Premier League MD13: Evaluating Teams As Lucky Winners And Unlucky Losers

Add as a preferred source on Google

Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points after defeating Manchester City 2-0 at Anfield. The Reds, who had 18 shots and accumulated 3.3 expected goals, deserved their win as City suffered their fourth consecutive league loss. But how did other teams fare this weekend? We examine which teams were fortunate or unfortunate by comparing actual results with underlying metrics using Opta data.

Everton faced a tough defeat at Old Trafford, losing 4-0 to Manchester United under new manager Ruben Amorim. Despite starting well, Sean Dyche's team failed to pose a significant threat. United's first two goals came from a deflection and a mistake by Jarrad Branthwaite, who was linked with a move to United in the summer. Everton had only 13 touches in United's box and created few chances despite their bright start.

United capitalised on their opportunities, scoring four times from just 1.0 expected goals (xG) and 11 shots, only three more than Everton. Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford both scored twice, highlighting United's clinical finishing compared to the chances they created.

Newcastle managed to secure a point against Crystal Palace on Saturday, though they were close to winning all three points. Daniel Munoz scored late after connecting with Marc Guehi's cross, who had earlier scored an own goal giving Newcastle the lead. Despite Eddie Howe claiming control over the match, Newcastle failed to register a shot on target and had only one attempt throughout the game.

Their expected goals (xG) of 0.04 was the lowest among Premier League teams this weekend. In contrast, Palace recorded an xG of 1.8 with 16 attempts, indicating that Newcastle were fortunate to escape with a draw given these statistics.

Brighton's Missed Opportunities Against Southampton

Brighton drew 1-1 with Southampton in Friday's south coast derby but missed several chances to secure victory. The Seagulls amassed 1.7 xG and took 22 shots—more than any other team over the weekend—and had a league-high of 44 touches in Southampton's box. However, they couldn't extend their lead after Kaoru Mitoma's opening goal.

Southampton managed to equalise through Flynn Downes before the hour mark despite creating only 1.0 xG themselves. Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler likely felt his team should have been further ahead given their dominance in creating opportunities.

Liverpool’s commanding performance against Manchester City highlights their strong position in the league standings. Meanwhile, Everton and Brighton will reflect on missed opportunities that cost them better results over the weekend. Newcastle can consider themselves lucky for securing a point despite being outplayed statistically by Crystal Palace.