Opta AnalystArticle
Possession Is No Longer Nine Tenths of the Law in the Premier League
Teams with less possession are winning more often in the Premier League. Is this just a quirk or is there something deeper to the numbers?
UK Domestic Football
- Opta Analyst
- Opta Analyst
Article
Have Premier League Corners Been Fixed By the Increased Scrutiny on Grappling?
Premier League referees have been told to clamp down on holding at corners, and it appears in the numbers as though there has been an immediate impact.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Premier League Fixture Difficulty vs Results: Which Teams Have Defied Expectations?
We look back at pre-season expectations for Premier League clubs' first five matches and assess how well they've done relative to the difficulty of their fixture schedules.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Mass Overhaul or Squad Continuity: What is the Recipe for Premier League Success?
In an age when fans wants limitless spending on shiny new signings, we ask whether less change can sometimes be more beneficial.
- Opta Analyst
Article
How Problematic is Manchester City’s Leaky Defence?
Manchester City are top of the Premier League with a perfect record of five wins from five, but they haven’t been very convincing at the back.
- Opta Analyst
Article
The Florian Wirtz Debate: Were Jamie Carragher’s Criticisms Harsh or Fair?
Florian Wirtz has not had the impact expected at Liverpool. Does the Germany international deserve the criticism he's getting though?
- Opta Analyst
Article
How Long Has Your Premier League Team Been Leading, Level or Losing in 2026-27?
Which teams have held a winning position the longest in the Premier League this season, and who has spent the most time trailing?
- Opta Analyst
Article
Man Utd 4th, Spurs 12th, Newcastle 20th? Premier League Expected Points Table After Matchday 5
Which Premier League teams have been lucky or unlucky this season? Opta’s expected points table reveals the biggest overperformers and underperformers.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Five Knee-Jerk Reactions to Premier League 2026-27 Matchday 5
In our weekly column, we bring a dose of five knee-jerk reactions to the weekend’s Premier League action.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Premier League 2026-27 Title Predictions: Updated Opta Supercomputer Projections After Five Matchdays
See the latest Premier League predictions after five matches, including Opta’s supercomputer probabilities for Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Brighton and more.
- Opta Analyst
Article
25 out of 25: Erling Haaland Completes Premier League Collection With Goal Versus Sunderland
Erling Haaland’s goal in Man City’s win over Sunderland means that he’s now scored against all 25 teams he’s played against in the Premier League.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Fulham 1-1 Manchester United Stats: Cunha Spares Visitors’ Blushes After Martínez Own Goal
Manchester United narrowly avoided a second straight Premier League defeat on Sunday, as Matheus Cunha's late goal earned them a point at Fulham.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Manchester City 5-3 Sunderland Stats: Brobbey Hat-Trick Proves Fruitless in Eight-Goal Extravaganza
Manchester City stole an early march in the Premier League title race, but they were pushed hard by a Brian Brobbey-inspired Sunderland.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool Stats: Isak Helps Iraola Get the Better of His Old Club
Liverpool got back to winning ways, with Andoni Iraola triumphing on his return to Bournemouth, who saw their winless Premier League start continue.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Celtic 0-1 Rangers Stats: Naderi Seals Back-to-Back Old Firm Derby Wins for Rangers
Rangers followed up last week's thumping victory at Ibrox with another win over rivals Celtic, thanks to Ryan Naderi's first-half goal.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Fulham vs Man Utd Prediction: Premier League Preview
We look ahead to Sunday's Premier League clash at Craven Cottage with our Fulham vs Man Utd prediction and preview.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Celtic vs Rangers Prediction: Scottish Premiership Preview
For the second time in a week, there is an Old Firm derby taking place. We look ahead to the game with our Celtic vs Rangers prediction and preview.
- Opta Analyst
Article
Brighton 3-0 Arsenal Stats: Champions Stunned by All-Action Seagulls
The Premier League champions suffered their first defeat of the season. Look back on a brilliant game with our Brighton vs Arsenal stats page.