Home of football statistics and historyWelcome to our weekly review of some of the leading stats and facts from the latest round of Premier League games.
It’s congratulations to Chelsea as the Blues clinched their sixth top division title and fifth in the Premier League with a Friday night victory at West Bromwich Albion. Antonio Conte became the fourth manager to win the Premier League title in his first season in England while he has also won the league title in four successive seasons as a club manager after winning the Serie A title with Juventus in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14.
It was a fond farewell to White Hart Lane as Tottenham Hotspur’s 1,529th win in the 2,620th and last competitive game played at their 118 year-old home guaranteed they would finish as runners-up this season, which is their highest league finish since 1962-63 in League Division One. Spurs said goodbye to The Lane in style as they have gone unbeaten at home in a league season for the first time since 1964-65 and won 14 consecutive home league games to equal the club record that was set in October 1987.
It’s also goodbye to Hull City as their 100th defeat in the Premier League coincided with the confirmation of their relegation to the League Championship. The Tigers left their mark though as they have conceded 13 penalties in 2016-17; more than any other team in a season in the competition’s history.
Swansea City had all but assured their Premier League survival with their win at doomed Sunderland. The Swans kept a clean sheet for the first time in their last 18 away league games and saw Kyle Naughton score his first goal since 12 March 2011 when he netted for Leicester City at Scunthorpe United in the League Championship.
The one bright spot as the curtain came down after one season in the top grade at the Riverside was Patrick Bamford’s first goal in the Premier League in his 26th competition appearance. The Middlesbrough forward ended a run of 33 appearances without a goal in all competitions since 14 April 2015 for Boro against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
A win against Middlesbrough in their final game of the season will mean that Liverpool will qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League. On their first visit to the London Stadium, the Reds’ 4-0 win equalled their biggest winning margin in a game at West Ham United following a 5-1 victory on 6 September 1985 and a 4-0 success on 31 January 1976, both in League Division One. On the other hand, the Hammers conceded four or more goals in four home games in a league season for the first time since 1998-99.
While Manchester City continued their challenge for a top four finish by extending their current run to one defeat in their last 15 games, Leicester City have lost 17 league games in this season which is more than any of the previous reigning Premier League champions.
Arsenal remain hot on the heels of Pep Guardiola’s men having scored four or more goals in five away league games in a season for the first time since 1936-37 in League Division One. Alexis Sánchez’s strike in the 4-1 victory at Stoke City meant he became the eighth player to score 50 goals for the Gunners in the Premier League.
Everton took 43 points from their games at Goodison Park this season. It’s their highest home total since 1989-90 when they won 45 points in League Division One. Visitors Watford have lost six consecutive away league games without scoring for the first time since May 1952 in Division Three (South).
Josh King’s outstanding goalscoring form since the turn of the year continued with the winner against Burnley. The AFC Bournemouth striker has scored 13 goals in 18 appearances in the Premier League in 2017. Only Everton’s Romelu Lukaku has scored more in the same period (14).
And finally in the Netherlands, Feyenoord clinched their first Eredivisie title since 1999 courtesy of a hat-trick by captain and former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt in their final day win over Heracles Almelo. Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the ex-Arsenal midfielder said: “I can’t describe this feeling. I had many great moments in my playing career. But this is the best day of my career.” Feyenoord topped the league for the entire season, the first team to achieve the feat since Ajax in 1997-98.
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