GW 9 – Arsenal level with City, now Anfield awaits
Arsenal level at the top
Manchester City lost last time out and Arsenal won, so both now have 21 points. City lead on goal difference. Arsenal have won seven of eight, three in a row since the defeat to Brighton, and have conceded 5 goals, the fewest in the league.
Arsenal have the league's best defence by expected goals conceded, 0.78 per match. Then come City, Fulham and Bournemouth, all on 1.1. Arsenal also have the league's best build-up, and their expected points are 13.8, joint second with Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool have won ten of 20 meetings
Liverpool are fourth with 15 points and have won two in a row. On 25 October they beat Brighton 2-0, and Alexander Isak scored. He is second in the league in expected goals per match, 0.67. Liverpool are the second most dangerous side straight after winning the ball, 0.52 expected goals per match within eight seconds.
Of the 20 Premier League meetings since 2016, Liverpool have won ten, Arsenal three, and seven were drawn, with 3.6 goals per match. Arsenal have not won any of the last four: 0-0, 1-0 to Liverpool, 2-2 and 2-2. Their latest win was 3-1 at home in February 2024. Kick-off Sunday 17:30 CET.
City have not beaten Brighton in four
Manchester City have scored in 24 consecutive matches and won four in a row at home. Of the 18 meetings with Brighton since 2017, City have won twelve. But they have not won any of the last four: 1-1 and 2-2 at home, two 2-1 defeats away. Their latest win was 4-0 at Brighton in April 2024.
Brighton are third with 16 points and lost at Anfield last time out after four straight wins. They have scored the most goals in the league, 23, and create the most, 2.1 expected goals per match. Kick-off Saturday 16:00 CET.
Forest: 13.8 expected points, 6 in the table
Nottingham Forest are eighteenth with 6 points but their expected points are 13.8. The shortfall of 7.8 is the largest in the league, and they are four games without a win. On Saturday they visit Brentford, who have scored in 10 consecutive matches.
Bournemouth have the league's highest expected points, 14.0, but only 9 points in the table. They have won two in a row and create the most in the league from corners, 0.51 expected goals per match. On Saturday they host Leeds, who are four games without a win. The other way round: Newcastle have the league's lowest expected points, 7.1, but 11 points and eighth place.
The rest of the round
Manchester United are six games without a win and sixteenth with 7 points, but won the last two meetings with Chelsea. Chelsea are fifth with 13 points. Tottenham have won two in a row and have won 14 of 20 meetings with Crystal Palace since 2016. Palace have lost two in a row and concede the most in the league, 2.2 expected goals per match.
Aston Villa and Fulham have both won two in a row, and Villa have won eight of the ten meetings since 2020. Sunderland are bottom with 5 points and six games without a win and visit Coventry, who have lost two in a row. Hull are also six without a win and host Ipswich. The round ends on Monday night with Newcastle v Everton; Everton have lost two in a row.
Fixtures matchweek 9 (Swedish time, CET): Chelsea–Manchester United Sat 13:30, Bournemouth–Leeds Sat 16:00, Brentford–Nottingham Forest Sat 16:00, Coventry–Sunderland Sat 16:00, Hull–Ipswich Sat 16:00, Manchester City–Brighton Sat 16:00, Tottenham–Crystal Palace Sat 18:30, Aston Villa–Fulham Sat 21:00, Liverpool–Arsenal Sun 17:30, Newcastle–Everton Mon 21:00.
Source: Premier League Weekly Report – Matchweek 9 (PlaymakerAI)