20 Seasons of the English Premier League
as seen by
7,846 500
Total games played
Manchester United are the only side to have managed 500 wins in the Premier League (most by a player: Ryan Giggs, 386)
20,589 1,020
Total goals scored (2.62 per game, most by a team: Manchester United 1,541, player: Shearer 260)
248
Red cards (most by a team: Blackburn 76, player: Ferguson, Vieira and Dunne, eight each)
22,666
Players to have played in the Premier League (most appearances – Giggs, 598)
Relegations from the Premier League (most: Crystal Palace, four)
4,558
Yellow cards (most by a team: Chelsea 1,224, player: Kevin Davies and Lee Bowyer, 99 each)
Premier League title winners (Manchester United 12, Arsenal and Chelsea three each, Blackburn and Manchester City, one each)
All data based on Opta definitions and correct at time of going to print.
61
Teams to have played in the Premier League
Hat-tricks scored in the Premier League (most – Alan Shearer, 11)
3,111
Tottenham have conceded the most goals in the Premier League, the only team to ship over 1,000 (most by a player: David James, 665)
1,201 22,870 5
45
Ever-present sides in the Premier League (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham)
Clean sheets kept (most by a team: Manchester United 346, goalkeeper: David James, 169) Everton have lost the most games in Premier League history (most by a player: David James, 197)
Substitutions (most by a team: Chelsea 1,211, most subs on for a player: Kanu, 118, subs off: Solano, 132)
1,327 3,641
Goals scored from the penalty spot (most by a team: Chelsea, 83. Player: Alan Shearer, 56)
Home wins, 2,107 draws, 2,098 away wins in Premier League history
Aston Villa have drawn the most games in Premier League history (most by a player: David James, 158)
653
Own goals scored (most by a team: Everton, 36, player: Richard Dunne, 9)
five 6 100
Sides who have played just one season (Barnsley, Burnley, Blackpool, Swindon and Swansea)
Introduction The Premier League has brought us some stunning moments since its inception. The 20 seasons have seen 45 teams do battle in 7,846 games, scoring 20,589 goals. We’ve seen high drama, controversy and season after season of compelling action. To celebrate the 20 year milestone, the Premier League recently bestowed a series of awards, asking fans and experts to select the best season, game, player, manager, goal and more. We’ve had a look at the award winners in the way that only Opta can, and produced our own tribute to the players and teams that have captivated us for the past two decades. We’ve also taken a look at some of the Premier League’s leading marksmen, goalkeepers, play-makers and aggressors. No-one looks at football more closely than Opta. We delve into the details that others miss, to pull out the stories behind the numbers. We hope that you enjoy our unique take on the Premier League so far.
South America was the last continent (excluding Antarctica) to be represented in the Premier League – Adrian Paz for Ipswich in 1994/95 Swindon in 1993/94 are the only side to have conceded 100 goals in a Premier League season 20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
01
The Premier League’s Best Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson The winner of the “Best Manager” award in the Premier League’s 20 seasons award, Sir Alex Ferguson’s record in the competition is little short of staggering. Win Ratio
José Mourinho 120 games
70.8%
Sir Alex Ferguson 772 games
64.8%
Carlo Ancelotti 76 games
63.2%
Roberto Mancini 97 games
61.9%
Arsène Wenger 600 games
57.8%
Rafael Benítez 228 games
55.3%
Claudio Ranieri 146 games
52.1%
Kenny Dalglish 238 games
48.3%
Gianluca Vialli 94 games
47.9%
Roy Evans 184 games
47.3%
Key Win Draw Loss *Minimum two full seasons as manager
Only José Mourinho has managed a higher win % in the Premier League than Ferguson, whose longevity helps him stand even further apart from the pack. Having joined Manchester United in 1986/87, he has been in charge since, racking up his 500th Premier League win on the last day of the 2011/12 season at Sunderland, the next-most victories is Arsène Wenger (347) followed by Harry Redknapp (227). In 20 seasons of the Premier League, Ferguson has lifted the title on 12 occasions: Arsène Wenger (3) and José Mourinho (2) are the only other bosses to have done this more than once.
02
20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
The Premier League’s Best Season: 2011/12
On top of this fans saw 19 hat-tricks scored in 2011/12, the most in a 20-team Premier League season, while the title was won on goal difference for the first time in its history, and the first time in the English top-flight since 1988/89 when Arsenal pipped Liverpool. Incredibly, the drama lasted until the last kick of the season, when Manchester City became the first side EVER in the history of the Premier League to win a game that they were losing at the end of 90 minutes, equalising on 91:15 before getting the winner on 93:20.
In the recent 20 seasons awards, the 2011/12 season was voted the best-ever, and in terms of action, this was a fair reflection. Last season saw more goals per game than any other in the competition’s history, and the most in any English top-flight campaign since 1968/69. Three of the four Premier League seasons with the most goals per game have been the last three campaigns, as the trend towards more strikes continues.
Goals per Game
Goals
92/93* 2.65 1,222
93/94* 2.59 1,195
94/95* 2.59 1,195
95/96 2.60 988
* 462 games played instead of 380
96/97 2.55 970
97/98 2.68 1,019
98/99 2.52 959
99/00 2.79 1,060
00/01 2.61 992
01/02 2.63 1,001
02/03 2.63 1,000
03/04 2.66 1,012
04/05 2.57 975
05/06 2.48 944
06/07 2.45 931
07/08 2.64 1,002
08/09 2.48 942
09/10 2.77 1,053
10/11 2.80 1,063
11/12 2.81 1,066
The Premier League’s Best Team: Arsenal’s Invincibles Longest Premier League Unbeaten Runs
“We’ve been remarkably consistent, haven’t lost 49
07/05/03 - 16/ 10/04 40
23/ 10/04 - 29/ 10/05
23/ 12 /07 - 18 / 10/08
29
26 / 12 /98 - 25/09/99
29
11/04/ 10 - 01 /02 / 11
29
Goals
% Goals to Shots
2003/04
73
2003/04
2004/05
72
2004/05
2008/09
68
Total Passes 2004/05 2008/09 2011/12
14.1% 13.7% 17.7%
2011/12
To the left are some details of Arsenal’s last title-winning season compared to other recent champions.
Goals Conceded 17,752
26
2003/04
16,808
2004/05
19,421 20,860
Overall Pass Completion %
15 24
2008/09
29
2011/12
2003/04
80.9%
2003/04
4,702
81.5%
2004/05
4,639
2008/09
83.0%
2008/09
85.9%
2011/12
The Gunners were leaders in many categories in the 2003/04 season, though interestingly were only second in terms of total passes, despite their reputation, behind Manchester United. However their high pass completion rate, especially in the final third, made the difference. The Chelsea side of 2004/05 set a new record of most points won in a single season thanks to only conceding a competition record 15 goals from just 84 shots on target faced (little over two per game).
Passes in Final Third
2004/05
2011/12
Chelsea between October 2004 and October 2005 are the only other team to have gone the equivalent of a full season unbeaten (40 games), with their run starting on the same weekend that Arsenal’s ended in a 2-0 reversal at Old Trafford.
15.5%
2008/09 93
2011/12
2003/04
In 2003/04, Arsenal achieved a feat unheard of in the English top-flight since 1888/89 (Preston North End) by going a full season unbeaten. They eventually extended their run to 49 consecutive games without a defeat, by far the longest of its kind in the Premier League.
25
26 /02 /95 - 06/ 11 /95
have entertained people who just love football.” Arsène Wenger, 2004
30
23/ 12 /01 - 06/ 10/02
a game and we have played stylish football. We
6,386 6,658
20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
05
The Premier League’s Best Game: Manchester United 4 - 3 Manchester City Rooney 2’
Fletcher 80’
52’ Bellamy 90’ Bellamy
Sunday, 20th September 2009
Owen 90+6’
Referee: Martin Atkinson | Attendance: 75,066
Foster Evra Ferdinand Vidic O’Shea (23 Carrick 90+3’) Anderson Giggs (25 Valencia 62’) Park Fletcher ( 07 Owen 78’) Berbatov Rooney
12 03 05 15 22 08 11 13 24 09 10
GK DF DF DF DF MF MF MF MF FW FW
Corners
11 15
40.5%
0
16
Red Cards
14
Territory
0 26
Tackles
78.9%
72.4%
Passing Succ.
8
Shots On Target
4
10
Shots Off Target
4
6
Blocked Shots
1 0
Saves
4
Post
1
United had 24 shots to City’s 11, and 59.5% of the possession, a domination that is highlighted in the average positions of the two teams, where all but three of United’s players spent more time in City’s half than their own, compared to just two for their visitors.
20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
3
10 9 24
13 8
22 5
15
12
2 8
01 02 03 19 28 07 08 18 34 32 39
Given Richards Bridge Lescott Toure Ireland Wright-Phillips Barry De Jong (17 Petrov 83’) Tevez Bellamy
Ryan Giggs
1 11
GK DF DF DF DF MF MF MF MF FW FW
Mark Hughes
3
Average Positions
After battling back from a goal down twice before, Craig Bellamy looked to have given City a point by scoring with five seconds of normal time remaining to make it 3-3. However a Michael Owen strike five minutes and 27 seconds into injury time saw United take all three points.
35.9%
2
Yellow Cards
0
64.1%
1
Offsides
2 Possession
Voted the Premier League’s best match, the Manchester derby of September 2009 saw Manchester City travel to Old Trafford looking to extend their perfect start to the season (four wins from four).
1
Fouls
59.5%
Sir Alex Ferguson
06
16’ Barry
HT
Fletcher 49’
28
19 34 7 18
3 39
32
United’s win was in large part down to their evergreen winger Ryan Giggs (11), who assisted three goals in the game. The 20 seasons “Best Player” set up 10 shots in this match, one of only three occasions all season in which a player created over 10 chances in a single game, underlining why he has assisted more goals in Premier League history than any other player.
The Premier League’s Best Goal: Wayne Rooney v Manchester City With both sides still pushing for the title, the Manchester derby of 12th February 2011 was always going to be special. However few would have foreseen the moment of genius that saw Wayne Rooney cap an impressive Manchester United move with an incredible overhead kick in the 78th minute to hand his side all three points. 10 5
Rooney’s goal followed a move of 14 passes that saw all but one of United’s outfield players (Chris Smalling) involved before the explosive finish, more than earning the accolade of “Best Goal” in the Premier League’s 20 seasons awards.
11
9 9
3
15
17
10 9
18 24
18 22
1515
Wayne Rooney Premier League Career Statistics 3
14
19
317
13 13
457 111
510
115
Shots On Target
Right-Footed Goals
Goals Inside Box
Shots Off Target
Left-Footed Goals
Penalties
Blocked Shots
Headed Goals
Direct Free Kicks (Outside Box) Goals Outside Box
08
20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
The Premier League’s Best Save: Craig Gordon v Bolton Wanderers FC Until Manchester United signed David De Gea, Craig Gordon’s £9million transfer fee was the highest ever paid for a goalkeeper by a British club. Despite this, he enjoyed mixed fortunes at the Black Cats only playing 88 Premier League games and keeping 19 clean sheets in that time.
Top Stoppers from French side Rennes in 2004 – a better rate than any other goalkeeper in the competition’s history. Cech has also managed the best minutes per goal conceded ratio, conceding a goal every 127 minutes, 40 seconds on average, and over 20 minutes longer than any other goalkeeper’s average.
Petr Cech has proved to be a wonderful signing for Chelsea as he enters his ninth season at the club, and the numbers back up the claim that he is one of the best goalkeepers to have played in the Premier League era. The Czech ‘keeper has averaged a clean sheet every two games in the Premier League since his transfer to Chelsea
Games/Clean Sheets Petr Cech José Reina Edwin Van der Sar Peter Schmeichel The undoubted highlight of his time at The Stadium of Light was this stunning save against Bolton Wanderers, subsequently voted as the Best Save in Premier League history. Games Played................................................................................................................................. 88 Minutes Played .................................................................................................................... 7,897 Saves ....................................................................................................................................................... 264 Goals Conceded ....................................................................................................................... 127 Save Percentage ............................................................................................................... 67.4% Save Percentage (in box) .................................................................................... 58.7% Save Percentage (out box) ................................................................................ 85.6% Catches ................................................................................................................................................ 109 Punches .................................................................................................................................................... 61 Drops ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 Penalties Faced ............................................................................................................................. 15 Penalty Goals Conceded ................................................................................................ 13 Penalties Saved ............................................................................................................................. 0
Minutes/Goals Conceded 2.00
Petr Cech
2.12 2.37 2.42
David Seaman
2.46
Carlo Cudicini
2.48
127:40 mins
José Reina
107:15 mins
Jens Lehmann
106:1 mins
David Seaman
105:40 mins
Manuel Almunia
98:58 mins
Carlo Cudicini
97:49 mins
Manuel Almunia
2.53
Peter Schmeichel
96:09 mins
Jerzy Dudek
2.54
Jerzy Dudek
Ed de Goey Mark Bosnich
2.62
Ed de Goey
2.68
Edwin Van der Sar
95:47 mins 94:40 mins 91:50 mins
* Only players with 100 PL apps or more considered.
David James still remains the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets, however, totalling 169 in his 18-season Premier League career. Petr Cech has some way to go to be at the top of this ranking, with 41 fewer than former England ‘keeper James.
169
David James Petr Cech
128
20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
09
The Premier League’s Best Quote: “I will love it if we beat them. Love it. ” I’ve kept really quiet but I’ll tell you something, he went down in my estimations when he said that. We have not resorted to that. You can tell him now, we’re still fighting for this title and he’s got to go to Middlesbrough and Kevin Keegan, 1996 get something. And I’ll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it.
“
“
Towards the end of January 1996, it looked as if Newcastle United had the Premier League title already wrapped up little over the half-way mark. Kevin Keegan’s Magpies were 12 points clear at the top of the table and looked unassailable.
Premier League Table January 21st 1996 Pos. 1 2 3
Team Newcastle United Liverpool Manchester United
12 points is the biggest deficit a team has ever made up to win the Premier League, followed by Arsenal recouping 11 points in the 1997/98 season, and below it is possible to see the key moments where the campaign was won and lost.
P 23 23 23
W 17 12 12
D L 3 3 6 5 6 5
F 45 46 41
A GD Pts 19 +26 54 21 +25 42 27 +14 42
5 4 6
2 1
3
Premier League Table May 5th 1996 Pos. 1 2 3
1
Newcastle are 12 points clear of Manchester United after 23 games. 2
Newcastle lose 0-2 at West Ham, starting a dire run. 3
Newcastle lose 4-3 in dramatic circumstances at Anfield, giving the advantage to Manchester United.
10
20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
Team Manchester United Newcastle United Liverpool
P 38 38 38
W D 25 7 24 6 20 11
L 6 8 7
F 73 66 70
A GD Pts 35 +38 82 37 +29 78 34 +36 71
4 Manchester United lose 3-1 at Southampton and Newcastle win against Aston Villa, putting them three points behind the Reds with a game in hand. 5 Newcastle win 1-0 at Leeds, putting them three points behind Manchester United with two games left to the Red Devils’ one, leading to Keegan’s infamous “I would love it” speech. 6
Two draws from their final two matches sees Newcastle give the title to Manchester United, in what is now the most famous example of Alex Ferguson’s “mind games”.
Hotshots The Premier League’s Best Minutes per Goal Ratios Goals Scored
Papiss Demba Cissé
Sergio Agüero
Thierry Henry
Mario Balotelli
Ruud van Nistelrooy
13 85.6 23 113.0 175 121.8 19 126.9
Javier Hernández
23 128.8
Robin van Persie
96 138.5
Hernán Crespo
20 140.7
Edin Dzeko
Fernando Torres
Each of the last three seasons has seen at least 100 penalties taken in the Premier League, something that had happened just once in the previous 11. Given the increasing importance of spot-kicks, a decent specialist is key for every team – especially given that last season saw the lowest percentage of penalties scored of any campaign since 2001/02 (72%). Below are the top six penalty takers in the Premier League since 1998/99.
Minutes per Goal
95 128.2
16 146.4 72 146.6
The Premier League’s Best Penalty Takers
94.7% Conversion
Danny Murphy
94.1%
James Beattie Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
92.9% 92.0%
Thierry Henry Mikel Arteta 2011/12 was a season that saw a number of new strikers burst onto the Premier League scene. Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero started the season in fine form, netting eight goals in his first five games in the English top-flight, before Newcastle’s Papiss Demba Cissé took over the mantle in January with a recordequalling 11 goals in his first 10 appearances. The two new Premier League additions currently boast the best minutes per goal ratios in Premier League history (minimum of 10 goals scored), with another of Manchester City’s recent signings, Mario Balotelli, in fourth place on the list, behind Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
Recent European Champion Fernando Torres has dropped down the list following a poor run of form at Chelsea. The former Atletico Madrid man scored a Premier League goal every 121 minutes on average at Liverpool, but this has dropped to every 381 minutes since his move to Stamford Bridge.
90.9% 90.2%
Frank Lampard
With a conversion rate of nearly 95%, Danny Murphy has been the most reliable penalty taker of recent seasons, though in terms of volume, Frank Lampard has a strong claim to being the best, scoring 37 of 41 in the Premier League. Leighton Baines has taken the most without missing (eight). At the other end of the scale there are some men you would not want stepping up to the spot: Juan Pablo Ángel Jermain Defoe Steed Malbranque
50.0% 57.1% 60.0%
Kevin Phillips
61.1%
Michael Owen
66.7%
Wayne Rooney
68.4%
Over the last 14 seasons, Juan Pablo Ángel has one of the poorest conversion rates, and it is interesting to note that four of the bottom six are England internationals: Jermain Defoe, Kevin Phillips, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney.
20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
11
Pass Masters As Spain emerge as the dominant force in world football with their tiki-taka style of play, Opta take a look at the most prolific passers in the Premier League over the last few seasons.
Chances Created per 90 Minutes
Passes per 90 Minutes
Pass Completion %
12
20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
86.4%
86.2%
86.1%
86.0%
85.6%
Ricardo Carvalho
Ashley Cole
Luka Modric
86.4% Bacary Sagna
Kieron Dyer
87.9% William Gallas
Michael Essien
88.0% John Terry
58.41 Claude Makélélé
88.3%
59.51 Kerimoglou Tugay
Paul Scholes
59.60 Luka Modric
89.5% 60.09 Alexandre Song
John Obi Mikel
61.30 Michael Essien
68.59
John Obi Mikel
61.61
70.27
Xabi Alonso
Michael Carrick
71.62
70.98
Francesc Fábregas
* Last 10 seasons only
Paul Scholes
2.01 Thierry Henry
2.22
2.15
Jermaine Pennant
Robin van Persie
2.31
Antonio Valencia
Luka Modric
2.36
2.31
Steven Gerrard
Ryan Giggs
T. Henry
2.37
A. Shearer
Mikel Arteta
90
89
M. Le Tissier
Francesc Fábregas
96 D. Anderton
74
102
100 T. Sheringham
F. Lampard
Andy Cole
103
D. Bergkamp
S. McManaman 103
107
105
D. Beckham
R. Giggs
194
2.50
Premier League Assists
Frank Lampard
2.93
For sheer creativity it is another Manchester United stalwart, Ryan Giggs, who has led the way in the last decade.
2.84
It is of little surprise that the two players to have made the most passes per 90 minutes over the last 10 seasons in the Premier League are both key components of the Spanish side that has won the last two Euros and the last World Cup, Cesc Fábregas and Xabi Alonso. In terms of passing accuracy though, only the defensive midfielder John Obi Mikel is ahead of England’s Paul Scholes, who tends to play a more attacking game than his Chelsea counterpart.
That’s Gotta Hurt 2011/12 was a season of surprises in the Premier League. Manchester City won their first top-flight title since 1968, all three promoted sides survived relegation for the first time in a decade, and five players committed more fouls than Kevin Davies. Prior to last season, the Bolton frontman had topped the Premier League fouls count in seven of the previous eight campaigns, finishing second to John Carew in the other (2007/08). In 2011/12, however, the burly striker started just 21 games and committed 58 fouls, a total beaten by five other Premier League players including Norwich City’s Grant Holt, who topped the list with 89 offences. Interestingly, league-wide the foul count has been gradually reducing since its peak in 2002. Last season saw an average of just 21.9 fouls committed per game, significantly the lowest rate since 1999.
Fouls per Game 2005/06
28.6
2006/07
27.4
2007/08
26.5
2008/09
25.4 26.3
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12
24.3 21.9
2003/04 Kevin Davies
98
2004/05
107
2005/06
116
Kevin Davies
Kevin Davies
2006/07 Kevin Davies & Michael Brown
2007/08 John Carew
91 100
2008/09
117
2009/10
121
2010/11
123
Kevin Davies
Kevin Davies
Kevin Davies
2011/12 Grant Holt
89 20 seasons of the English Premier League as seen by Opta
13
100% 3
Before his 27-minute cameo against Swansea in January 2012, Thierry Henry had scored against every opponent he had faced in the Premier League (34/34). Gary Bull is now the only player who can claim this, scoring in his only game for Forest v Crystal Palace in January 1995
Fabrizio Ravanelli is the only player to have scored a hat-trick on his Premier League debut (August 1996 – Middlesbrough v Liverpool)
10
5 9 3 8
five
Five players have scored own goals on Premier League debuts – Chris Swailes, Jacob Laursen, Richard Johnson, Martin Cranie and Dean Ashton
Manchester United benefitted from 10 opposition own goals in 2009/10 – no other side has ever benefitted from more than six in a single season. “Own goals” was their second-top scorer in this campaign Alan Shearer holds the record for most hat-tricks in a single season (five in 1995/96)
we live sport www.optasports.com
114
Between January 1st – May 22nd 2011, Robin van Persie scored in nine consecutive Premier League matches away from home; a new record Jamie Carragher has scored as many goals for Tottenham (3) as he has for Liverpool in the Premier League
1992
31st October 2009 saw the most-ever red cards on a single day in the Premier League
Thierry Henry is the only player to score more than 100 goals in a single Premier League stadium (Highbury)
Lennard Sowah was the first player to play a Premier League game who was born after the competition started when he played for Portsmouth on 3rd April 2010 against Blackburn
47
All images © Action Images
2
Gareth Bale was the only player to be booked more than once for simulation in 2011-12 (twice)
8th May 1993 saw 47 goals scored, the most on a single day in the Premier League