Our Big Numbers piece looks at some stand-out player and team statistics ahead of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) deadline for Gameweek 3.
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2.30 expected goals prevented (xGP) by Alisson Becker (£6.0m) in the last two Gameweeks. This means that the Brazilian has let in 2.30 fewer goals than data collectors Opta anticipate he should have, based on the quality of shots faced. Of the four goalkeepers who kept two clean sheets so far this season, he has ‘prevented’ more goals going in.
10 chances created by Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) in the first two Gameweeks is the most that any Premier League player in any position has supplied during this period. Newcastle United’s set-piece-taking defender Matt Ritchie (£5.0m), intriguingly, is second on nine. Alexander-Arnold has also created two big chances, meanwhile, a tally that only Vladimir Coufal (£5.0m) can match among FPL defenders.
7 goal attempts by Brighton centre-back Shane Duffy (£4.1m) in his last two matches; Lewis Dunk (£5.0m) has had zero. All of Duffy’s efforts have been headers from inside the opposition area and have come from set plays, so it’s perhaps no surprise that Pascal Gross (£6.0m) can’t be bettered for successful corner-kicks in the division so far.
49 final-third touches registered by Nelson Semedo (£4.9m) against Spurs, a total that no other defender – or indeed midfielder – could top in Gameweek 2.
9 penalty box touches registered by Reece James (£5.6m) in Sunday’s 2-0 derby victory over Arsenal is the most that any FPL defender managed in Gameweek 2. His total of four shots against the Gunners was also unsurpassed among his FPL positional rivals.
28 penalty box touches, ten goal attempts, eight shots in the box and three big chances created recorded by Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) against Norwich and Burnley combined in the opening two Gameweeks, all totals that are unbeaten amongst FPL midfielders.
23 penalty box touches and 10 goal attempts recorded by Adama Traoré (£6.0m) in his last two league matches for Wolves, totals that none of his teammates can better. Traoré has had seven shots in the area in that timeframe, with only Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) and Sadio Mane (£11.9m) registering more among Fantasy midfielders. Adama tops the expected goal involvement (xGI) table among all midfielders (1.79); he didn’t have a single ‘big chance’ in 2020/21 but has had two already in his new role under Bruno Lage.
