Opta Analyst

It has been a very impressive start for Ronald Araújo at Liverpool, and the Uruguayan seems right at home in the Premier League. @davidsegar.bsky.social has looked at what has made Araújo so endearing to the Kop. #LFC theanalyst.com/articles/ron...

✅ Doubters ✅ Underdog status ✅ Must-win With the title slipping away from Real Madrid, José Mourinho faced a huge challenge away to Barcelona. But he secured the win his side had to get and in doing so proved that he is very much BACK ➡️ theanalyst.com/articles/jos...

🟥 Ill-disciplined Chelsea are broken 🚩 Arsenal's corner threat makes the title theirs 📉 This is a low-quality season 💨 Isak and Barcola are worth the money 🍒 Bournemouth have done it again We react to the weekend's Premier League games with five knee-jerk reactions: theanalyst.com/articles/pre...

𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝟏-𝟐 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐅𝐓 José Mourinho makes it six Clásicos in a row without defeat as Kylian Mbappé wraps up a Real Madrid win at Camp Nou. They have cut the game to the league leaders to three points. Title race: on.

Just seven games into 2026-27, Brighton are already in second place for shots attempted from 50m out in a full Premier League season (since 06-07). Why? theanalyst.com/articles/die...

✅ Mourinho back in the dugout on a five-game unbeaten streak in Clásicos ✅ Barcelona hoping for a record 10th straight win to start a season ✅ Tonnes of goals in both attacks Here are five subplots that could shape Barcelona vs Real Madrid. 🔗 theanalyst.com/articles/bar...

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝟒-𝟏 𝐑𝐁 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐩𝐳𝐢𝐠 Under José Mourinho, Real Madrid have won all 16 UEFA Champions League home games in which they have scored first, hitting a total of 54 goals and conceding just nine. #UCL

𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝟑-𝟏 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 Aston Villa become the second quickest team to record 20 wins in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (30 matches), behind only Real Madrid (29 matches). #UCL

Both early games in the UEFA Champions League tonight have seen a goal scored in the opening two minutes. Yunus Akgün has put Galatasaray ahead in Lille, while Nico Paz has already struck for Como against Manchester United. #UCL

Matthijs de Ligt returns from injury to start for Manchester United in Como, making his first appearance since 30 November 2025 against Crystal Palace. #COMMUN

A rollercoaster second half at the Parc des Princes... and it's not over yet.

A brilliant night for Rio Ngumoha... 3 chances created 2 assists 8 dribbles attempted 7 dribbles completed most touches (12) in opposition's box

Phil Foden has recorded three goal involvements in a single game for Manchester City for the first time since January 2025 (vs Ipswich Town).

Scott McTominay has now scored the most Champions League goals of any Scottish player (6). He's overtaken Kenny Miller (5).

With his delivery for Ronald Araújo, Rio Ngumoha became: -the youngest (18y, 52d) player to assist or score for Liverpool in the Champions League -the third-youngest English player to assist in the Champions League (after Jude Bellingham, Lewis Miley and Theo Walcott)

Since the start of 2023-24, only Virgil van Dijk (15) and Cody Gakpo (8) have scored more headers for Liverpool in all competitions than Alexis Mac Allister (6).

Phil Foden from mid December to mid October: 35 appearances (all comps), 0 goals Phil Foden in the last four days: 2 appearances, 2 goals

Liverpool slack. Villarreal slick. Sergi Cardona slots home after Villarreal cut through the Reds rather easily.

Virgil van Dijk has committed an error leading to a goal in the Champions League for the first time since September 2019. Georges Mikautadze the one to profit.

Alexander Isak's goal at Brentford on Saturday was the third consecutive Premier League away game in which he scored the winner. @davidsegar.bsky.social has taken a look at Isak's growing importance for Liverpool. #LFC theanalyst.com/articles/ale...

It wasn't perfect, but Manchester United showed some fight in the draw at Leeds in the Premier League on Sunday at the end of a taxing week. Michael Carrick's side ended the game with a mish-mash defence, but came away with a credible point. theanalyst.com/articles/man...

Arsenal shots on target: 1 Arsenal goals: 1 A hefty deflection helps Noni Madueke find the net. The luck of champions?

Lots of the ball for Arsenal (76.3% possession) in the first 30 minutes, but not much to show for it. One shot apiece so far.

𝐅𝐓: 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝟐-𝟎 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 Bournemouth get their first league win under Marco Rose. 4.32 xG is their biggest total on record in a PL game. Sunderland have lost their last 4 league games, their longest losing run in the competition since Dec 2015.