Fulham

The Gunners missed the chance to move within four points of Premier League leaders Liverpool, whose showdown with Everton was postponed on Saturday due to adverse weather conditions.

Mikel Arteta's side controlled large periods of the contest, enjoying three-quarters of the possession, but had to settle for a share of the spoils after William Saliba cancelled out Raul Jimenez's opener.

Bukayo Saka saw a late header ruled out for offside following a VAR review, but Odegaard acknowledged Arsenal required more to get the job done.

"We dominated most of the game," he told Sky Sports. "The first half wasn't great. We were a bit sloppy and lacked energy and power.

"The second half was a lot better. It's frustrating not to win. We were close in the end with the goal.

"They're a good team. They know how to defend. A solid block. We didn't do enough today. We have to learn from that and go straight back in for the next one.

"We did a lot of good things. We have to do more and put the ball in the box more times, maybe, be a bit more direct and aggressive. We could have won it in the end.

"It's a very long way to go. We've said hundreds of times, we have to keep going game by game. We have to focus on ourselves. We don't care about the other teams [in the title race]."

Meanwhile, Marco Silva felt Fulham could have been better, but saluted the commitment and fighting spirit demonstrated by his side, who have now suffered just one defeat in their last seven games.

"The first thing is to praise the players for their commitment," the Cottagers boss said. "On the ball, it wasn't the game we like to play normally. The weather conditions weren't the best. They are really strong in the pressure.

"In some moments, we should have kept the ball. Not many chances [for Arsenal] I think were good chances. We knew they'd start the second half strongly.

"I'd like to see us making better decisions because we had some good moments to punish them more, but they equalised.

"Second half, I felt the energy wasn't there because, when you have so much time without the ball, you need fresh legs. Overall, the commitment and fighting spirit was really good."

The new Chelsea co-owner – and chairman and interim sporting director – was speaking at a conference on Tuesday when he proposed the Premier League 'Americanised' (or should that be 'Americanized'?) itself a bit.

A relegation play-off tournament between the bottom four teams was one idea; but the other, which attracted most of the headlines, was for a North v South 'All-Star' game, pointing out Major League Baseball (MLB) in his native United States made $200million from such an event this year.

A potential Premier League 'All-Stars' game was the talk of football media on Tuesday, so at Stats Perform we decided to have a look at who might line up for the North and South.

It was decided the north-south cut-off point would see Nottingham Forest qualify for the North, ensuring each All-Stars team had 10 clubs to select from.

First up, we have unrestricted squads, so essentially the very best teams possible; then, we have squads that are limited to three players from each club and every single Premier League must have at least a single player selected. So, without any further ado, let's see who made the cut…

NORTH ALL-STARS (unrestricted)

4-3-3: Ederson (Manchester City); Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool); Rodri (Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Phil Foden (Manchester City); Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Luis Diaz (Liverpool).

SUBS: Alisson (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Raphael Varane (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Fabinho (Liverpool), Casemiro (Manchester United), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United).

You knew the starting XI was going to look like that even before reading, didn't you? Manchester City and Liverpool obviously dominated the first team here, but it feels difficult to argue with almost any selection here.

The goalkeeper choice was probably the toughest, but only because Ederson and Alisson are both so strong and simultaneously significantly better than any other eligible shot stoppers in terms of their all-round game – Ederson ultimately got the nod owing to 13 more clean sheets over the past three-and-a-bit years, but either could've got the gig.

Similarly in defence, many of the North's options pick themselves. The centre-backs, Van Dijk and Dias, have each won the Premier League Player of the Season award in the past four years, while Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have at least 12 most assists than any other defender since the start of the 2019-20 season.

While the defence had a distinctively Liverpool look to it, City dominate the midfield because… well, they tend to dominate the midfield. Rodri provides the control and defensive protection, while Foden and De Bruyne can wreak havoc going forward and towards the flanks.

Salah and Haaland were obvious picks in attack. The Egyptian has been involved in 96 goals (66 scored, 30 assisted) since the start of the 2019-20 season, more than anyone else, while Haaland is arguably the most in-form striker in world football, having already netted 12 times in seven games for City.

Luis Diaz was perhaps the most uncertain one, but he's quickly become a key figure at Liverpool. His ability to cut inside or head for the byline makes him an unpredictable asset, and he's something of a double threat in terms of goals and creativity.

Cristiano Ronaldo's appearance on the bench owes much to his solid goal-scoring form last season.

SOUTHERN ALL-STARS (unrestricted)

4-2-3-1:Hugo Lloris (Tottenham); Reece James (Chelsea), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal); Declan Rice (West Ham), N'Golo Kante (Chelsea); Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Son Heung-min (Tottenham); Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal).

SUBS: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Chelsea), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Jorginho (Chelsea), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace), Ivan Toney (Brentford).

This team has it all. A World Cup-winning goalkeeper, a defence with an ideal blend of youth and experience, a combative midfield and four world-class attackers.

Lloris gets the nod in net. He's been one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the league since his arrival from Lyon 10 years ago, and based on Opta's expected goals on target (xGOT) conceded metric, Lloris has prevented 3.8 goals since the start of the 2020-21 season, significantly better than his South All-Stars back-up, Chelsea's Edouard Mendy (-3.8).

Chelsea star James is the right-back, with his 16 goal contributions (six goals, 10 assists) since the start of last season topping the charts for a defender. Koulibaly and Romero are a formidable centre-back pairing, while Zinchenko has four Premier League titles to his name from his time at Manchester City.

James and Zinchenko are brilliant attacking full-backs, but the defence will need screening, and that is where Kante and Rice come into their own. Both super ball-winners, Kante's relentless energy will be complemented by Rice's ability on the ball, as he has demonstrated at West Ham.

That midfield protection will be needed, with a four-pronged attack ready to lay waste to the North's defence.

Sterling might not have made a flying start at Chelsea but is the best pick on the right wing, with Son – who shared the league's golden boot award last season – on the opposite wing. Kane will play a slightly deeper role, behind Jesus, who has had more touches in the opposition box (66), attempted more dribbles (34), more dribbles in the box (8) and won more fouls (21) than any other player in the Premier League this season.

NORTHERN ALL-STARS (restricted)

4-2-3-1: Jordan Pickford (Jordan Pickford); Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Vigil van Dijk (Liverpool), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool); Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City); Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Pedro Neto (Wolves); Erling Haaland (Manchester City).

SUBS: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Diego Carlos (Aston Villa), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Renan Lodi (Nottingham Forest), James Maddison (Leicester City), Youri Tielemans (Leicester City), Jack Harrison (Leeds United), Antony Gordon (Everton), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United).

Our self-imposed restrictions of no more than three players from a given team gives the North All-Stars a distinctly different feel – nevertheless, Van Dijk, Dias, Robertson, De Bruyne, Salah and Haaland retain their places, for obvious reasons.

Probably the biggest casualty is Alexander-Arnold, but the North benefits from having another excellent forward-thinking option at right-back in Trippier, while Jordan Pickford starts between the posts – David de Gea was another option here, but the England international is better with his feet.

Bruno Guimaraes comes into the midfield, offering a valuable combination of bite and craft, while Fernandes will take up the number 10 position with De Bruyne dropping a little deeper – this shouldn't stifle the team's creativity too much given the Belgian is the only player with more chances created (239) than Fernandes (224) since the latter's Premier League debut.

The other new face in attack is Pedro Neto. Perhaps a wildcard choice, but the Portugal international is an exciting winger with lots of pace and trickery. While Salah will cut in off the opposite flank, Neto looks to get crosses into the box, and that could be an effective route to goal knowing the predatory instincts Haaland has.

Again, Ronaldo is held back in reserve.

SOUTHERN ALL-STARS (restricted)

4-3-3: Robert Sanchez (Brighton and Hove Albion); Reece James (Chelsea), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal); James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Declan Rice (West Ham), Mason Mount (Chelsea); Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Son Heung-min (Tottenham).

SUBS:Neto (Bournemouth), Ben Mee (Brentford), Tariq Lamptey (Brighton and Hove Albion), Joao Palhinha (Fulham), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace), Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford).

Robert Sanchez has been a standout performer for Brighton under the now Chelsea boss Graham Potter, and he replaces Lloris now the restrictions have come into play. He has kept 24 league clean sheets since making his debut in November 2020, which trails only four other goalkeepers.

James, Romero and Zinchenko all keep their places in defence, though Koulibaly does not. He makes way for Joachim Andersen, who has been excellent since signing for Crystal Palace in 2021.

We have switched to a midfield three for this side, with Rice staying in the team but playing a deeper, anchoring role. Alongside him are two new faces in the form of England team-mates Ward-Prowse and Mount. Both provide energy and creativity in abundance.

Ward-Prowse's set-piece quality – no midfielder has scored more goals or created more chances from set plays since the start of last season as the Southampton captain – is a huge threat, while Mount has contributed to 21 league goals since the beginning of 2021-22.

Jesus is the unlucky striker to drop out of the starting XI, though he is on the bench, with Sterling, Kane and Son leading the line.

City were humbled 4-0 by Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, losing a fifth straight game in all competitions.

Liverpool capitalised on that result, coming from behind to beat lowly Southampton 3-2 on Sunday and moving eight points clear at the top in the process.

Ruben Amorim made his bow as Manchester United boss in a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road, while Chelsea and Arsenal are hot on Man City's heels.

We also saw a managerial departure, with Leicester City parting ways with Steve Cooper after four league matches without a win.

But, who were the unlucky losers, and lucky winners, from the weekend's Premier League fixtures?

Unlucky losers: Fulham

Man City were not the only team to ship four goals on Saturday, with Fulham also having that unwanted badge of honour following their 4-1 home loss to Wolves.

But while Wolves were excellent on the counter and clinical when their chances came, it is fair to say Fulham were unfortunate to concede four times, given they only gave up 1.3 expected goals against (xGA).

Indeed, Fulham and Wolves both had 10 shots, while both teams also had 23 touches in the opponents' box.

It was a bad day at the office for Marco Silva, but he can at least take solace that the numbers suggest they were somewhat unfortunate.

Unlucky losers: Bournemouth

Bournemouth were beaten 2-1 by Brighton on Saturday, as the Seagulls held off their south coast rivals despite Carlos Baleba's red card.

David Brooks pulled one back for Bournemouth late on, as Andoni Iraola's team fell short of their 1.6 xG.

Brighton, on the other hand, accumulated just 0.9 xG, the third-lowest total of any of the 18 games to have been played across Saturday and Sunday.

Bournemouth had 19 shots but only got five of them on target. Brighton, on the other hand, sent four of their six attempts on target.

Lucky winners: Tottenham

Time for some controversy...

Spurs were brilliant against City, with James Maddison marking his 28th birthday with a first-half double before Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson got in on the act after the break.

Yet, the metrics suggest Tottenham were fortunate to keep a clean sheet, with City - who had 23 attempts - accumulating 2.1 xG.

That is not to say Spurs were not impressive going the other way. They finished with 2.5 xG from just nine shots, showing they created high-calibre chances.

But should it really have been 4-0? The numbers suggest not, but then again, stats must always be used within context and should not be all we go off.

While Arsenal and Manchester City were held to draws at Fulham and Crystal Palace respectively, Chelsea's fine form continued as they claimed a 4-3 comeback win over Tottenham.

Enzo Maresca's team are now four points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

Ruben Amorim, meanwhile, suffered his first home defeat as Manchester United boss, as Nottingham Forest won 3-2 at Old Trafford, while there was another big home win for Brentford, who beat Newcastle United 4-2.

Southampton lost to Aston Villa, Bournemouth broke Ipswich Town hearts and Leicester City fought back late on against Brighton. But, which teams were lucky to get the points, and who can consider themselves unfortunate?

Here, we use Opta data to find out.

Unlucky losers: Manchester United

It was not a great weekend for Man Utd. On Sunday, news broke that sporting director Dan Ashworth, who the club had pushed hard to bring in, had left his role after just five months at Old Trafford.

That announcement came after United's loss to Forest on Saturday, though, as Chris Wood's header - his club-record-setting 25th Premier League goal for the visitors - proved decisive as new Red Devils boss Amorim suffered back-to-back losses. 

Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund were on target for United, but the defensive frailties that had been evident under Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag, again, came back to bite them.

United finished with an expected goals against (xGA) of just 0.8, yet Forest scored three times. While that suggests the quality of finishing by Nuno Espirito Santo's team was high (indeed, their xG on target was 1.5), it also hints at a slice of misfortune for Amorim's men.

Only Brentford and Chelsea (both eight) had more shots on target across the weekend than United (seven), who also hit the woodwork. However, the Red Devils made two errors leading to goals, and at the highest level, you are bound to get punished.

Lucky winners: Fulham

Fulham continue to punch above their weight under Marco Silva, and after taking an early lead against Arsenal, the Cottagers ultimately showed strong resolve to hold on for a 1-1 draw amid plenty of pressure from the Gunners on Sunday.

Bukayo Saka thought he had headed in a late winner at Craven Cottage, only for VAR to spot Gabriel Martinelli had drifted offside before delivering the cross that found the England winger.

While Fulham did not take all three points, a draw in such circumstances will almost certainly feel like a victory for Silva's side and their supporters. And the metrics suggest they did get somewhat fortunate.

Not to take away from their strong defensive rearguard, but Fulham only accumulated 0.2 xG, the lowest total in the league across the weekend. They also had the fewest shots (two), though they did get both of those on target.

Arsenal's 2.0 xG, meanwhile, was the fifth-highest total on matchday 15, and Fulham did give up four big chances (defined as an opportunity from which a player would be expected to score), with the Gunners only able to take one of them - when William Saliba turned home their equaliser from point-blank range.

Indeed, Arsenal's 8.3% shot conversion rate tells its own story. Had Mikel Arteta's team had their shooting boots on, the result would likely have been much different.

Unlucky losers: Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou is getting a fair bit of scrutiny at the moment, with his swashbuckling style of play coming under fire from both fans and pundits.

Yet Spurs actually mustered a slightly higher xG (2.9) than Chelsea (2.8) in their 4-3 loss on Sunday.

Sure, it is a bad look that Tottenham gave up a 2-0 lead to go down 4-2 before Son Heung-min grabbed another in stoppage time, but the Blues did get two penalties.

Without those spot-kicks, Chelsea's xG was 1.25, so Spurs' defence did perhaps not give up the quality of opportunities that one might expect for a team that had shipped four goals.

That being said, they did concede 17 shots, with only three teams across the weekend allowing more, and there is no doubt Postecoglou has to find a way to tighten up at the back.

Manchester United got back to winning ways with a sweeping 3-0 win over Southampton, while Nottingham Forest stunned Liverpool at Anfield.

Manchester City continued their perfect start with a comeback win over Brentford, and on Sunday Arsenal claimed bragging rights in the North London derby.

But who were the lucky winners and the unlucky losers to emerge from this weekend's set of fixtures, according to the underlying metrics?

With the help of Opta data, let's find out.

Lucky winners: Nottingham Forest

Liverpool had made a perfect start to life under Arne Slot and were yet to concede a goal heading into matchday 4, but after a two-week break, things were not quite as rosy.

The Tricky Trees had faced 26 strikes before Callum Hudson-Odoi's long-range effort curled beyond Alisson, ending a 55-year wait for a Forest win at Anfield.

Forest managed just five shots in the game, creating an expected goals (xG) of 0.44, with Hudson-Odoi's strike only contributing 0.07 to that. They also managed just five touches in the opposition box.

Liverpool may not have been at their high-flying best, but they had 34 touches in the opposition area and had 14 attempts on Forest's goal but could not find a way through a well-drilled Nuno Espirito Santo side as Slot got his first taste of defeat in the job.

Unlucky losers: Brighton

Technically, Brighton were not 'losers' as they continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 0-0 draw with Ipswich Town.

But based on the metrics, they were unlucky not to come away with three points against the newly promoted side.

The Seagulls had a whopping 21 shots at the Amex Stadium, but accumulated just 1.66 xG, and only managed to test Arijanet Muric on six occasions despite their continued dominance.

They also had three big chances, from which players would have been anticipated to do better, but Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter failed to convert them as Fabian Hurzeler's side endured a frustrating day.

Lucky winners: Arsenal

Most Arsenal fans will not care how the victory over rivals Tottenham happened, just that they came away from the visit with three points, but the Gunners were savvy in their victory.

Indeed, Arsenal's two lowest possession averages (on record) in a Premier League game against Spurs have both come in 2024, with Sunday’s match their lowest total (36.3%).

Mikel Arteta's side did create a slightly higher xG (0.74 to 0.71), but from a much lower shot count as they only had seven attempts on Spurs’ goal, with Gabriel Magalhaes’ close-range header worth 0.23 xG.

It was Arsenal's lowest xG of the season so far (0.87 xG on MD2 is second), but their clinical edge proved the difference against a wasteful Spurs.

Unlucky losers: Fulham

Like Brighton, Fulham do not class as losers as they drew 1-1 with West Ham, but Marco Silva will be disappointed to have let the three points slip from their grasp. 

Raul Jimenez's goal looked to have earned them a second win of the season until Danny Ings' clinical finish denied them.

Fulham were another of the teams to have 21 shots this weekend, the joint-most along with the Seagulls, though their 1.54 xG came in slightly lower, despite creating four big chances, of which they squandered three.

West Ham had only accumulated 0.52 xG until Ings' intervention, pushing it up to 0.76 with their third and last shot on target, condemning the Cottagers to a second consecutive draw.

Manchester City and Arsenal both had to come from behind to beat Fulham and Southampton respectively at home, while there were eight goals scored as Brentford overcame Wolves 5-3, with six of those strikes coming in the first half in west London.

Liverpool kept themselves ahead at the summit thanks to a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, while Manchester United stopped the rot by holding Aston Villa, albeit they have now tallied up their lowest points total after seven games of any Premier League season.

Leicester City, meanwhile, grabbed their first win of the campaign, while Anthony Gordon endured a miserable return to Goodison Park with Newcastle United. In the final fixture of the weekend, Brighton stunned Tottenham, forging a second-half comeback to win 3-2 at the Amex Stadium.

So, after all that, who were the unlucky, and lucky, teams based on the underlying metrics?

Lucky winners: Leicester City

Leicester finally got their first top-flight win of the season on the board, as they edged out Bournemouth 1-0 thanks to Facundo Buonanotte's excellent run and finish.

But, it's fair to say it was something of a smash-and-grab for Steve Cooper's team at the King Power Stadium. Leicester had just six shots, with only two of those hitting the target, and they tallied up just 0.79 expected goals (xG).

On the other hand, Bournemouth had 19 attempts, creating five big chances (a tally bettered only by Brentford's eight and West Ham's nine this week) and accumulating 2.16 xG.

Bournemouth only have themselves to blame for wasteful finishing – they got just two of their efforts on target – but the Cherries can still consider themselves unfortunate.

Unlucky losers: Newcastle

Determined to impress against his former club, Gordon fluffed his lines when his big moment arrived as Newcastle drew 0-0 with Everton on Saturday.

With James Tarkowski having conceded a penalty by recklessly pulling the shirt of Sandro Tonali, Gordon stepped up to the spot, but Jordan Pickford guessed the right way.

While Everton wanted a penalty of their own in the second half, the Toffees were largely second-best and that is backed up by the metrics. Even discounting Gordon's spot-kick, Newcastle finished with 1.26 xG and 14 shots. The hosts accumulated 0.67 xG and had eight attempts.

Lucky winners: Man City

It's not often that the champions are given a run for their money at home, but Fulham did just that.

Indeed, Fulham finished with 2.6 xG at the Etihad Stadium, the fourth-highest total across the league this weekend, while they created five big chances.

Pep Guardiola has said he is not concerned by Man City's unusually open defence, but he will want to see better from his team in that regard after the international break.

Going forward, City benefited from three excellent finishes - two from Mateo Kovacic and one from Jeremy Doku. Their 1.57 xG came from 20 shots, though they created only one big chance.

The action kicked off with a London derby as Tottenham swept aside West Ham, with Leicester City producing a remarkable comeback to beat Southampton before Aston Villa kept pace with the top four with a 3-1 win over Fulham.

Manchester United came from a goal down to beat Brentford, as Everton extended their unbeaten run at the expense of Ipswich Town, while Arsenal were dealt their first defeat of the season away to Bournemouth after William Saliba's dismissal. 

Liverpool remained at the Premier League summit after beating Chelsea in an entertaining affair at Anfield, but Manchester City are hot on their heels, albeit they needed a late John Stones header to edge past Wolves. 

So, after all that, who were the unlucky, and lucky, teams based on the underlying metrics?

Unlucky losers: Newcastle United

Newcastle's poor run of form continued in the Premier League as Danny Welbeck's strike helped Brighton to a 1-0 triumph at St. James' Park. 

However, the Magpies will feel they should have taken at least a point for their efforts, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.02, a number only bettered by Southampton (2.15) and Leicester City (3.21) across the weekend's fixtures. 

Fifteen of Newcastle's attempts also came from inside the box compared to Brighton's eight, while Eddie Howe's side managed 45 touches in the opposition box, with only Man City (85) registering more on matchday eight.

Newcastle managed 21 shots, though only six were on target, with Brighton ultimately being more clinical. The Seagulls accumulated an xG total of 1.12 from their 10 attempts, but also had Bart Verbruggen to thank, with the Dutchman making six saves on the day. 

Lucky winners: Liverpool

Arne Slot continued his excellent start to life as Liverpool head coach with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea, though this was arguably his toughest assignment to date. 

While the Reds ended the contest with an xG total of 1.94 compared to Chelsea's 0.99, it was Enzo Maresca's side that posed the bigger questions at Anfield, registering 12 shots, though only two were on Caoimhin Kelleher's goal. 

Jadon Sancho also felt he should have been awarded a penalty for a tangle of legs with Trent Alexander-Arnold in the first half, with Nicolas Jackson also striking the woodwork before the interval. 

The Blues also managed more shots in the box (nine) compared to Liverpool's seven, as well as registering more touches in the opposition box (26 to Liverpool's 17) and 56 final third entries to the Reds' 54. 

Indeed, Liverpool's non-penalty xG was 1.15, so a 1-1 draw would probably have been a fair result.

Unlucky losers: Fulham 

After pushing Man City all the way before the international break, Fulham returned with another good performance, but fell short once again, this time against Aston Villa.

Morgan Rogers quickly cancelled out Raul Jiminez's opener, though Andreas Pereira fluffed his lines from the penalty spot after a brilliant save from Emiliano Martinez. 

Fulham accumulated an xG total of 1.78 compared to Villa's 1.68, but Ollie Watkins and Issa Diop's unfortunate own-goal sealed the triumph for Unai Emery's side, who are back in Champions League action in midweek. 

Marco Silva's team were left to rue another encounter with squandered opportunities, failing to take any of the four big chances they created, while only four of their 10 attempts at Craven Cottage were on target compared to Villa's five from 14 shots.  

United's decision to dismiss Ten Hag came after the Red Devils slumped to a 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday, leaving them 14th in the table.

Elsewhere, Liverpool and Arsenal shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw, Manchester City downed Southampton, Chelsea beat Newcastle United and Brentford came out on top in a seven-goal thriller against Ipswich Town.

Late goals also ruled the roost this past weekend. There were five games to have a final result-altering goal scored in the 90th minute (or later) in the Premier League this weekend, the most across a single matchday in the competition's history.

But what do the underlying metrics tell us? 

Unlucky losers: Fulham

Fulham took a point away from Goodison Park on Saturday, but Marco Silva thought his team deserved two more. 

And it is fair to say Everton were largely second-best, with Beto's last-gasp equaliser sparring Sean Dyche's team.

Fulham, who took the lead through Alex Iwobi, registered 1.26 expected goals (xG) to Everton's 0.79 and had 14 shots to their hosts' 10. That being said, perhaps Silva's side only have themselves to blame - they converted only 7.14% of their shots and got only three attempts on target.

Lucky winners: Bournemouth

Evanilson's late header secured a 1-1 draw for Bournemouth at Aston Villa, and though the Cherries could point to some potential penalty decisions going against them, it is fair to say the metrics suggest they were fortunate to avoid defeat.

Only Southampton (0.21) mustered a lower xG than Bournemouth's 0.31 across the fixtures in the top flight this past weekend.

Villa, on the other hand, registered 1.81 xG - the fifth-highest total in the division across the games - while Mark Travers was exceptional in the Bournemouth goal.

He made seven saves to keep Villa at bay, bar Ross Barkley's opener. Indeed, Villa's 3.23 expected goals on target (xGoT) was more than any other team in matchweek nine, so Travers finished with a goals-prevented figure of 2.23.

Andoni Iraola's team certainly rode their luck.

Unlucky losers: Man Utd

Ten Hag's time is up, though the Dutchman was fuming about a contentious penalty decision that ultimately settled the match in West Ham's favour.

When discounting the xG from that penalty, West Ham finished with 2.21 xG - just less than United's 2.34.

United had 18 shots and five big chances (the second-most after Brentford across the weekend's matches), but failed to put those opportunities away, apart from Casemiro's close-range header.

The soft defence that plagued Ten Hag's tenure, though, ultimately came back to bite them yet again.

The Cherries took a third-minute lead through Antoine Semenyo, but Luis Diaz levelled before Salah converted the rebound after Neto had repelled his spot-kick.

Summer signing Mac Allister’s dismissal had little impact as Diogo Jota secured the points.

Solly March’s double helped Brighton climb to the top of the table after the 3pm kick-offs following a convincing 4-1 win at Wolves.

Goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Pervis Estupinan put the Seagulls in charge, and March struck twice before substitute Hwang Hee-chan pulled one back for the home side.

Bryan Mbeumo also scored twice to help Brentford to an impressive 3-0 victory at Brentford.

Yoane Wissa opened the scoring and after defender Tim Ream had been sent off for a second bookable offence, Mbeumo converted the resulting penalty before adding a second in stoppage time.

Muniz was given the nod over January loan signing Armando Broja and scored twice, while Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Cherries defender Marcos Senesi also got in on the act.

Muniz, who scored his first-ever Premier League goal in last week’s 2-2 draw with Burnley, looked bright from the start during the victory for the west Londoners.

The Brazilian jinked past three defenders – showing exceptional ball control – before being brought down on the edge of Bournemouth’s area.

Marco Silva’s decision to start Muniz continued to pay off into the fifth minute when he was heavily involved with Fulham’s opening goal.

The tenacious striker evaded his marker down the right channel before his driven cross, which seemed routine for Lewis Cook to clear, caused the midfielder to slip, allowing De Cordova-Reid to power home from close range.

Tom Cairney recovered after taking a ball to the face and seemed unfazed when he performed a neat turn on halfway, unleashing Antonee Robinson, who was denied by goalkeeper Neto after an impressive reaction save at his left-hand post.

Muniz’s electric start reached another level when he poached Fulham’s second of the match, nine minutes before the break.

Willian lofted a cross to De Cordova-Reid at the back post, who turned creator by nodding his effort into the danger zone. The potent Muniz started behind the defender but reacted quickest and scored from inside the six-yard area with a roofed finish.

Bournemouth needed a response and they got just that – five minutes into the second half – when Senesi pulled one back for the visitors.

Marcus Tavernier’s corner was knocked down by Dominic Solanke before centre-back Senesi showed fantastic composure to control the ball and score on the half-volley to reduce the deficit.

But just two minutes later, Fulham responded in fashion when Muniz grabbed his second of the match.

Experienced technician Willian floated a similar cross to that of the second goal. But this time the unmarked Muniz drifted to the back post before his first-time strike smashed into the net and past the helpless Neto.

Broja came off the bench and looked to stamp his authority on the game. The Chelsea youth prospect hustled the back four and won a corner after the visitors were forced to cut out his dangerous pass into the box.

Bournemouth searched for a late fightback but the Cottagers held on through seven added minutes to leapfrog their opponents into 12th.

Rogers scored the equaliser after nine minutes to get the visitors back on level terms after Raul Jimenez had put Fulham ahead early at Craven Cottage.

Ollie Watkins's header and Issa Diop's own goal in the second half secured the win that moved Unai Emery's side into fourth on 17 points, only behind Arsenal and Manchester City on goal difference.

Rogers lauded how important the quick response was to taking all three points in London.

"It was massive to respond how we did so quickly. It helped settle the nerves and we were generally playing well and to get it so quick did help," he told PLP.

"They scored in the first five minutes, but we knuckled down after that and we dominated pretty much most of the game. We should have scored a few more, but in the second half we put our foot on the gas, and we deserved the win.

"After the international break you start fresh with a clean slate and to get the win is massive. We have an important week and it's just the start of it."

While level at 1-1, Emiliano Martinez saved Andreas Pereira's penalty to keep Villa in the game after Matty Cash had handled the ball in the box.

"That's why [Martinez] is the best. That's what he does. If it goes 2-1 anything can happen in the game," praised Rogers.

Fulham's Kenny Tete emphasised the defeat rested on more than the penalty miss on what proved to be a wasteful day for the hosts.

"It happened and you have to push for more - it is what it is. [At] half-time, we changed the game-plan, it was a bit better. Then it goes 2-1 and you know it is going to be difficult," he reflected.

"We could have had a bit more luck, but I don't want to point to that. It wasn't our day and we could have done better. We can look in the mirror and we have to do better and train harder. Frustrated."

Fulham had the better expected goals (xG) total at full-time with 1.78, compared to Villa’s 1.68, though this was impacted by their penalty.

The hosts also had to play 26 minutes of the match with 10 players after Joachim Andersen received his marching orders, while Villa also saw Jaden Philogene dismissed in the 93rd minute.

"Obviously a disappointed feeling. I think we started well. Then we were unlucky with the own goal. But, we get a penalty and we didn't score it. It was going to be a difficult afternoon," added Tete.

The Gabon forward was in Barcelona on Monday and it appeared a move would be finalised before the end of the transfer window.

However, the deadline ticked by without official confirmation, but the transfer is expected to go through on Tuesday.

That would make him Barca's third signing of the Xavi era, after Ferran Torres and Adama Traore.

TOP STORY – AUBA TO JOIN XAVI AT CAMP NOU

Widespread reports claim that Arsenal and Barca have agreed to a rather strange deal for Aubameyang.

The 32-year-old has reportedly agreed to a six-month contract at Barca, with the option for a further year, with Arsenal seemingly agreeing to forego a transfer fee in order to get their former captain, who has not featured since December, off the books.

Aubameyang is essentially a free agent, so that allows the deal to be completed after the deadline passed.

ROUND-UP

- Fabio Carvalho's proposed deadline day move from Fulham to Liverpool did not come off, though The Times reports that the Reds are keen to sign the youngster on a pre-contract agreement. 

- Sky Sports reported that Arsenal will save up to £25million following Aubameyang's departure, which The Express claim will be used to fund Mikel Arteta's transfer dealings in the off-season.

- Bild has reported that Real Madrid have already tabled a pre-contract agreement for Kylian Mbappe, who they are hoping to sign from Paris Saint-Germain.

- Journalist Xavi Torres believes Barcelona will attempt to terminate Ousmane Dembele's contract. The France winger is set to leave on a free at the end of the season.

- West Ham failed in a last-ditch bid to sign striker Duvan Zapata from Atalanta, according to Sky Sports.

There may be some movement of free agents still, while clubs who missed out on targets will be weighing up their chances in January with contractual situations evolving.

Inter defender Milan Skriniar is one player who was heavily pursued without success and who will have only six months left on his contract at the turn of the year. 

TOP STORY – PSG TO PERSIST IN SKRINIAR PURSUIT IN JANUARY

Paris Saint-Germain will revive their failed pursuit of Milan Skriniar in January, according to L'Equipe.

PSG made three offers for the Slovakian defender which were rebuffed by the Italian giants, including one worth €50million.

Skriniar is into the final year of his Inter deal and PSG boss Christophe Galtier had been eager to bring him to the French capital.

ROUND-UP

– Napoli will try to sign PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas again in January after missing out on him, reports L'Equipe. The report claims the Costa Rica international and PSG may opt to terminate his contract by mutual consent before January.

– Marco Asensio had been linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks but he has committed to seeing out his Real Madrid contract which expires in mid-2023, according to Mundo Deportivo.

– The Telegraph reports Blackburn Rovers will be open to pre-contract offers to their hot property forward Ben Brereton Diaz in January after rejecting bids from Fulham and Everton. The Chile international has less than 12 months remaining on his deal at Ewood Park.

The Cottagers went toe-to-toe with Pep Guardiola’s side before the international break but were made to rue missed opportunities during the contest, with Adama Traore the most notable for squandering some gilt-edged chances at the Etihad.

However, Silva is confident his team can take encouragement from their display as they aim to maintain their unbeaten record at Craven Cottage this season.

“To see City finish with three central defenders with five at the back shows that we were creating problems for them, not just in transition,” Silva said.

“It gives us courage. We know what we are capable of doing, and it gives us the confidence to keep going in the direction that we want to go in, and to stick with our philosophy as a team.

“Looking at the chances that we did create throughout the game and comparing with City, we deserved more. But that’s football.”

Unai Emery, meanwhile, insisted his Aston Villa side will be raring to go when they return to domestic action after their stalemate with Manchester United last time out.

It was the Villans’ first goalless draw at Villa Park in the Premier League since May 2021, while the expected goals (xG) total between the two sides was just 1.05 – the lowest in a top-flight match so far this season.

With the international break allowing Villa to recuperate after a busy September schedule that saw them start their Champions League campaign with two wins, returning players will be a welcome addition, the Spaniard believes.

“It’s a nice moment to rest. This week we are going to work and recover some players. We are going to add [Boubacar] Kamara and [Tyrone] Mings, which is very good news. Hopefully some injured players can come back for the next match against Fulham,” Emery said.

“We will need players. Today we were more or less with some players out and we needed fresh players with good legs in the second half to help get our objective in this match.

“The players were really focusing on this match and gave their best. I’m happy because we are feeling strong here with our supporters and keeping a good position in the league and Champions League targeting our objectives. We are going to try to get there.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Fulham – Andreas Pereira

No player has played more passes (including crosses) into the opposition box than Fulham’s Pereira in the Premier League this season (64), with the Brazilian also creating the most chances from set plays (16).

Pereira has also created 23 chances overall this term (level with Cole Palmer and Dwight McNeil), a total only bettered by Arsenal's Bukayo Saka (27) in the Premier League so far.

Aston Villa – Jhon Duran

After netting in midweek while on international duty with Colombia, Duran will be hoping to continue his remarkable scoring streak at Craven Cottage.

Duran has four goals in just 184 minutes of action in the Premier League this season, averaging a goal every 46 minutes so far. This is the best minutes-per-goal ratio of anyone to feature for at least 90 minutes this term.

MATCH PREDICTION: FULHAM WIN

Fulham are unbeaten in their three Premier League home games so far this season (W2 D1). They last had a longer run without defeat at Craven Cottage from the start of a campaign in 2011-12 (four).

The Cottagers lost this exact fixture 2-1 in February last season, though they have never lost consecutive home league games against Aston Villa before.

However, they face an uphill task against Emery’s men, who are unbeaten in their last five league games (W3 D2), though their 0-0 draw with United last time out was their first clean sheet in 12 Premier League matches.

Visits to London have proven fruitful for the Villans in recent years. They have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League games in the capital (W8 D3). Their eight wins in this time (all under Emery) are as many as they’d managed in their previous 48 top-flight games in London.

Villa have also won five of their last six Premier League games against Fulham (L1), including the last three in a row. It’s more wins than they’d managed in their previous 19 against the Cottagers in the top-flight (W4 D10 L5), while they’ve never won four in a row against them in their league history.

No team has scored more goals from crosses than Aston Villa in the Premier League this season (five). No player has scored more such goals than Ollie Watkins (two), while Lucas Digne and Youri Tielemans have two such assists each – only Saka (four) has more.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Fulham – 40.5%

Draw – 25.5%

Aston Villa – 34%

The Mexican has struggled for regular goals since a serious head injury he suffered playing for Wolves against Arsenal in November 2020.

But Jimenez, who joined Fulham in July 2023, has started this season superbly and has now scored three goals in three successive matches, and he proved the difference against Forest with a well-dispatched penalty.

Silva told BBC Sport: “It's great to see him back at that level again after that bad incident when he was at Wolves. It was tough for him to come back.

"In an important moment of his career, when he was struggling for goals, we showed trust in him, and believed in him. He got used to scoring before the incident but we trusted him.

“From the first moment at this club he showed his hard work and his quality. It's nice to see him score and be decisive for us."

Silva also revealed that Jimenez had apologised for taking the ball off designated penalty taker Andreas Pereira prior to scoring from the spot.

He told Premier League Productions: “Pereira was the penalty taker for the moment. It is not Andreas' fault but it is clearly the fault of Raul.

"It is already decided. It is already sorted. It is not going to happen again. Has Raul apologised? Yes. He had to because he knows the rules and how important discipline is in our squad."

Jimenez is now just four goals away from Javier Hernandez's record as the most prolific Mexican player in Premier League history.

He said: "Yes, why not break records and set new ones. He [Hernandez] was a very good player in English football and now it's my time and I want to keep scoring.

“The most important thing is the three points. It's early in the season, and we have a long way to go, but being there is good for us. We want to make history for Fulham and know we can achieve more."

Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo admitted his side were not at their best, though they still had chances to get back into the match, as they fell to their first defeat of the season.

“Not the best game from us,” Nuno said to BBC Sport. “But we still created near the end and had opportunities to score, we have to bounce back in the next one.

“I’m disappointed for the fans – we are sad, but we have to go again.”

Nuno refused to be drawn on the penalty decision, with VAR intervening after an infringement between Murillo and Pereira, replays showing the defender scraped his studs along the latter’s calf.

He said: “If we start speaking about the referees, I don’t know if it’s the best thing. I hope they improve. I don’t want to go much further than that.”

Fulham signed off for the November international break with back-to-back wins over Brentford (2-1) and Crystal Palace (2-0) and currently sit seventh in the table.

They are among a host of teams within distance of the Champions League spots, with Iwobi's performances a major factor in their strong start.

He has two goals and two assists so far this term, and Silva believes he is in the form of his life.

"For me, last season was the best season from him in the Premier League, in my opinion, and I'm sure that he's going to be better this season," Silva told Fulham's website.

"It's the same thing that I've been saying to him.

"I know him very well, I brought him to Everton, and when we got the chance to have him with us here at Fulham, it was a moment for us to go to sign him.

"First, he is a really versatile player that can play in many, many positions, he can do many roles. I know where he's capable, where he feels that he can perform better.

"He likes to be around in the middle of the pitch. But now he's playing more on the right, where he's capable, like he showed against Crystal Palace."

Wolves, meanwhile, picked up their first victory of the season at the 11th attempt prior to the international break, beating Southampton 2-0 at Molineux.

That result steadied the ship after coach Gary O'Neil had seen his position come under threat, and captain Mario Lemina thinks it will also provide a much-needed confidence boost.

 "It was really hard. We just believed since day one," Lemina told the club's media channels.

"The whole city has been missing that sensation. To finish with this win, it's going to be good for our mental health. 

"To be honest, we were sad for the fans, sad for the club, but now we can build from that and try to get back. We're really in a positive mentality."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Fulham – Alex Iwobi

Only Dejan Kulusevski (25), Cole Palmer (25), and Bernardo Silva (23) have created more chances from open play in the Premier League this season than Iwobi (22).

His expected assists total from open play of 2.9 xA is the second-highest in the competition, behind James Maddison (3.2), and he has scored more than twice as many Premier League goals against Wolves (five) than he has versus any other opponent.

Wolves – Matheus Cunha

Since the start of last season, only three players have been involved in a higher proportion of their side's goals in the Premier League than Wolves' Cunha (39%; 17 goals, nine assists).

Furthermore, the Brazilian has netted in each of his last three away league games and has five goal involvements in his last five outings overall (three goals, two assists).

MATCH PREDICTION – FULHAM WIN

Fulham have won just one of their last eight Premier League games against Wolves (three draws, four losses), though it was in this exact fixture last season (3-2).

However, Silva's men enter this match in excellent form, and they could win three successive Premier League games for the first time since a run of four victories in January 2023, which is the only time they have accomplished the feat since returning to the top flight in 2022.

Wolves, meanwhile, have not won successive Premier League games since February last season and are winless in their last 11 away league matches, drawing four and losing seven while conceding 28 goals in that time.

They have also lost seven of their last 10 Premier League matches in London including both such games this season versus Arsenal and Brentford (three wins).

As well as Iwobi, Wolves will have to be particularly wary of their former striker Raul Jimenez. All six of his Premier League goal involvements this season (four goals, two assists) have put Fulham ahead, the best 100% rate managed in the competition so far this term.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Fulham – 54.8%

Wolves – 22.2%

Draw – 23%

It looked like Vitaly Janelt's 24th-minute strike against the run of play was going to wrap up all three points for Brentford, but Harry Wilson proved the Cottagers' hero off the bench, scoring twice in stoppage time to snatch the three points.

Fulham had dominated from the first whistle and had 26 shots, 12 of which were on target, though they struggled to find a way past their opponents' staunch defence until the 92nd minute.

Wilson became just the sixth player to score an equalising and match-winning goal from the 90th minute onwards in the Premier League, while his second goal was Fulham's latest-ever Premier League winner at 96:46.

Silva was delighted with how his team pushed until the final seconds to ensure they came away with a win.

"It was definitely a deserved win. We started on the front foot and dominated all the game. In the first 20 minutes, we had two clear chances to score," Silva told BBC Sport.

"After they scored, we didn't lose the confidence and the trust in ourselves, we kept pushing them back, and we created enough to not be losing at half-time.

"I told the players this is football, it can happen, but we have to keep pushing, working hard and playing our way.

"It was late, it should've been much before, but that's football."

Brentford, meanwhile, have now dropped a league-high 14 points from winning positions in the Premier League as they suffered a fifth consecutive away defeat in the competition.

In fact, they are the first side in the competition's history to score the first goal in four consecutive away games and lose all four.

They had defended resolutely until their late lapse in concentration, and even had a chance to win it, only for Bernd Leno's impressive save to keep out Fabio Carvalho in the 95th minute.

Thomas Frank, though, admitted he was not yet ready to take the positives from the performance after the disappointment of their late defeat.

"It was tough. It is emotionally very tough right now," Frank told Sky Sports.

"When you are leading in the 92nd minute, and you lose, it is tough. I don't think we hit our highest level. I think on the day Fulham were better.

"There was a lot of good defending and effort, and I thought that would have given us the win. We could have won it with the chance for Fabio Carvalho and then we lost.

"When we look at the game back, and we are more cool-headed, we will probably be very happy with the defensive standard. I thought there were unbelievable blocks, and recovery runs and all that we did well. On the ball, we didn't do enough."

The Nigeria international, playing in a more central midfield role, pounced on Bart Verbruggen's error after only four minutes to put the hosts ahead.

And he rounded out the win with a fine curling effort three minutes from time, after Matt O'Riley's luckless own goal had restored Fulham's lead following Carlos Baleba's brilliant equaliser.

Speaking to Amazon Prime, Cottagers boss Silva said of Iwobi: "This evening, we played with Alex Iwobi in a different position. He's an offensive player and did an amazing job this evening.

"It was a big three points for us in a tough game. We started in the best way possible with the early goal, but Brighton made it really difficult for us in the first half. They started with three at the back, and it made it difficult for us to connect with the wide players.

"We had chances as well. Second half, we were much better. We conceded in a moment we should prepare better for the long ball. It was a good shot from the edge of the box. [A] difficult game, but a big three points for us."

Iwobi hinted his early opener was a product of Fulham's set-up, while he revelled in giving the home fans a "gift" with his expertly taken second late on.

"We know Brighton like to play and so do we. I was able to capitalise on the high press," he said.

"We know that Brighton like to play out from the back, so we came up with a structure, and it obviously worked for the first goal. We take it, however it goes in, a goal is a goal. We wanted a goal from a set-piece because we were a real threat last season.

"It's [his second goal] a gift for Fulham and the fans. It was a good pass from Antonee Robinson, and it was a good finish."

Lewis Dunk cut a frustrated figure after the game and felt he should have been awarded a free-kick for a foul from Issa Diop leading up to Fulham's second goal.

The Brighton captain was particularly annoyed VAR failed to spot an infringement.

"It was a foul," he said. "It was the same as the one on the halfway line and in the box. I jumped for the header, and he put his hands in my back.

"How the ref or VAR can't see it, it is what it is. It was clear. It's annoying. If you watch the replay, it's a clear foul, a push in my back.

"I don't think the scoreline reflects the game. We picked ourselves up, and I thought we were the better side, but that's football. 

"It baffles me sometimes how we have some people watching on a screen, and they can't get the decision right."

The Fulham attacker was a two-time Premier League winner during his time with Chelsea, and collected medals in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Europa League.

In addition, the 34-year-old won the 2019 Copa America with Brazil and was a member of his nation's squad when they came fourth at home in the 2014 World Cup.

But when asked what defines success in football, he suggested that trophies do not solely define the legacy of a player's career.

"I think it's a mix of several factors," he told Stats Perform. "It is to win titles, [it] is to be playing at a high level.

"Sometimes there are players who don't win titles, but play at a high level and are always playing well, always scoring goals. Harry Kane, for example, for me, is a great player

"[He] is always at a high level at Tottenham, playing very well and scoring goals, but I don't think he has any career titles as a professional. Can you say that he was not successful in football?

"It depends. It is a mixture of things. It depends a lot on what it means to be successful in football. For me, the most important thing is for the player to be playing well, and the title becomes a consequence of the work."

Despite his success, Willian acknowledged there are two major honours that have eluded him, at club and international level, but he adds their absence from his collection does not detract from his other successes.

"One is the Champions League and the other is the World Cup," he noted. "Every player has that dream.

"Those are the two titles I'd really like to win, but if I don't win them, I'm satisfied with my career and the titles I've already won."

Willian has spent nine seasons in the Premier League, more than he has in any domestic top-flight competition, and he maintains it remains the strongest he has played in.

"The Premier League is the best league in the world," he added. "You'll never have an easy match.

"It might get easier during the game, and you might beat the other team, but you're never going to go into the match thinking it's going to be easy, thinking you're going to win 4-0.

"It is a very difficult league. The last one can take points from the first one, and it is very competitive and that is why it becomes the best in the world."

The Reds went behind to Andreas Pereira's early strike but were dealt a telling blow when Andy Robertson was sent off after just 17 minutes.

Having equalised through Cody Gakpo early in the second half, the hosts were then forced to come from behind again, Rodrigo Muniz scoring after 76 minutes and Diogo Jota equalising with four minutes to play.

Slot's side pushed hard for a winner but, having won 11 of their first 13 league games of the season, they have now drawn their last two.

The Liverpool manager told Sky Sports: "I don't think I could've asked for more from my players, especially after going down to 10 men.

"I couldn't have asked for more in terms of performance. Of course, we could have had two points more.

"We ended up with a draw and I don't think we can blame the referee for that. There were a few moments when I could have been given a yellow card.

"It's marginal moments and when some go against you, you think some will go for you but I haven't felt that here.

"We have to accept what VAR sees. I think Robbo might have been a bit too injured to keep going because normally he's faster than that, but it results in a red card."