Tottenham Hotspur topped the table over the international break, leading the league at least eight games
into a season for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign, when they were top after 12 games.

Despite their fast start, there may be reason to contain expectations. Opta’s expected points model puts their most likely points return from their matches so far at 13.8, only the seventh-highest figure across the league.

• The real surprise placing is Everton – they are currently 16th in the league, but the expected points model believes they are most deserving of fifth place based on the xG they have created and faced in their matches so far; the difference between their actual position and their expected position is the largest of any side (11). The Toffees rank fourth for non-penalty xG this season (14.9), ahead of the likes of Liverpool (14.6), Manchester City (13.7) and Arsenal (11.3).
• 
  The three clubs currently dwelling in the relegation zone can have no qualms, as they are placed in exactly the same positions that the expected points model believes they deserve to be in, with Burnley in 18th, Bournemouth in 19th and Sheffield United in last place.

Liverpool v Everton

● Liverpool have lost just one of their last 25 Premier League meetings with Everton (W11 D13), with that
being a 2-0 home defeat in February 2021.

• Having won five of their first 11 Premier League games against Liverpool (D4 L2), Everton have now won just five of their last 51 against them in the competition (D21 L25).
• Liverpool against Everton is the most drawn game in English Football League history, with 69 of the
  previous 208 meetings finishing level (81 Liverpool wins, 58 Everton).
• Liverpool have kept 26 Premier League clean sheets against Everton, more than they have against any
  other opponent. It's also the highest number of games the Toffees have failed to score against an
  opponent.
• Everton vs Liverpool is the Premier League fixture to see the most red cards (22) and the most goalless
  draws (12), while Liverpool's five 90th-minute winning goals in this fixture is the most one team has scored
  against another in the competition.
• Liverpool have scored in each of their last 18 Premier League games, with only Brighton (24) and Spurs
  (20) currently on a longer such run. However, the Reds have also kept just one clean sheet in their last 10
  league games, with only Luton and Sheffield United (7 each) conceding the first goal of the game more
  often in than Liverpool (5) in the Premier League this season.
• Everton have won two of their last three Premier League games (L1), as many as they had in their previous 16. The Toffees are looking to win consecutive away league games for the first time since May 2021, under Carlo Ancelotti.
• Mohamed Salah has been involved in 27 goals in his last 23 Premier League appearances for Liverpool (16 goals, 11 assists), only failing to score or assist a goal in four different matches in that run. He’s scored or assisted in each of his last 12 league games at Anfield (12 goals, 3 assists).
• Jack Harrison scored and assisted a goal on his first Premier League start for Everton against
  Bournemouth last time out. His first-ever Premier League goal came against Liverpool at Anfield
  (September 2020), while he also played for Leeds in their 2-1 win at the Reds in October last season – the
  last time Liverpool lost at home in the league.
• Of the 80 players to have made 100+ off-the-ball runs in the Premier League this season, Liverpool’s Darwin
  Núñez has made the highest share of them into the opposition penalty area (39% - 52/133).

Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanderers

● Bournemouth have won just one of their six Premier League games against Wolves (D2 L3), though it was their most recent meeting at Molineux in February (1-0).

• Wolves have won just one of their six away league games against Bournemouth (D3 L2), though are
  unbeaten at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League (W1 D2).
• Bournemouth are one of two teams (along with Sheffield United) yet to win in the Premier League this
  season (D3 L5). It’s their joint-longest winless run at the start of a Football League/Premier League season,
  along with eight games in the third tier in 1994-95.
• After a run of six defeats in eight Premier League games (W1 D1), Wolves are now unbeaten in their last
  three (W1 D2). However, they’ve won just one of their last 12 away league games (D3 L8), beating Everton
  1-0 in August.
• No side have conceded more first-half goals in the Premier League this season than Bournemouth (9).
  However, just 13% of the 23 goals in Wolves’ league games in 2023-24 have come in the opening 45
  minutes (3 – F2 A1), the lowest ratio of all top-flight sides so far this term.
• Bournemouth have scored the fewest goals (5) and have the lowest shot conversion rate (5.3%) of any
  Premier League side this season. Indeed, the Cherries have scored as many goals in two League Cup
  games as they have in eight Premier League matches this term.
• Wolves boss Gary O’Neil’s first-ever Premier League game in charge was in this exact fixture, but as
  Bournemouth manager in a 0-0 draw last season.
• Dominic Solanke has been involved in four of Bournemouth’s five Premier League goals this season (3
  goals, 1 assist), the highest ratio of any player in the division this term (80%).
• Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan has scored five goals this season, already his joint-most in a single Premier
  League campaign (also 5 in 2021-22). The Korean is looking to score in three consecutive league
  appearances for the first time since August 2019, when playing in Austria with FC Red Bull Salzburg.
• No player has more assists in the Premier League this season than Pedro Neto (5), which is already the
  most by a Wolves player in a single campaign since Neto himself got six in 2020-21. Overall, Neto has been involved in six goals in his last six league games (1 goal, 5 assists), as many as in his previous 50.

Brentford v Burnley

● Brentford won their last league game against Burnley 2-0 in March 2022, ending a run of four straight
defeats against the Clarets. They last won back-to-back meetings with Burnley in December 1996.

• Burnley have only failed to score in one of their last 10 league games against Brentford, though they've also only kept one clean sheet in their last eight against them.
• Brentford have won one game in the Premier League this season (D4 L3), away to Fulham on MD2. They are currently winless in six league games (D3 L3), last going on a longer run between January and February in 2022 (8 games).
• Burnley have lost six of their eight Premier League games this season (W1 D1); their most defeats from
  their opening nine matches of any league campaign is seven, doing so in 1888-89 (top-flight), 1904-05
  (second tier), and 1977-78 (second tier).
• Brentford have dropped more points from winning positions in the Premier League this season than any
  other side (11), failing to win the last four league matches in which they have had a lead (D3 L1). The last
  side to endure a longer run of failing to win consecutive Premier League matches in which they were ahead
  were Newcastle from August to November 2021 (6).
• Burnley have conceded 20 goals in the Premier League this season, but only four of those have come in
  away games (20%). Only Arsenal have conceded a lower proportion of their goals in away games in this
  season’s competition (0% - 0/6).
• Brentford have completed 2,756 passes in open play in the Premier League this season, with 8.6% of these being progressive passes (236), the third-highest such percentage, after Luton (11.4%) and Everton (8.7%). Meanwhile, only 4.9% of Burnley’s successful open play passes have been progressive, the second-lowest rate of any side this term (Man City 4.8%).
• Lyle Foster has scored or assisted in each of his last five games for Burnley in the Premier League (3 goals, 2 assists). The last player to directly contribute to a goal in six consecutive appearances for a newly
  promoted side was Peter Odemwingie for West Brom in May 2011.
• Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken has conceded 10 goals this season (excluding own goals), but based
  on the placement of the shots on target he has faced, the average goalkeeper would have been expected to
  concede just under seven goals (6.8). His goals-prevented figure is the worst of any goalkeeper in the
  competition this season (-3.2).
  ● Among all goalkeepers to have started at least five games in the Premier League since the 2003-04
  campaign, Burnley’s James Trafford (37.3) and Brentford’s Mark Flekken (33.6) rank first and second for passes completed per 90 minutes.

Manchester City v Brighton and Hove Albion

● Manchester City have won 10 of their 12 Premier League meetings with Brighton (D1 L1). The only
exceptions have been in May 2021 (2-3) and May 2023 (1-1), having already become champions at the time of those matches.

• Brighton have never won an away league game against Manchester City (D2 L11), losing their last nine
  visits in a row by an aggregate score of 24-3.
• Manchester City have scored at least once in 25 of their 26 league games against Brighton, with the only
  exception being a 0-0 draw in November 1984 at the Goldstone Ground.
• There have been 37 goals scored in Brighton’s league matches this season (21 for and 16 against), the
  second-most of any side in Europe’s big five leagues, after Granada in LaLiga (38).
• Manchester City have lost consecutive league matches for the first time since December 2018, last losing
  three games in a row in the Premier League back in February-March 2016 under Manuel Pellegrini. Indeed,
  Pep Guardiola has lost three league games in a row just once before in his managerial career – with Bayern Munich in May 2015.
• Brighton have both scored and conceded in each of their eight games in the Premier League this season, in addition to their final four games last season. There have been two previous instances of a team scoring
  and conceding in their first nine games in a campaign in the competition – Middlesbrough in 2000-01 and Leicester City in 2015-16, when the Foxes won the title.
• Manchester City have won each of their last 20 games in all competitions at the Etihad Stadium, a run that started against Chelsea in the FA Cup in January. With a win against Brighton, they will set a new record for the longest home-winning run in all competitions by a Premier League side, surpassing Manchester United’s run of 20 games between December 2010 and September 2011.
• Manchester City's Phil Foden has scored in all five of his Premier League starts against Brighton (6 goals in total). Indeed, he's been involved in more goals against the Seagulls than any other opponent in his league career so far (7 – 6 goals, 1 assist).
• Brighton’s goal kicks have ended in their own penalty area 96% of the time in the Premier League this
  season (53/55), the highest percentage of any side. The average distance the ball travels for their goal
  kicks is 8.1 metres, with the next lowest side being Manchester United at 19.2 metres. Comparatively, the
  average distance of Manchester City’s goal kicks is 39.2 metres, with 36% of their goal kicks ending in their own penalty area.
• Erling Haaland has failed to score in consecutive league matches for Manchester City, attempting just one
  shot across those two matches, after recording 31 shots from his first six games this season. Haaland has
  never failed to score in three consecutive Premier League games.

Newcastle United v Crystal Palace

• The last four Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Crystal Palace have seen just three goals
  scored (2 for Newcastle, 1 for Palace), with both games last term finishing 0-0.
• After winning three of five Premier League meetings with Newcastle between February 2019 and April
  2021 (L2), Crystal Palace are winless in four against the Magpies (D3 L1), failing to score in each of the last three.
• All three meetings between Crystal Palace and Newcastle in all competitions last season ended 0-0. It's
  Newcastle's longest run of goalless draws against an opponent, while only against Cardiff have the Eagles
  had a longer such run (4 between 1947 and 1965).
• Newcastle have conceded 17 goals in home matches since the start of last season in the Premier League,
  the joint-fewest of any non-promoted team, along with Manchester United. The Magpies have kept a clean
  sheet in consecutive league games at St. James’ Park.
• No team has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League this season than Crystal Palace (4). The Eagles
  have kept a shutout in their last three league games, last recording four in a row from February-June 2020
  – a run which included a 1-0 win over Newcastle.
• Newcastle are eighth in the Premier League table with 13 points, but based on Opta’s expected points
  model, their expected points total based on game-by-game expected goals is 16.4; this is the second-highest expected points total in the competition this season, after Manchester City (16.6).
• Crystal Palace have conceded 18 goals while facing 64 shots on target in the Premier League since Roy
  Hodgson returned as manager in April. Among sides to have participated in the competition in 2022-23 and
  2023-24, only Manchester City have conceded fewer goals (14), and only Man City (50) and Arsenal (63)
  have faced fewer shots on target in this time.
• Crystal Palace have made 16 substitutions in the Premier League this season, eight fewer than any other
  side, while never using more than three in a single game. The last teams to make fewer substitutions at
  this stage of a Premier League campaign were Burnley (14) and Aston Villa (15) in 2020-21.
• Alexander Isak has scored in each of his last three appearances for Newcastle in the Premier League – the
  only Swedish player to score in four games in a row in the competition is Fredrik Ljungberg for Arsenal in
  April 2002 (5).
• Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier has created 89 chances from set plays in the Premier League since the start of last season, 28 more than any other player in Europe’s big-five leagues. Eight of those chances have
  resulted in assists, the joint-most of any player from those aforementioned leagues, along with Monaco’s Caoi Henrique.

Nottingham Forest v Luton Town

● Nottingham Forest are winless in their last four league games against Luton (D2 L2), with these taking
place in the Championship between 2020 and 2022.

• Luton are unbeaten in their last four top-flight meetings with Nottingham Forest (W2 D2), with this the first such match since a 2-1 win at Kenilworth Road in April 1992.
• Luton have won just one of their last 14 away games against Nottingham Forest in all competitions (D6
  L7), winning 1-0 in the Championship in March 2021.
• Nottingham Forest have lost just two of their last 18 Premier League home games (W8 D8), going
  unbeaten in the last six in a row (W4 D2). Those two defeats came against sides to finish in the top four of
  the table last season (Newcastle and Manchester United).
• Luton have just four points from eight Premier League games this season (W1 D1 L6); in their Football
  League history, they have never had as little as four points from their opening nine matches of a campaign
  before (assuming 3/win all-time), with five their fewest (in 1962-63 and 1974-75).
• Luton beat Everton 2-1 in their last Premier League away game, ending a 29-game winless run on the road in the top-flight dating back to March 1991 (D6 L23). The Hatters haven’t won consecutive such matches
  since November/December 1987.
• Four of Nottingham Forest’s eight Premier League goals this season have seen at least one substitute
  involved. These substitute goal involvements have earned Forest five points so far, the joint-most of any
  side in the competition this term.
• Luton have had just 17 sequences of 10+ passes in open play in the Premier League this season, at least
  25 fewer than any other side. Indeed, the Hatters have the lowest average possession (36.1%) and the
  highest percentage of long passes (21%) in the division this term.
• 50% of Nottingham Forest’s Premier League goals this season have been headers (4/8), the highest ratio
  of any side in the competition this term. Their four-headed goals so far are just two fewer than they scored in
  the whole of 2022-23 (6).
• Luton’s Alfie Doughty has created more chances from set plays than any other player in the Premier
  League this season (14). Indeed, excluding penalties and direct free-kicks, only Brentford and Everton (both 43) have had more shots from set pieces than the Hatters in the competition this term (32).

Chelsea v Arsenal

● Chelsea have lost five of their last six Premier League games against Arsenal (W1), as many defeats as
they'd suffered in their previous 25 against them (W14 D6).

• Arsenal have won each of their last three away league games against Chelsea – they could become the
  first side to win four in a row against the Blues at Stamford Bridge since Watford between 1981 and 1986.
• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 15 league London derbies (W11 D4), the third-longest such run in Premier League history after Chelsea (20 between 2004 and 2006) and the Gunners themselves (35 between 2001 and 2005).
• Chelsea have won both of their last two Premier League games, last winning more in a row in October 2022 (a run of 4). However, the Blues have lost their last two league games at Stamford Bridge; only in
  November 1993 have they ever lost three consecutive Premier League home games, with the third match in
  that run coming against Arsenal (0-2).
• Arsenal have won their three Premier League away games this season by an aggregate score of 6-0 – only
  twice have they won their first four on the road in a league season (1903-04 and 2004-05). This is just the
  second time the Gunners have kept a clean sheet in their first three away league games after 1995-96,
  losing 1-0 at Chelsea in their fourth game on the road that season.
• As well as being one of two teams still unbeaten in the Premier League this season (W6 D2), no side has
  kept more clean sheets (4) or conceded fewer goals (6) than Arsenal in the division this term. Meanwhile,
  Chelsea have netted more goals in their last two league games (6) than they had in their first six this
  season (5).
• Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has never lost a Premier League home game against Arsenal, winning
  three and drawing three of his six such meetings. Overall, his sides have only failed to score in two of his
  13 league meetings with the Gunners, though they’ve never scored more than twice in a match.
• Mikel Arteta has won five of his eight Premier League games against Chelsea (62.5% - D1 L2). Of all
  managers to take charge of more than five against them, only Kenny Dalglish (76.9%) and Pep Guardiola
  (64.3%) have a higher win rate against the Blues than the Arsenal boss.
• Kai Havertz – who assisted Arsenal’s winner against Man City last time out – could make his 100th Premier League appearance in this match (91 for Chelsea, 8 for Arsenal so far). 27 different players to have
  previously played for Chelsea in the Premier League have scored against them in the competition, the most
  against any side in the competition’s history.
• Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has applied more pressures (closing down an opposing player while out
  of possession) than any other player in the Premier League this season (253), while he’s also the only
  player to have made 100+ in both the middle third (111) and attacking third (112).

Sheffield United v Manchester United

● Sheffield United have won just two of their 10 Premier League games against Man Utd (D1 L7) – their most recent meeting in January 2021, and the first ever such game between the sides on the opening weekend of the inaugural 1992-93 campaign.

• Man Utd have scored in all 10 of their Premier League games against Sheffield United, only having a higher 100% scoring record against Swansea (14/14) and Nottingham Forest (13/13) in the competition.
• Manchester United have won each of their last nine Premier League games against newly promoted sides,
  their longest such run since winning 12 in a row from May 2011 to March 2013. Away from home, they
  have won their last six against promoted sides, only ever winning more in row once before in the
  competition (7 from November 2006 to May 2009).
• Sheffield United have just one point from eight Premier League games this season (W0 D1 L7), the joint-lowest tally by a side at this stage in the competition. Defeat here would be the 10th occasion in English
  top-flight history of a side having one or fewer points from their first nine in a campaign, while the Blades
  could be the first side to do so more than once, having had one point in their opening nine in 2020-21.
• Sheffield United have conceded two or more goals in each of their last seven Premier League games (21
  conceded, 3 per game). There have been just eight occasions of a side shipping 2+ goals in eight straight
  matches within a single season in the competition, most recently West Brom in February 2021 (8) – a run
  that the Baggies ended by drawing 1-1 with Man Utd.
• Manchester United have forced more high turnovers than any other side in the Premier League this season (90), while only Chelsea (135) have recorded more pressed sequences than the Red Devils (134). Despite this, Erik ten Hag’s side are yet to score from a high turnover in the competition this term.
• Sheffield United have faced 176 shots in the Premier League this season, the second-most on record (from 2003-04) by a side in their first eight matches of a campaign in the competition (Hull City 184 in 2016-17). The Blades have allowed 20+ shots in each of their last four league matches, which if they do so again against Man Utd would see them at least match the record for most shots faced on record in a team’s first nine Premier League matches in a season (Hull City 196 in 2016-17).
• Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom has lost 14 of his 18 Premier League games as a manager (78% - W3 D1). Among managers to take charge of 10+ games in the competition, only Jan Siewert (80% - 12 defeats in 15) has a poorer loss ratio.
• Only James Maddison (48) has had more combined shots and chances created in the Premier League this
  season than Man Utd’s Bruno Fernandes (47 – 25 shots, 22 chances created). Indeed, since the
  Portuguese midfielder made his competition debut, he ranks top for the two metrics combined with 726
  (371 shots, 355 chances created).
• Since the start of last season, no side has seen more Premier League goals scored by substitutes (excl.
  own goals) than Manchester United (15, level with Brighton), with Scott McTominay scoring a brace from
  the bench last time out against Brentford.

Aston Villa v West Ham United

● Aston Villa have lost their last three Premier League home games against West Ham, as many as they had
in their first 21 against them (W9 D9).

• West Ham are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League games against Aston Villa (W6 D4) since a 1-0 loss in May 2015. Only against Fulham (12 between 2002-2009) and Derby County (11 between 1998-2008) have they had longer runs without defeat in the competition.
• Aston Villa have won each of their last 10 Premier League games at Villa Park, their longest home league
  winning run since October 1983 (13). Before this run, the Villans had only won 10 of their previous 30 home league games (D7 L13).
• Although they lost their last away league game 3-1 at Liverpool, West Ham have won two of their last three such matches, as many as their previous 18 on the road beforehand (D4 L12).
• Aston Villa have 16 points from their eight Premier League games this season, their highest tally at this
  stage in the competition since 2009-10 (also 16). A win here would represent their best points total from
  their opening nine matches of a top-flight campaign since 1998-99 (21).
• West Ham have both scored and conceded in nine of their last 10 Premier League games, with the
  exception being a 2-0 win over Sheffield United in September. The Hammers have scored first in seven of
  their eight Premier League matches this season, the most of any side.
• West Ham boss David Moyes is unbeaten in his last 14 Premier League games against Aston Villa (W8 D6) since a 0-1 defeat with Everton in August 2010. Only against Sunderland (15 from August 2002 to
  November 2012) has the Scot ever had a longer unbeaten run against a side in the competition.
• Aston Villa pair Moussa Diaby and Ollie Watkins have created 14 chances for one another in the Premier
  League this season (7 each), at least four more than any other duo for any side in 2023-24.
• Jarrod Bowen has scored in all four of West Ham’s Premier League away games this season (4 goals); the
  only players to score in each of their first five away appearances from the start of a season in the
  competition are Thierry Henry for Arsenal in 2001-02 and Mo Salah for Liverpool in 2021-22.
• Vladimír Coufal has provided an assist in each of his last four Premier League games, the longest ever run of consecutive appearances with an assist by any West Ham player in the competition. Only 10 different
  players have ever assisted a goal in 5+ straight appearances in Premier League history, most recently Trent Alexander-Arnold in April 2023.

Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham

● Tottenham have won 13 of their last 15 Premier League games against Fulham, with the exceptions both
coming in home games (0-1 in March 2013, 1-1 in January 2021).

• Fulham haven't scored more than once in any of their last 17 Premier League games against Tottenham
  (nine goals in total), since a 2-1 win in November 2008.
• Tottenham have lost just one of their last 16 Premier League games played on a Monday (W11 D4), a 1-0
  home defeat to Manchester City in October 2018.
• Fulham are without a win in their last 10 Premier League London derbies (D4 L6), including all four this
  season so far (D2 L2). The Cottagers have enjoyed just one win in their last 21 away games against fellow
  London clubs in the competition (D6 L14), a 3-0 victory at Crystal Palace in December 2022.
• Tottenham have earned 20 points from their eight Premier League games under Ange Postecoglou (W6 D2 L0); a win over Fulham would see Postecoglou break the record for most points gained by a manager in
  their first nine Premier League matches (23), a record currently jointly held by Mike Walker and Guus Hiddink (both 22).
• While Fulham have the oldest average starting XI age in the Premier League this season (29 years, 183
  days), Tottenham have the third-youngest (24y 345d). Indeed, each of the six oldest starting XIs named for
  a Premier League match by any side this season have all been by Fulham.
• Tottenham have attempted 153 shots in the Premier League this season, 20 more than any other side.
  They are averaging 19.1 shots per game, their most on record (from 1997-98) in any Premier League
  campaign (full season record of 18.4 per game in 2011-12).
• Tottenham have scored three goals in the 90th minute or later in their last two Premier League home
  games, winning both matches thanks to added time winners. There have been just six occasions of a side
  netting in the 90th minute (or later) in three consecutive Premier League home games (most recently
  Leicester in January 2018), while no side has ever had three consecutive such matches won via a 90th
  minute goal before.
• Only Rúben Dias has made more progressive carries (164) or covered more distance via progressive
  carries (1,822m) than Fulham’s Issa Diop in the Premier League this season (125 progressive carries,
  1,460m).
• No player has been involved in more open play sequences that have ended in a shot in the Premier League this season than Tottenham’s James Maddison (63 – 22 shots, 15 chances created, 26 in build-up).
  Indeed, no player has provided more assists in the competition this term than Maddison (5), although all of
  these assists have come away from home.