Gary Lemke highlights six talking points as the Premier League returns following a two-week international break.
INTERNATIONAL BREAK CAUSES DISRUPTION
We’ve come off another set of international fixtures, and that means the Premier League outcomes this round will invariably throw an upset or two. As a tipster, I hate these weekends.
Some clubs have been badly affected by players travelling far and wide on international duty, and only returning to their clubs midweek, which means limited preparation time.
Others, with fewer players called up for international duty, have been able to train together and prepare for this next round. At least England’s representatives didn’t have to travel far, having beaten Italy 3-1 at Wembley.
However, there might have been a few – including James Maddison (Tottenham), Luke Shaw (Man United), Jack Grealish (Man City) and Trent Alexander Arnold (Liverpool) – who took a day to shake off the effects of a reported £35 000 bar bill run up at the trendy nightclub Mayfair’s Tape after the game.
🚨 | England bar tab revealed after crazy Euro 2024 qualifying party, only one player didn’t attend. pic.twitter.com/8NTMNcxvg1
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) October 19, 2023
FERNANDES LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Bruno Fernandes has become a favourite to the Old Trafford faithful, and the Portuguese midfielder certainly appears to be a popular character in the dressing room. It’s easy to see why he wears the Man United captain’s armband.
His performances on the pitch also stand out in a side struggling to rekindle the glories of past seasons. He is one of only two players so far this EPL season to have attempted 20 or more shots (25) and created 20 or more chances (22). The other is Tottenham’s James Maddison (25 and 23, respectively).
Bruno Fernandes in the Premier League in 2023:
— Squawka (@Squawka) October 19, 2023
◉ Highest xA
◉ Highest open-play xA
◉ Most chances created
◉ Most open-play chances created
◉ Most successful passes into opp. box
◉ Most Big Chances created
◉ Most through-balls
Somehow, seven players have more assists. 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/AGyCKzqxiv
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS…
While most people spend Christmas Eve preparing for the big feast that lies ahead, some can’t wait for Boxing Day to arrive and the next round of Premier League matches.
Now, however, there are reports that the Premier League is investigating holding one match on Christmas Eve, and potentially one on New Year’s Eve. In the past this has been refused on security grounds, as police resources are already stretched and limited public transport.
There has only ever been one match in EPL history to have been played on Christmas Eve. In 1995, Leeds beat Man United 3-1 at Elland Road after leading 2-1 at half-time.
Time to bring this out…
— Aaron S (@aarons1308) December 24, 2022
1995: Leeds United 3-1 Manchester United
The only Premier League game ever to be played on Christmas Eve. #lufc pic.twitter.com/ry5CWSMzEH
COMPUTER CONFIRMS WHAT WE KNOW
Opta, who puts some 10 000 match simulations into a “super-computer” have released their latest update relating to the Premier League. There are no surprises in it, with Manchester City still predicted to win the title again.
The percentage of probability though has dropped from 90.2% to 73.4%. Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham are predicted to fill out the Champions League spots.
At the wrong end of the table though it remains bad news for Bournemouth, Luton Town and Sheffield United. Confirming that we don’t need a super-computer to predict what most of us believe.
Take a look below at what Opta thinks will happen on matchday nine:
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: MD9 🔮
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) October 19, 2023
The Opta supercomputer looks ahead to Matchday 9 of the Premier League season & predicts the outcome of all 10 games.
How many of its predictions will turn out to be right this time around?https://t.co/oerhx53Tj0#ad
STATS SHOW DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PREMIER LEAGUE AND DSTV PREM
Scoring stats – if you’re into that kind of thing – from both the Premier League and the South African DStv Premiership make for interesting reading.
In both leagues, the most common result is 1-0. However, when you have a look at the second most popular scoreline, again in both the EPL and PSL, you start seeing the trend.
The 3-1 score follows the 1-0 in the EPL as most common. In the PSL it’s 1-0, then 0-0. The number of 1-0s and 0-0s equal every other scoreline combined.
The PSL isn’t known to produce prolific goalscorers, which then extends to Bafana Bafana level. Why? A strong theory is the state of pitches in our country. Bumpy, poor-quality pitches tend to create bad shooting techniques. It’s worth thinking about, at least.
Moses mabhida's Pitch to host the final next weekend. #MTN8 #WafaWafa #Sundowns 💛 💚 💙 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/fiHaLYTZMH
— BRA_O WA LE SANDAWANA👆👆👆👆 (@Owen_sandawana) September 28, 2023
WHERE TO NEXT, JOSE?
Reports in Italy, and they’re usually on the button there, are saying that Jose Mourinho will leave Serie A side Roma at the end of this season when his contract runs out. Mourinho, now 60, has already dropped a hint as to what his next destination will be. “Nobody knows the future, but I am convinced I will coach in Saudi Arabia one day.”
I still have a Jose biography from nearly 20 years ago in which he says his ultimate coaching job would be with the Portugal national team. Then again, maybe cash over country rules.
🚨🚨| Saudi Arabia in advanced negotiations to bring Jose Mourinho next season. The offer is a salary of €50 million per year, and negotiations are very advanced. It’s not confirmed which club yet, but it’s expected to be one of the clubs owned by the Saudi PIF.
— TTS. (@TransferSector) October 17, 2023
[@zlatan_gh] pic.twitter.com/a08UBp4xWr
