Premier League: Open play goal decline

The average of 301 goals scored in 110 games so far is 2.74 goals per game, which if held over the entire season would be the lowest in five years, since 2020-21 (2.69).

But just 196 goals have been scored in open play at an average of 1.78 per game, on course to be the lowest in 16 years, since 2009-10 (1.76).

The 2009-10 season is the only season in the Premier League in which more goals were scored from set-pieces without penalty kicks than this season’s average of 0.77 per game (0.79).

So which teams are most responsible for this change in how goals are scored this season?

In terms of goals scored from open play, Wolves have seen the biggest decline to date, scoring just four goals in 11 matches, 10 fewer than at this stage last season.

Outside of Wolves, the decline in open play goals in the Premier League is largely London-related, with five of the capital’s seven teams scoring at least five fewer goals from open play than last season.

In fairness, that’s largely down to them scoring a lot of goals at the start of last season rather than them really struggling to score in open play this season.

Meanwhile, Manchester City saw the biggest increase, with all but one of their 23 goals scored this season coming in open play.