Premier League matchweek 5: what the stats say

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool

Wolves beat Liverpool 3-0 at Molineux last season, ending a run of six consecutive home league defeats against the Reds. They last won consecutive home games against them between February 1980 and August 1981 (a run of three).

Liverpool have won 12 of their last 13 Premier League games against Wolves, with the exception being a 3-0 defeat in this exact fixture last season.

Wolves have scored just 12 goals in their last 23 league games against Liverpool, with 25 percent of those strikes coming in last season's 3-0 home win.

Liverpool won none of their six Saturday 12:30pm kick-offs in last season’s Premier League (D3 L3), five of which were away from home (D2 L3). The Reds scored just three goals in those six matches despite attempting 83 shots (3.6 percent conversion rate), having 13 big chances, and accumulating 8.56 expected goals.

Wolves have won just two of their last 37 Premier League games when they've conceded at least one goal (D8 L27), winning 2-1 at Everton and Southampton last season. They're winless in their last 14 when failing to keep a clean sheet (D3 L11).

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League games (W10 D5), the longest ongoing run in the competition. It's their fifth separate run of 15+ games without defeat since Jürgen Klopp took charge in October 2015, with only Manchester City having more such runs in that time (7).

Only Everton (152) have attempted more presses in the Premier League than Liverpool this season (151), defined as a co-ordinated action by two or more defending players applying pressure at the same time, to one or more pressed players. After four games last season, the Reds only conducted 69, with only three sides performing fewer.

Three of Wolves’ four Premier League goals so far this campaign have come via substitutes (Hwang HeeChan x2, and Sasa Kalajdzic). Indeed, since the start of last season, Wolves have scored the highest share of their Premier League goals from bench (29 per cent - 10/35, min. 5 goals).

Three of Wolves’ four Premier League goals this season have been assisted by Pedro Neto, only in 2020-21 has he provided more in a single campaign (6). Indeed, this campaign all three assists have been via crosses, more than any other player.

Despite not scoring in any of his last five Premier League away fixtures, Mohamed Salah has registered six assists in his last four on the road. Indeed, only three players in the competition have assisted in five successive away games – Muzzy Izzet in December 2003, Cesc Fàbregas in January 2015 and Gerard Deulofeu in December 2015.

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace

Aston Villa have lost just one of their 11 Premier League home games against Crystal Palace (W6 D4), going down 1-0 in December 2013.

Crystal Palace have scored just five goals in 11 Premier League away games against Aston Villa (0.45 per game), and never more than once in a match. Only at Tottenham (0.36) do they have a lower away goalsper-game ratio against sides they've faced 10+ times.

Aston Villa are looking to avoid losing successive Premier League games under Unai Emery for only the third time, previously doing so in February and May of this year. Six of their eight league losses under the Spaniard have seen them ship at least three goals, including last time out to Liverpool.

Crystal Palace have one win and one draw away from home in the Premier League so far this season – not since 2003-04 in the second tier have they remained unbeaten in their first three away league games of a campaign, while they last did so in the top-flight in 1994-95.

Two of the three goals Aston Villa conceded to Liverpool last time out in the Premier League were from set pieces, both of which were corners – since Unai Emery’s first game as Villa boss in November 2022, only Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest (both 13) have conceded more set-piece goals (ex. penalties) than their 11.

All three of Crystal Palace’s goals against Wolves last time out came in the second half – since Roy Hodgson returned to the club at the beginning of April, the Eagles have scored a higher proportion of their goals after the break than any other side (74 percent - 17/23, min. 5 goals).

Aston Villa have had more direct attacks than any other Premier League side this season (16), though are yet to score from such a situation (sequences that start just inside a team's own half, and has at least 50 per cent of movement towards goal and ends with a shot or touch in the opposition box). However, no side have faced fewer direct attacks so far this term than Crystal Palace (3).

With a hat-trick against Plymouth Argyle in the League Cup, and two assists from the bench against Wolves last time out, Jean-Philippe Mateta has been involved in as many goals in 109 minutes across his last two games in all competitions as he was in his previous 44 appearances for Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze has completed more dribbles (13) and created more chances from set plays (7) than any other player in the Premier League this season.

Odsonne Édouard has scored three of Crystal Palace’s five Premier League goals this season, while he has now scored four in his last six games in the competition, as many as in his previous 42 such appearances.

Fulham v Luton Town

Fulham are unbeaten in their last five league games against Luton (W3 D2), winning both home games in that run (3-2 in October 2019, 7-0 in May 2022).

This is the first top-flight meeting between Fulham and Luton since the 1959-60 campaign. The Cottagers won 4-2 at home in the September, while the Hatters won 4-1 at Kenilworth Road in the January that season.

Manchester United v Brighton

Manchester United lost this exact fixture 2-1 on the opening weekend last season, having won eight and drawn one of their nine previous home league games against Brighton.

Brighton have won their last three league games against Manchester United, as many as they had in their first 17 against them (D2 L12).

Manchester United have only lost four consecutive Premier League games against an opponent twice previously, doing so against Liverpool (Dec 2000 – Jan 2002) and Man City (Apr 2013 – Nov 2014).

Manchester United have lost two of their four Premier League games this season (W2), having only lost two of their final 11 league games of last term (W8 D1). Defeat to Brighton would see the Red Devils suffer as many as three defeats in their first five matches of a league campaign for the first time since 1989-90 under Alex Ferguson.

After winning 4-1 at Wolves last month, Brighton are looking for successive Premier League away wins for the first time since a run of three from November-January last season. The Seagulls have scored at least once in each of their last 15 away league matches, with the club record for this standing at 16 games, achieved in League One from August 2009 to February 2010.

Man Utd have won each of their last eight Premier League games at Old Trafford, while they last enjoyed a longer home-winning run in the competition in March 2013 (12) en route to winning their last league title under Alex Ferguson.

Brighton have recorded more high turnovers than any side in the Premier League this season (49), also having more shots from such situations than anyone else (13). They also have the lowest PPDA average (passes per defensive action outside of the pressing team’s defensive third) of any side in the Premier League this term (8.7).

Excluding own goals, Bruno Fernandes has either scored (4) or assisted (2) six of Manchester United’s last eight Premier League goals against Brighton (75 percent). Indeed, only against Aston Villa and Leeds (both 6) has the Portugal international scored more goals in the competition than he has versus the Seagulls (4).

No player has assisted more goals in the Premier League this season than Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma (3), whose 14 chances created from open play are the most of any player this term. Seven of his chances created have come following a ball carry (moving 5+ metres with the ball), also the most of any player.

Among players with 5+ non-penalty Premier League goals since the start of last season, only Erling Haaland (92) and Roberto Firmino (110) have a better mins/non-penalty goal rate than Brighton’s 18-yearold Evan Ferguson (116). Indeed, the only players to score more goals overall in the competition while aged 18 or below than the Irishman’s 10 are Michael Owen (28), Wayne Rooney (15), and Francis Jeffers (12).

Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United

Tottenham did the league double over Sheffield United the last time they faced in 2020-21, having won just two of their previous 11 against the Blades (D4 L5).

Sheffield United have won just one of their last nine away league games against Tottenham (D2 L6), picking up a 1-0 victory at White Hart Lane in November 1991.

Tottenham have won seven of their last eight Premier League matches against newly promoted sides, although the exception was their last such match at home, going down 2-3 to Bournemouth in April. Not since September 1994 (run of 3) have Spurs lost successive home league games to promoted sides.

Sheffield United have lost 14 of their 15 previous Premier League matches against sides starting the day in the top two, with the only exception a 2-1 win away to Manchester United in January 2021.

West Ham United v Manchester City

West Ham are winless in their last 15 Premier League games against Manchester City (D3 L12), since a 2-1 away win in September 2015. Only against Manchester United (16 between 1993 and 2001) have the Hammers had a longer run without a win in the competition.

Manchester City are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League away games against West Ham, since a 2- 1 loss in October 2014. They've scored 24 goals in these eight visits, while conceding just six times in return.

After drawing with Bournemouth on the opening day, West Ham have won each of their last three league matches, and could win four in a row for the first time since November 2021. With 10 points, this is the Hammers’ joint-best start to a Premier League campaign after four games, along with 1999-2000, when they came ninth under Harry Redknapp.

Manchester City have lost just one of their last 11 games in the Premier League against teams starting the day inside the top four at least five matches into a season (W8 D2), with that defeat coming away to Manchester United in January of last season.

West Ham have lost nine of their last 10 Premier League matches against the competition’s reigning champions (D1), conceding at least two goals in nine of those. They have beaten the reigning champions five times in total, with each of the last four instances coming in home games – December 2007 v Manchester United, October 2014 v Manchester City, October 2015 and December 2017 v Chelsea.

Only one of the 13 teams who were unbeaten at least four games into a Premier League campaign have won when hosting the competition’s reigning champions (D7 L5), with Liverpool winning 3-1 against Manchester City in November 2019 in their 12th game of the 2019-20 season (W10 D1 going into it).

Man City boss Pep Guardiola is unbeaten in all 14 of his Premier League games against West Ham winning 12 and drawing two. Only Alex Ferguson faced an opponent more as a manager in the competition without ever losing (16 v Charlton).

David Moyes earned 40 points from 22 games against Manchester City in the Premier League while he was in charge of Everton (W12 D4 L6), while he has since picked up just two points from 13 games against them with Manchester United, Sunderland and current club West Ham (D2 L11).

Erling Haaland’s opening four Premier League games for Manchester City this season have mirrored his record from his opening four games last season – a brace on MD1, no goals on MD2, one goal on MD3 and a hat-trick on MD4. The Norwegian scored a hat-trick on MD5 last season against Nottingham Forest.

West Ham midfielder James Ward-Prowse has scored or assisted at least once in each of his last five games in the Premier League (2 goals, 4 assists), the second time he’s done so in the top-flight after December 2021-January 2022 for Southampton. Ward-Prowse has never been directly involved in a goal in six successive Premier League matches.

Newcastle United v Brentford

Newcastle have won seven of their last eight league games against Brentford (D1) in a run stretching back to 1992. The Magpies have netted 24 goals in these eight fixtures.

Since winning their first away league game against Newcastle 5-2 in September 1934, Brentford are winless in their last five visits to the Magpies (D1 L4).

Newcastle have lost each of their last three league matches, doing so for the first time since March-April 2022; they have lost more games this season (3) than they did in their final 14 league matches last season (W9 D3 L2). The Magpies haven’t lost four consecutive league games since January 2021 under Steve Bruce (5).

Brentford have only been beaten once across their last 11 games in the Premier League (W6 D4), a 1-0 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield in May of last season. The Bees have the second largest positive differential between expected goals for and against in the Premier League this season (+5.4) after Manchester City (+6.2).

Bournemouth v Chelsea

Bournemouth have only won more Premier League games against Leicester (5) and Everton (5) than they have against Chelsea (4), though three of their four victories against the Blues have been at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea did the Premier League double over Bournemouth last season (2-0 home, 3-1 away), having won just one of their previous five against the Cherries (D1 L3).

Bournemouth are currently winless in eight league matches (D2 L6), a run that started with a defeat at home to Chelsea in May of last season. This is the Cherries’ worst winless league run since a nine-game stretch between February and July in 2020 (D2 L7).

Chelsea have two wins from their last 16 games in the Premier League (D5 L9), with those victories coming away to Bournemouth in May and at home to Luton on MD3 this campaign. Since the start of this run (March 18th), Chelsea have earned the fewest points of any non-promoted or relegated side (11).

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is currently winless in 13 away games in the Premier League, drawing three games and losing 10, in a run that stretches back to February 2019 with Tottenham. His teams are without a clean sheet in 14 away games in the competition.

Bournemouth have had nine shots following high turnovers in the Premier League this season, the joint second most of any side behind Brighton (13). Andoni Iraola’s Rayo Vallecano side led LaLiga for the same metric last season (68).

Bournemouth have had only four shots following corners this season in the Premier League, the fewest of any side. Their 0.14 expected goals from corner situations is also a league-low; for context, Everton have the highest xG from corner situations - 2.7.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández leads all Premier League players this season for progressive passes (33) and total progressive passing distance (625 metres), while he’s joint-top for successful through balls (4) along with Phil Foden and Lucas Paquetá.

Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke, who was four times an unused sub for Chelsea in the Premier League without ever appearing between 2014 and 2016, has been directly involved in 16 league goals since the start of last season (8 goals, 8 assists), six more than any other Bournemouth player.

Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson has made the most total off-ball runs (173) and the most off-ball runs into the box (63) of any player in the Premier League this season. However, Jackson has scored one goal from an expected goals outlay of 3.03, and has converted just one of his seven big chances.

Everton v Arsenal

Everton have won four of their last five home league games against Arsenal (D1), including each of the last three in a row. They last won four consecutively against the Gunners between March 1910 and March 1913.

Arsenal have won 100 of their 204 meetings with Everton in English league football (D43 L61), the most any team has ever beaten another.

Both of Everton's Premier League home games this season have been 1-0 defeats. Only three times in their league history have they lost each of their first three at Goodison Park (1958-59, 2005-06 and 2008-09), while among those only in 2005-06 did they fail to score a single goal.

Since the start of last season, Arsenal have kept more away clean sheets than any other side in the Premier League (11). They've also won a joint league-high 13 games on the road, while only Manchester City (17) have conceded fewer goals than the Gunners (18, excluding promoted sides).

Everton are underperforming with regards to expected goals more than any other Premier League side this season, netting around five goals fewer than their xG suggests (2 goals scored, 7.3 xG).

Arsenal have scored more goals from corners than any other Premier League side since the start of last season (15). However, of the 17 ever-present teams in that time, only Liverpool (2) have conceded fewer such goals than Everton (4).

Sean Dyche has won just two of his 16 Premier League games against Arsenal (D3 L11), with his sides scoring just seven goals in these matches and never more than once. However, one of those wins was in his first match in charge of Everton in February last season.

Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus has scored eight goals in just nine Premier League appearances against Everton, more than he has against any other opponent. Indeed, the Brazilian averages a goal every 71 minutes against Everton (8 goals in 568 minutes), the best rate of any player to play 500+ minutes against the Toffees.

Arnaut Danjuma has scored in his last two appearances for Everton in all competitions, having netted in just two of his first 32 games with Premier League clubs (including spells with Bournemouth and Tottenham). He last scored in three consecutive club appearances in March 2021, while in the Championship with Bournemouth.

Since the start of last season, only Erling Haaland (17) and Harry Kane (16) have scored more Premier League away goals than Arsenal skipper Martin Ødegaard (10). Overall, 56 per cent of his Premier League goals for the Gunners have come on the road (14/25), with only Andrey Arshavin having a higher per centage among players to score at least 20 for the club (56.5 per cent).

Nottingham Forest v Burnley

This is the first meeting between Nottingham Forest and Burnley since February 2016, with the Clarets winning a Championship encounter 1-0 at Turf Moor.

This is the first top-flight meeting between Nottingham Forest and Burnley since February 1971, with Forest winning 1-0 at the City Ground thanks to an Ian Storey-Moore strike.

Nottingham Forest have lost just one of their last 10 league games played on a Monday (W5 D4), going down 4-0 at Leicester in October last season. Six of those games have been at the City Ground, with Forest winning five of those (D1).