their opening Premier League match in 12 of the last 13 seasons, with the exception being a 1-0 loss at Tottenham in 2021-22.

Chelsea lost just one of their last 15 Premier League games in 2023-24 (W9 D5), winning each of the last five in a row. They last had a longer winning run between September and November 2019 under Frank Lampard (6).

Manchester City have won each of their last nine Premier League matches by two or more goals, the longest such run in the competition’s history, with their final three wins of 2023-24 all coming against London clubs (4-0 v Fulham, 2-0 v Tottenham, 3-1 v West Ham).

Enzo Maresca will be the fourth manager whose first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea has come against the reigning champions, after Claudio Ranieri in September 2000 (3-3 v Manchester United), Avram Grant in September 2007 (0-2 v Manchester United) and Rafael Benítez in November 2012 (0-0 v Manchester City).

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer registered more goal involvements than any other player in the Premier League last season (33 – 22 goals, 11 assists). He was also the competition’s top scorer in home games last term, with his 16 goals the joint-most a player has netted at Stamford Bridge in a single Premier League campaign (Didier Drogba 2006-07 and Frank Lampard 2009-10).

Man City striker Erling Haaland has scored 63 goals in 66 Premier League games, winning the golden boot in both of his campaigns with the Citizens so far. He’s also scored a brace in both of his appearances on the opening weekend (v West Ham in 2022-23 and Burnley last season), with no player ever doing so in three different seasons.

LEICESTER CITY – TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Leicester beat Tottenham 4-1 in their last Premier League meeting in February 2023, last winning consecutive league games against Spurs in October 1999 (a run of three).

Tottenham have only failed to score in one of their 17 Premier League away games against Leicester, a 3-0 loss at Filbert Street in September 1997.

Of all Premier League fixtures to have been played at least 30 times, Leicester against Tottenham has the highest goals-per-game average (3.8 – 128 goals in 34 games). There have been 28 goals scored in the last five meetings between the sides alone (5.6 per game).

Leicester are unbeaten on the last nine occasions they’ve begun their league campaign with a home game (W6 D3). However, the last three times they’ve lost such a match, they’ve been relegated at the end of the campaign – 1-3 v Newcastle in 1994-95 (Premier League), 0-5 v Bolton in 2001-02 (Premier League) and 0-1 v Blackpool in 2007-08 (Championship).

This is the seventh time Tottenham are starting their Premier League campaign against a promoted side; they’ve won five of the previous six, losing the other 1-0 against Sunderland in 2007-08.

Tottenham’s last four Premier League wins of 2023-24 came against each of the sides to finish in the bottom four (Nottingham Forest, Luton, Burnley, Sheffield United). They won all six of their league games against promoted sides last term, accounting for 30 per cent of their overall victories (6/20).

Leicester have lost half of their Premier League games played on Mondays (21/42) – only in Friday games do the Foxes have a higher loss rate in the competition (61.5 per cent - 8/13).

New Leicester manager Steve Cooper’s last Premier League game in charge was a 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham in December last year with Nottingham Forest. This will be the 10th occasion of a manager taking charge of consecutive Premier League games against the same opponent but with a different team, with none of the previous nine losing both matches.

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min has been involved in 13 goals in 14 Premier League appearances against Leicester (9 goals, 4 assists), only having a hand in more against Southampton (15). Indeed, the Korean has scored five and assisted once in his last three against the Foxes.

Leicester striker Jamie Vardy has scored eight Premier League goals against Tottenham, only netting more goals in his league career against Arsenal and Watford (11 each). Indeed, the Englishman has netted seven goals in eight MD1 appearances in the Premier League with only four players scoring more on the opening matchday in the competition’s history (Shearer, Lampard, Rooney & Salah – 8 each).

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