SETTING THE SCENE: The key facts and figures ahead of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign
As we approach the start of the 2021/22 Premier League season, we’ve taken a look at the key facts and figures from over the years in the competition to see how the best players and clubs stack up.
Arguably most important on the list is Manchester United’s most wins, having secured the three-points 687 times. They dominated the Premier League like no other side has done through Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure, so it’s no surprise to see them holding this accolade, earning them 2061 points in wins over the years.
The team to have secured a point more than any other is Everton who have taken the draw on 314 occasions, while the team to take the L the most is West Ham with 394 losses to their name. However, that doesn’t tell the story on successful or unsuccessful sole seasons such as Manchester City’s 2017/18 record breaking season which saw them amass the most points in a single campaign, as they finished their title-winning year on 100 points, a feat that will be difficult to replicate.
Meanwhile, ten years earlier in the 2007/08 season, Derby completed the opposite feat and registered just 11 points, meaning they hold the record for the fewest points in a Premier League season. Having conceded just 15 goals in a season, Chelsea can claim bragging rights as the team to have conceded the fewest goals in a campaign.
The Premier League has been home to some of the world’s best players over the years and there is no better place for British players to ply their craft as this section will attest to. The following five categories are topped by British players in all but two, with those being held by Irish footballers.
Gareth Barry’s Premier League career spanned over 22 years and he is one of only three players to make more than 600 appearances. His 653 however, puts him at the top of the list beating Ryan Giggs and Frank Lampard to the top spot. While Giggs must settle for second place, he does hold first place in another – his 162 assists are more than 50 ahead of Cesc Fabregas’s efforts in second.
Alan Shearer is a legendary figure in his native Newcastle and that will be down to his goal-scoring ability, an ability that has seen him score a record 260 Premier League goals. However, he can’t lay claim to scoring the fastest goal – that is held by Irishman Shane Long who managed to find the back of the net in just 7.69 seconds into a match.
And when it doesn’t go to plan, and you unfortunately can only find your own back of the net? Well, that’s happened to Richard Dunne a staggering 10 times in his Premier League playing days.
As the 2021/22 Premier League campaign prepares to get under way, will we see any of these records tumble this season?
