Noses in front
Football is a low-scoring sport, so grabbing the first goal of the game is vital to a team’s chances of emerging victorious – as this slideshow proves.
Using data from Bwin (correct as at Fri 15 Dec), we reveal which Premier League clubs are best at defending a lead by analysing data from the last 10 seasons of top-flight action. The sides are ranked on the percentage of possible points won after opening the scoring, which allows us to work out who is most successful when it comes to protecting an advantage.
20. Bournemouth (63.5%)
It’s official: Bournemouth are the worst Premier League side at protecting a lead. Since their promotion to the top tier in 2013/14, Eddie Howe’s charges have collected 80 points when scoring the first goal, which means they have essentially dropped 46 after breaking the deadlock.
They have failed to capitalise on going ahead against Everton and Crystal Palace in 2017/18, losing the former game and drawing the latter, but the Cherries have seen out victories over Stoke, Newcastle and Huddersfield after getting their noses in front.
19. West Ham (67.5%)
West Ham have also had problems hanging on for all three points after scoring the first goal of the game, with 310 of a possible 459 points accumulated in this 10-year sample.
A Dimitri Payet-inspired triumph over Newcastle in 2015/16 was one such occasion where the Hammers completed the job, while they also got over the line against defending champions Chelsea in December 2017. Manager David Moyes will hope for more of the same going forward.
18. West Brom (70%)
West Brom began the 2017/18 campaign with back-to-back 1-0 wins, with Tony Pulis’ side successfully shutting the match down after going ahead. That’s not always been the case for the Baggies down the years, who have let 30% of possible points slip after taking a one-goal lead.
A recent example of their failure to hold on came against Newcastle, who scored twice to wipe out the hosts’ 2-0 advantage at The Hawthorns.
17. Newcastle (71%)
Newcastle are battling against the drop this season, and they’re also close to the bottom three in this slideshow. The Magpies appear to be especially reliant on scoring first, with their first four league victories of 2017/18 coming after they drew first blood.
Newcastle’s best campaign in this period came in 2011/12, when they challenged for a Champions League place under Alan Pardew. The northeast outfit ultimately missed out, but things could have been different had they not dropped 11 points after going 1-0 up.
16. Stoke (71.2%)
Stoke have taken 327 points from a possible 459 after getting on the scoresheet before their opponents. Memorable triumphs over Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City in their debut Premier League campaign in 2008/09 came after the Potters grabbed the game’s first goal, while they did similar against Liverpool, Spurs (again) and Arsenal (again) in subsequent seasons under Tony Pulis.
Stoke haven’t been as successful so far in 2017/18, letting 1-0 leads slip against Crystal Palace, Brighton and Manchester United.
15. Burnley (71.5%)
Burnley love a 1-0 win, having triumphed by that scoreline against Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle, Southampton, Watford and Stoke so far in 2017/18. They’ve also beaten Chelsea, Swansea and Bournemouth after taking the lead, and have dropped only two points in those situations.
Sean Dyche’s side will need more of the same if they’re to continue climbing up this table, with the Clarets spurning one-goal cushions more frequently in previous Premier League campaigns.
13=. Brighton (72.2%)
Given that 2017/18 is Brighton’s first taste of life in the Premier League, they’ve only got a small sample size available: in the matches they’ve taken the lead in, the seasiders have picked up 13 of a possible 18 points.
Chris Hughton’s charges have gone 1-0 up against West Brom, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Everton, West Ham and Swansea this term, winning five, drawing one and losing one of those matches.
13=. Southampton (72.2%)
In the first half of Mauricio Pochettino’s only full season at the St Mary’s helm, Southampton only dropped points twice after taking the lead. In the second half of the campaign, though, they failed to take advantage of a headstart on six occasions.
Saints have only let 1-0 advantages slip twice so far in 2017/18, but that has much to do with the fact they’ve only scored first in six matches. Across the last decade, the south-coast side have taken 221 points from a possible 306 after going in front.
12. Swansea (74.7%)
Swansea have taken 74.7% of a possible 285 points after scoring the first goal of the game, giving them a tally of 213 from such situations.
Impressively, the Swans – then managed by Michael Laudrup and spearheaded by Michu – didn’t drop points after taking a 1-0 lead until their 21st game of the 2012/13 campaign, when Aston Villa earned a point at the Liberty Stadium on New Year’s Day.
11. Watford (75%)
The 2017/18 season is only Watford’s third in the top tier in the last decade, during which time they’ve accumulated 81 points out of a possible 108 in matches which have seen them get their noses in front.
Marco Silva’s men only managed a 3-3 draw against Liverpool after going ahead in August 2017, and they’ve since failed to win three out of eight games when they’ve taken the lead – against Everton, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.
10. Crystal Palace (75.8%)
Struggling Crystal Palace would love to be in mid-table right now, but that’s at least where they find themselves in this slideshow. The Eagles have taken 125 points from Premier League games in which they’ve taken the lead, while letting a total of 40 slip from such positions of strength.
Goals have been hard to come by for much of 2017/18, which means Palace have only won one match in which they’ve taken the lead – a 2-1 defeat of champions Chelsea back in September.
9. Everton (76.1%)
Everton have taken 459 points from a possible 603 during the last 10 seasons, which gives them an overall percentage of 76.1% after going ahead in Premier League matches.
In terms of the 2017/18 season, the Toffees – who have already been led by three different managers – let a 1-0 lead slip against Manchester City but have beaten West Ham, Huddersfield, Stoke and Newcastle after edging in front. Expect clean sheet fan Sam Allardyce to nudge this number northwards.
8. Huddersfield (76.2%)
Huddersfield’s record of preserving leads in the Premier League is impressive, with 16 points attained out of a possible 21 in their first campaign in the top flight in 45 years.
Town have successfully seen out victories over Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Manchester United, West Brom and Brighton after breaking the deadlock, although they could only draw with Leicester and lost to Manchester City.
7. Liverpool (79.9%)
Of the so-called big six, Liverpool have the worst record when it comes to turning a 1-0 lead into three points. In the last 10 years, the Reds have taken 573 points from a possible 717 after taking the lead, which means they have thrown away a total of 144.
With Rafael Benitez’s side ultimately finishing four points adrift of champions Manchester United in 2008/09, Liverpool fans would have looked back at meetings with Tottenham, Wigan and Everton – they went ahead but failed to win all three encounters – as missed opportunities.
6. Tottenham (80.8%)
One of Gareth Bale’s final goals at White Hart Lane came in a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in 2013, the Welshman opening the scoring before helping his side hold on. That’s not always been the case for the north Londoners, who have let important leads slip against Chelsea and Leicester in recent years.
This is, however, another area in which Mauricio Pochettino has improved Spurs, who have gained 84% of potential points after scoring first under the Argentinian’s guidance. That compares favourably to Andre Villas-Boas, who only managed to lead Tottenham to 77% of possible points after going ahead.
5. Leicester (81.9%)
Leicester’s figures are boosted by their 2015/16 Premier League title triumph, but it’s still a slight surprise to see them in the top five when it comes to protecting or building upon a one-goal headstart.
Claudio Ranieri’s side won 21 of 26 games when edging ahead in their championship-winning season, while Claude Puel has done it against Everton, Tottenham, Burnley and Southampton in his first few weeks in charge at the Kind Power Stadium.
4. Chelsea (84.2%)
With 649 points collected from a possible 771, Chelsea make it into the top four of this ranking. The Blues were utterly ruthless on their way to the Premier League title in 2016/17: they opened the scoring 30 times and won 26 of those games, losing just once – to Palace on April Fools' Day.
They were also adept at protecting advantages when they won the championship in 2009/10, while they’ve notably won every match in which they’ve drawn first blood so far in 2017/18.
3. Arsenal (84.5%)
Arsenal may not have won the Premier League title during the last 10 years, but they’re one of the division’s best teams when it comes to taking advantage of a 1-0 lead.
With 603 points from a possible 714, the Gunners have let just 15.5% of points slip – including in a 2-1 loss to Watford back in October 2017. Since then, Arsene Wenger’s men have only taken the lead three times – and they’ve won each of those encounters.
2. Man City (86.9%)
Part of the reason for Manchester City’s dominance in the Premier League this season is their ability to protect one-goal advantages. Pep Guardiola’s side have won every game in which they have scored first this term, helping them rack up a sizeable lead at the top of the table.
It’s another area in which City have improved from 2016/17, when they failed to beat Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea despite breaking the deadlock. Overall in the last 10 years, the Citizens have collected 86.9% of a possible 735 points.
1. Man United (89.9%)
Having won more league titles than any other team in the 10-year period covered, it’s no surprise that United are the most successful side at capitalising on a 1-0 advantage.
The Red Devils have amassed 688 points out of a possible 765 when edging ahead, which means they’ve only dropped 77 after drawing first blood. Their 3-1 win over Arsenal in December 2017 is a case in point; although United relied heavily on goalkeeper David de Gea to preserve their lead, they still managed to get the job done.
