Beyond Goals: The Premier League's Statistical Mavericks
While Erling Haaland's goal-scoring prowess and David Raya's shot-stopping abilities dominate mainstream Premier League conversations, a deeper dive into Opta's analytics reveals a fascinating world of unusual statistics that tell equally compelling stories about this season's campaign.
The Creative Forces and Unlucky Strikers
Bruno Fernandes finds himself in an unusual position this season, having attempted 12 shots from outside the box without scoring. The Manchester United captain came agonisingly close during the draw at Nottingham Forest, seeing his low shot strike the foot of the post. Historical context suggests his luck should change soon – since his February 2020 debut, only Kevin De Bruyne (15) has scored more goals from outside the box than Fernandes' 14.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Michael Kayode has revived the art of the long throw. The Brentford defender has launched 54 long throws into the opposition's box, eight more than second-placed Nordi Mukiele. More significantly, six of these throws have led to shots, with two directly resulting in goals.
Igor Jesus embodies frustration for Nottingham Forest supporters. Despite scoring five goals from 13 shots in cup competitions, the Brazilian striker maintains the unwanted distinction of highest expected goals without scoring in the Premier League (1.86 xG) across 10 league appearances.
The Distance Kings and Fortunate Foulers
Granit Xhaka has covered more ground than any other player this season, running an impressive 124.06 kilometres for Sunderland. He narrowly edges out Elliot Anderson (122.44km) and teammate Noah Sadiki (122.33km) in the distance covered rankings.
Ryan Sessegnon could consider himself the Premier League's luckiest player when it comes to disciplinary matters. The Fulham player has committed 20 fouls without receiving a single card, four more than second-placed Pape Matar Sarr. Remarkably, none of Sessegnon's last 25 fouls dating back to last season have resulted in a booking.
In contrast, three players find themselves frequently penalised despite minimal offences: Álex Jiménez (four yellow cards from five fouls), Tim Iroegbunam (four yellows from six fouls), and James Garner (four yellows from eight fouls).
Tactical Specialists and Impact Substitutes
Jérémy Doku continues to demonstrate why he's among the league's most dangerous dribblers. The Manchester City winger leads the rankings for ball carries ending in the opposition's box (72), a staggering 19 more than Jack Grealish and Cody Gakpo (53 each). His performance in City's 3-0 victory against Liverpool particularly highlighted this exceptional ability.
Maxence Lacroix has established himself as Crystal Palace's defensive stalwart in one-on-one situations. Among players facing at least 20 dribbles, Lacroix boasts the highest tackle success rate (87%), slightly ahead of defensive partner Marc Guéhi (81.5%).
Emiliano Buendía has perfected the role of super-sub for Aston Villa. The Argentine has played more minutes as a substitute than any other player (200) and leads the rankings for goal involvements off the bench with two goals and one assist. Interestingly, he's been more productive as a substitute (three goal involvements in 200 minutes) than as a starter (two in 229 minutes).
These unusual statistics provide fascinating insights into the diverse skills and sometimes cruel fortunes that define a Premier League season beyond the standard metrics of goals and assists.
