Premier League data dive: Salah strike ends Man City´s unbeaten start

Mohamed Salah condemned Manchester City to a first Premier League defeat of the season as Liverpool took all three points in a brilliant game at Anfield.

A long ball from Alisson was latched onto by Salah before he fired past Ederson to earn Liverpool just their third league win of the campaign.

Chelsea beat struggling Aston Villa 2-0 and Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road, while Manchester United and Newcastle United played out a hard-fought goalless draw at Old Trafford.

Here, Stats Perform picks out the best facts from the day’s Premier League action.

100 – Mo Salah has become only the second player in @premierleague history to score 100+ left-footed goals, after Robbie Fowler (105). Wand. pic.twitter.com/giCYYW1UoM

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 16, 2022

Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City: Salah maintains Reds’ unbeaten Anfield record

Liverpool’s impressive home form continued as they made it 28 Premier League matches unbeaten at Anfield (21 victories, seven draws) with a win over the champions.

Salah’s strike makes it 14 goal involvements for him against City in all competitions, more than against any other opponent, while he is the second player to score in four consecutive Premier League home appearances against the Citizens, after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink between 2000 and 2004.

Alisson has now assisted Salah three times in the Premier League, more than any other goalkeeper-outfield player combination in competition history.

The defeat for City means Pep Guardiola has now lost 11 games against Jurgen Klopp, at least four more than against any other coach.

Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City

0.94 xG is City’s lowest single-match mark in all competitions since the 2021 Champions League final (0.45), and Virgil van Dijk is still unbeaten at Anfield in Premier League matches (W58, 11D).#LIVMCI pic.twitter.com/tnS0OgP0nE

— The Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) October 16, 2022

Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea: Mount double adds to Gerrard pressure

Steven Gerrard’s job security was already coming into question before Graham Potter’s Blues took victory at Villa Park on Sunday with two Mason Mount goals and an impressive display from goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Since Gerrard took over as Villa head coach in November 2021, only Watford (12) and Norwich (nine) have lost more home Premier League games than the Villans (eight).

Chelsea were fired to victory by Mount, who scored his 25th and 26th Premier League goals for the Blues, becoming the second-youngest player to reach the 25-goal landmark for the club (23y 279d), after Eden Hazard (23y 271d).

Potter’s impressive start to life as Chelsea boss continues with his fifth win in six games since taking over (one draw). Those five victories have come in the last five matches, the joint-longest winning run of Potter’s managerial career.

7 – Kepa Arrizabalaga made seven saves while keeping a clean sheet against Aston Villa, his most saves without conceding in his top-flight league career. The Spaniard was expected to concede at least two goals based on the placement of the on-target shots he faced. Rejuvenated. pic.twitter.com/RPJNZeqImR

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 16, 2022

Leeds United 0-1 Arsenal: Saka strikes again as Gunners continue strong start

Bukayo Saka’s 35th-minute goal at Elland Road was enough for Arsenal to record a ninth win in their opening 10 Premier League games, the first time in their history they have managed this in a top-flight campaign.

Arsenal were forced to ride their luck in the second half though, as Patrick Bamford put a penalty wide for Leeds with their first missed spot-kick in the Premier League since Alan Smith was denied by Brad Friedel against Blackburn in 2002.

The Gunners failed to register a second-half shot on target, while they failed to score after half-time in the Premier League for the first time this season.

Another defeat for Leeds means they are now winless in six Premier League games, losing four of these while drawing the other two as they remain without a top-flight win since August.

50 – Bukayo Saka is the first player to have been involved in 50 goals for @Arsenal under Mikel Arteta in all competitions, scoring 26 and assisting 24 since the Spaniard took charge. Acolyte. pic.twitter.com/DWKaHcH78g

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 16, 2022

Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle United: Red Devils lacklustre in home draw

Manchester United were held by a Newcastle side who may feel disappointed not to have earned victory, having twice struck the woodwork through Joelinton.

The Red Devils went close on a couple of occasions late on but could not prevent the match finishing goalless, United’s 76th Premier League game ending in a 0-0 scoreline and their 31st since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Newcastle picked up a point at a stadium where they have struggled in the past, with their 3.6 per cent Premier League win rate (one win in 28 games) at Old Trafford their joint-lowest at any ground where they have played 10 or more times in the competition.

The visitors could have had all three points after an impressive first-half display, but their inability to find a decisive goal means they have now drawn six Premier League games this season, two more than any other side.

Two players with reason to be pleased were the goalkeepers, with David de Gea earning a shutout in his 500th Premier League appearance for United while Nick Pope enjoyed his 50th clean sheet in the top flight, with no English stopper keeping more since Pope’s debut in the competition in September 2017 (level with Jordan Pickford).

Man Utd 0-0 Newcastle

Stalemate between two clubs who’ll be eyeing up the top four but concerned about Chelsea’s improved form under Graham Potter#MNUNEW pic.twitter.com/B3vUNi50IF

— The Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) October 16, 2022