The Premier League can be a funny-old league at times. An element of predictability used to exist, however things have been incredibly different for a period of time.
Indeed, there have been some things to have happened that many would have not have expected to have happened, such as big defeats for both Manchester City and Liverpool, whilst there are things that have occurred that many would have expected – Fulham struggling at the bottom and Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur playing the way they are currently.
However, four statistics have already emerged from the first weekend of Premier League action in December that many would have found rather surprising!
1. Oliver Burke just can not pick up a Premier League win
Oliver Burke was once touted to be a golden boy and a generational talent by some rather knowledgable people within football, however he has found life incredibly difficult when playing his football in the Premier League. Having completed a move to Sheffield United in the summer transfer window, he is yet to achieve a win with the Blades so far.
However, his poor record in England’s top league stretches back to his short spell with West Bromwich Albion, as the 23-year-old failed to record a win in any of those appearances as well. With a record currently standing at 3 draws and 18 defeats, he might just have a Christmas wish that consists of tasting what picking up three points in the Premier League is like.
2. Man City finally record their first back-to-back wins in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign
This one actually seems unbelievable when first read, however it is rather true. Pep Guardiola’s side have been so inconsistent when it comes down to Premier League action this season, they find themselves going up and down the table each week.
Having beaten Fulham this weekend, they followed their 5-0 mauling of Burnely the week before. The Citizens will hope this run continues. If you think of it in a way in which bettors who use fast paying casinos and they were on a run like that, they would surely love to keep it going as well and it should be no different for Guardiola and co.
3. First time Crystal Palace have scored five goals away from home in the top division
Speaking of teams who have scored five goals, Crystal Palace can finally say that they have managed to score five goals away from home in top division football. We say top division football because they had never managed to achieve that feat before the inception of the Premier League either.
Admittedly, the controversial sending off of Matheus Pereira helped the Eagles soar, but the Baggies were so bad that Christian Benteke managed to score twice. Coincidently, that meant he scored as many goals in one half of football as he did all of last season.
4. Kurt Zouma has more goals than clubs in the last five weeks
Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma has found a taste for scoring goals this season at a regular rate. Whether he has decided to add goals to his arsenal because of the competition in defence means his place is up for grabs is something only he knows, however it certainly will not have harmed his cause.
His goal against Leeds United meant the centre-back has managed to score four goals in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign so far – his first since the end of October. However, what’s impressive/shocking is that he has scored as many Premier League goals as Arsenal, Sheffield United and West Brom in the past five weeks (per ESPNFC).
