Each week, we look back on the Premier League’s weekend action and compile our divisional Top Stats of the Week, with the first fixtures of 2022 providing huge entertainment. Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the Premier League following a hard-battled late success at 10-man Arsenal, as closest challengers Chelsea and Liverpool shared the spoils in a winded experience at Stamford Bridge.
Leeds gave themselves much-required space to breathe from the last three subsequent to beating Burnley, while Spurs left it late to grab three focuses at Watford.
Leeds got a tension alleviating result in the wake of beating Burnley this end of the week, an immense lift to Marcelo Bielsa as his side moved clear of the Premier League’s last three. Stuart Dallas delivered a mark appearing during the 3-1 win at Elland Road, as Leeds’ utility man gave an exhibition brimming with hard-running and steadiness on his 250th appearance in the club’s colours.
Elsewhere Sanchez continued with his fine form under Antonio Conte with one another impfressive performance in Spurs’ 1-0 win at Watford, the Colombian International protecting the Spurs’ backline against the Hornets’ attack. The 25-year-old has filled in height since Conte’s appearance as coach, with the north Londoners staying unbeaten in the Premier League under the Italian’s watch, while Sanchez guaranteed their top four pursuit was on track with a sensational stoppage-time win at Vicarage Road.
In the meantime, we have we’ve got enough time to quickly reflect on some of the most eye-catching stats from the weekend’s action via OPTA stats.
- 28 & 14 – Wolves have won 28 points in the Premier League this season despite scoring just 14 goals – converting to 3 points/win all-time, this is the joint-most points a side has earned in a season in top-flight history having scored fewer than 15 goals.
- 4 – Manchester United have failed to score in four different Premier League home games this season, already more than they did in the whole of 2020-21 (3).
- 25 – This is the fifth consecutive Premier League campaign in which Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 25+ goals (16 goals, nine assists) – only Thierry Henry has ever had a longer such run of seasons in the competition (7 from 1999-2000 to 2005-06).
- 2 – This is only the second Premier League game between two teams starting the day in the top four to see both teams score 2+ goals in the first half, following Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Manchester United in November 1997.
- 17 – Leeds have gone on to win 17 of their last 18 games in all competitions when Jack Harrison has found the back of the net.
- 20/20 – Yesterday, Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise assisted Odsonne Édouard’s goal against West Ham; he was 20 years and 20 days old when he did so.
- 1 – Crystal Palace have lost a home league match on New Year’s Day for the first time in their history, with this their 14th such match (previously W7 D6 L0).
- 4 – Michael Olise has been directly involved in four Premier League goals this season as a substitute (1 goal, 3 assists), the most of any player.
- 3 – West Ham have gone into a Premier League away game with a three-goal half-time lead for the very first time, with this their 490th match on the road in the competition.
- 22 – Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the 22nd different player to miss a Premier League penalty for Everton with only Arsenal (23) having more different players miss a spot kick in the competition’s history.
- 15 – Aston Villa haven’t drawn any of their last 15 Premier League games, since a 1-1 draw with today’s opponents Brentford in the reverse fixture back in August – the Villans’ longest run without a league draw since a run of 16 games between January-May 1998.
- 11 – Man City’s win means they will end New Year’s Day with an 11-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
- table; in the competition’s history, only Man Utd in 1993-94 and Man City in 2017-18 (both 12 pts) had a bigger lead at the end of January 1st in a season.
- 100 – Arsenal have become the first side in Premier League history to receive 100 red cards, with the Gunners having 11 players sent off under Mikel Arteta in the competition, also more than any other side since his first game in charge.
- 7km – Among the 427 players to play at least 500 minutes in the Premier League in 2021, the player who covered the most distance per 90 minutes was James Milner (12.7km), who turns 36 next month.
- 108 – Trent Alexander-Arnold created 108 chances in the Premier League in 2021, the most of any player and the most any defender has created in a single year in the Premier League on record (since 2003-04).