Matchday 10 in the Premier League delivered on the drama front.
Manchester City and Arsenal both suffered surprise defeats, Tottenham fought back to thrash Aston Villa and Manchester United shared the spoils with Chelsea at Old Trafford.
We look at the five most interesting statistics to emerge from the action.
A rare occurrence
2 – With Arsenal losing to Newcastle and Man City losing to Bournemouth, today is only the third time since the start of 2017-18 that both of the previous season’s top two have lost on the same day in the Premier League, after 7th March 2021 and 14th January 2023. Uncommon. pic.twitter.com/59q0MrTZFn
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 2, 2024
It really isn’t often in the Premier League that the top two sides of the previous campaign have been beaten on the same weekend.
Slow start continues
📊With just 12 points won, this is Manchester United’s worst return after 10 games of a League campaign since 1986-87 (eight). 😫🔴
Meanwhile, their nine goals are their fewest at this stage of a league campaign since 1973-74 (also nine). 😪#ManUnited #MUNCHE #EPL #Football pic.twitter.com/qie1jAGYJj
— Football.com (@Footballcomglob) November 4, 2024
The last time United started a season this badly in the league, they sacked their manager and replaced him with… Sir Alex Ferguson. That’s how long ago it was since they struggled so much early in a campaign.
Slot machine
During that record-setting run of games, the Dutchman has watched his side score 19 goals and concede just six times.
Comeback kings
Only two sides have won eight Premier League home games in a single calendar year after conceding the opening goal of the game:
◎ Newcastle United (2002)
◉ Tottenham Hotspur (2024)Bouncebackability. 👏 pic.twitter.com/dBFIyB5SjD
— Squawka (@Squawka) November 3, 2024
Spurs may need to work on how they’re starting games on home turf but even when falling behind, things don’t often stay that way!
Streak snapped
Southampton 1-0 Everton FT
Finally for Saints & Russell Martin!
They end their 22-game winless run in the Premier League. This was their first win in the top-flight since March 2023 against Leicester pic.twitter.com/iXeekKXyq5
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 2, 2024
Not only was Southampton’s winless run in the Premier League the longest in club history, it was also the third worst ever in the competition until Adam Armstrong came to the rescue against Everton.
📸 Alex Pantling – 2024 Getty Images