EPL

Premier League data dive: Haaland and De Bruyne match Man City greats, Liverpool's City Ground woe strikes again

By Sports Desk October 22, 2022

Manchester United scrambled a draw at Chelsea without Cristiano Ronaldo as Casemiro's late heroics saved the day for Erik ten Hag.

That was the climax to a four-game Premier League programme on Saturday, and it was one that saw Liverpool slip up at their bogey ground, Manchester City go past 600 Premier League goals in the Pep Guardiola era, and Everton finally find some scoring form at Goodison Park.

City have closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to one point, ahead of the Gunners' trip to Southampton on Sunday.

Here, Stats Perform picks out the best facts from the day's Premier League action.

Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United: Casemiro saves the day for Red Devils

Jorginho's 87th-minute penalty looked set to be the winner, but Casemiro had other ideas, heading home to earn a point for United in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Only Arsenal (12) and Chelsea (9) have had more different Brazilians score a Premier League goal for them than United, after Casemiro became the eighth on their list. The goal, time at 93:28, was United's latest equaliser in a league game since Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored at the death in April 2017 against Everton (93:41).

Jorginho has now scored 19 of his 22 penalties in the Premier League for Chelsea, with only Frank Lampard having netted more spot-kicks for the Blues in the competition (41).

Setting aside the late drama, the outcome should come as little surprise. No Premier League fixture has been drawn as often as Chelsea against United (26 draws). Seven of the past nine such meetings have finished level now, including each of the past five.

Chelsea are now winless in their past 10 Premier League games against United (D7 L3) – only against Blackburn Rovers (12 games between 1992 and 1998) and Arsenal (19 between 1995 and 2005) have they ever had a longer winless run in the competition.

Raheem Sterling lasted 79 minutes before being replaced. He has now faced United 24 times in all competitions in his professional career, more than any other opponent, but has never scored past them, despite attempting 38 shots across those games (15 on target).

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool: Klopp rattled by City Ground slip-up

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp picked fault with his team's finishing after this painful defeat, pointing to misses by Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk, but this was just the latest in a line of disappointments in Nottingham for the Anfield giants.

Liverpool have never won in six Premier League away games against Forest (D3 L3), making the City Ground the only stadium where the Reds have played more than once in the competition and never won.

Taking in results from the pre-Premier League era, Liverpool have failed to win on any of their past 13 league trips to Forest (D7 L6).

This was their first visit on league duty since 1999, with a once-fierce rivalry having been on hold during Forest's time outside the top flight. The outcome gave Forest a first home success in the competition over Liverpool since a 1-0 victory in March 1996.

Liverpool have cause for concern: they have failed to win any of their first five away games in a Premier League season for the first time since 2006-07 under Rafael Benitez, and they have three league defeats in 2022-23 already, one more than in the whole of the 2021-22 campaign.

Match-winner Taiwo Awoniyi became the first Forest player to score in each of his first three Premier League starts at the City Ground, lifting Steve Cooper's team off the foot of the table.

Manchester City 3-1 Brighton and Hove Albion: Haaland matches Aguero, De Bruyne goes level with Silva

Erling Haaland has gone off hat-tricks, but doubles will do fine for now. With two goals against Brighton, he became the first City player to score in seven consecutive home games in all competitions since Sergio Aguero in February 2018. The Norwegian has 15 goals in those seven matches. His second goal was City's 600th in the Premier League since Guardiola took charge for the 2016-17 season.

Kevin De Bruyne was no bystander in this victory, putting the seal on the success with a fine second-half strike after Leandro Trossard closed the gap. De Bruyne has been directly involved in 153 Premier League goals for City (59 goals, 94 assists), with Saturday's effort putting him level with David Silva's goal involvements tally for the club (60 goals, 93 assists) and behind only Aguero (231 – 184 goals, 47 assists).

City have won 10 consecutive Premier League games at the Etihad Stadium, including all six this season. This is the fifth time they have begun a Premier League campaign by winning their opening six home matches (also 2007-08, 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2018-19).

While City thrive, Brighton are fading. Roberto De Zerbi has become the fourth manager/head coach to fail to win any of his first five league games with the club, after Barry Lloyd (first 12), Don Welsh (first 8) and George Curtis (first 5).

The Seagulls remain winless away to City in all 13 league visits in their history (D2 L11), losing their last nine.

Everton 3-0 Crystal Palace: Toffees end slide, pass goals milestone

After consecutive losses to Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle United, Everton got back on track thanks to goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anthony Gordon and substitute Dwight McNeil.

Calvert-Lewin's opener was Everton's 1,500th goal in the Premier League, making the Toffees the seventh side to reach that total and the first since Manchester City in January 2021.

It was raining goals by recent Everton standards, with Frank Lampard's team having only managed three goals in total across their five previous Premier League games this season.

Related items

  • Football rumours: Jadon Sancho urged to end stand-off with Erik ten Hag Football rumours: Jadon Sancho urged to end stand-off with Erik ten Hag
    What the papers say

    Jadon Sancho has been urged by players at Manchester United to end his dispute with manager Erik ten Hag, according to the Daily Mirror. The Times reports that the PFA has offered to help the England winger, 23, settle his differences with ten Hag.

    Arsenal are gearing up to grab Ivan Toney, with the Daily Mirror reporting Brentford have valued the 27-year-old at £60 million ahead of a likely move for him in the January transfer window.

    Jesse Lingard has ended his one-month training stint at West Ham to move to Saudi Arabia, with the Daily Mirror reporting club manager David Moyes insisting the club is comfortable with Lingard’s decision.

    The Daily Telegraph reports that Chelsea secretly parted ways with Bruno, who joined Craven Cottage under former manager Graham Potter’s watch and was a first-team coach under Mauricio Pochettino.

    Social media round-upPlayers to watch

    Romelu Lukaku: Roma are keen to turn the 30-year-old striker’s loan from Chelsea into a permanent move.

    Mohamed Salah: Negotiations between Liverpool, Saudi Arabia and the striker’s agent are becoming the subject of a Harvard study.

  • Darren Moore merrier for Huddersfield’s late goal and battling spirit Darren Moore merrier for Huddersfield’s late goal and battling spirit

    New Huddersfield boss Darren Moore was impressed by his side’s spirit after they came from behind to draw 1-1 at Coventry.

    Michal Helik’s dramatic added-time qualiser cancelled out Yasin Ayari’s opener and ensured Moore’s managerial return did not end in a Sky Bet Championship defeat.

    “It’s been an incredible few days getting into the club and working with the boys,” said Moore, who left Sheffield Wednesday in the summer.

    “They have taken a lot of information on over the past couple of days. The fighting spirit was incredible and they got their just rewards and something out of the game at the end.

    “I’m really pleased with the boys and their second-half performance. I’ve seen enough there and there’s enough quality in the team to get more out of the players and I’ll look forward to working with the boys over the next couple of weeks.

    “Once we grew into the game we had to throw caution to the wind and change things up. I thought the boys did that themselves by the way they controlled large parts of the second half and gave themselves confidence.

    “Come the end we had to go all out to try and get something out of the game and I’m pleased we fashioned a really good chance and took it.”

    The 49-year-old continued: “I’m pleased for the travelling away support that they’ve gone back up north with something to get hold of – and hopefully (there are) encouraging signs from the team.

    “I’m looking forward to my first home game in charge against Ipswich. I’m looking forward to being back in front of the home fans.”

    Mark Robins was frustrated after seeing his side – play-off finalists last season – concede late for a third successive game.

    It means they have dropped nine points from winning positions, the most in the Championship, this season.

    Robins said: “It’s so frustrating but you have to dust yourselves down and get on with it.

    “We could have won every game we’ve played in, but we’re sitting here talking about eight points in eight games. It will turn around, but it’s painful getting there.

    “It [conceding late] can start to become a thing. It’s about taking control of those situations.

    “I think if you let your heart rule your head at times because you know that’s been the case and you know we’re within touching distance of winning the game, the game can kick you in the teeth if you make mistakes.

    “They had bodies and a weight of numbers in their favour, but we have to do better. The defending wasn’t good enough.

    “You can’t get that momentum if you lose some of your players. It’s not an excuse. We’ve got a small squad with some key individuals out. It’s going to take some time.”

  • Late goal gives Darren Moore a draw in his first game as Huddersfield boss Late goal gives Darren Moore a draw in his first game as Huddersfield boss

    Darren Moore’s first game in charge of Huddersfield saw them draw 1-1 at Coventry thanks to Michal Helik’s dramatic added-time goal.

    Brighton loanee Yasin Ayari, 19, had seemingly ended the Sky Blues’ five-game winless run in the Sky Bet Championship with a first-half goal he knew little about.

    However, Terriers defender Helik equalised five minutes into stoppage time to ensure former Sheffield Wednesday boss Moore avoided defeat in his return to management.

    It meant Coventry stopper Ben Wilson’s string of fine second-half saves were in vain as he was eventually beaten, meaning Huddersfield are now unbeaten in four matches.

    Former Sheffield Wednesday boss Moore, who got the South Yorkshire club promoted last season before leaving in the summer, made four changes as he took the helm for the first time.

    There was a sedate start to the game before Ayari fired a speculative 25-yard strike wide of the mark.

    Town caught the hosts on the counter attack and Mark Robins’ charges were indebted to Liam Kelly as he blocked Josh Koroma’s effort.

    The deadlock was broken in the 27th minute as summer signing Ellis Simms, still seeking his first Coventry goal, saw his rasping drive tipped onto the bar by Town goalkeeper Lee Nicholls and bounce in off an unsuspecting Ayari.

    Moore’s men finished the first half strongly without creating any clear-cut chances to equalise and they also threatened early in the second period without any end product.

    Jack Rudoni created space to get a shot off from outside of the box, but his left-footed strike flew high and wide.

    Minutes later the former AFC Wimbledon man squandered another chance as his scuffed effort, after being nicely teed up by Jaheim Headley, was easily saved by Wilson.

    After a routine first save of the evening, Wilson was forced into a much tougher save to beat away Delano Burgzorg’s powerful strike.

    Josh Eccles produced a last-gasp diving block to deny a Koroma strike after a spell of sustained pressure in the hosts’ box.

    Wilson produced another fine save to deny substitute Sorba Thomas’ free-kick from the left-hand corner of the box.

    Nicholls pulled off a super save from Bobby Thomas’ snapshot to keep the visitors in the game, before substitute Haji Wright poked the rebound over from close range, with just three minutes left.

    That huge save was worthwhile as Helik took advantage of a scrappy clearance in the Coventry box and expertly found the top corner with his guided left-footed volley.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.