Premier League Performance Trends 2024–2025

  1. Overview of the 2024-25 Premier League season

The 2024-2025 Premier League season delivered one of the most analytically rich campaigns in recent years. Expected Goals (xG), shot quality metrics, possession structures and pressing intensity highlighted clear patterns across the league – especially among Liverpool, Arsenal and the rising mid-table analytics darlings (Bournemouth, Brentford, Aston Villa).

This report summarises the key performance indicators, data-driven insights and emerging tactical trends of the season.

  1. League-wide performance metrics 2.1 Team Expected Goals (xG) Table Rank Team Total xG Trend 1 Liverpool Highest in league Consistently elite chance creation 2 Arsenal Very high xG Strong structural attack 3 Bournemouth Surprisingly high Outperformed traditional expectations 4 Aston Villa Mid-high xG Direct but effective chance generation 5 Brentford Stable xG engine Good shot locations

Insight: Liverpool separated themselves statistically by generating the league’s best quality chances across the season, validating their aggressive positional play and quick-transition system.

2.2 Top Defensive Metrics (xGA – Expected Goals Against) Rank Team xGA (lower = better) Trend 1 Arsenal Lowest in league Rigid block + elite pressing trap 2 Manchester City Very low Control-based defensive model 3 Liverpool Low High-energy counter-press 4 Newcastle United Mid-low Strong box protection 5 Manchester United High Overexposure in defensive transitions

Insight: Arsenal’s defensive structure was the best in the league. United and Chelsea were statistical underachievers defensively, often conceding high-quality chances despite decent possession numbers.

2.3 xG Differential Table (xG - xGA)

(The most accurate predictor of long-term success)

Rank Team xG Diff Interpretation 1 Liverpool Best in league Title-challenger profile 2 Arsenal Close second Balanced dominance 3 Manchester City Slight decline Fewer high-quality shots created 4 Aston Villa Positive Clear upward trend 5 Tottenham Mild positive High variance pressing model 3. Individual Player Performance Trends 3.1 xG + xA Leaders (Combined Expected Goals + Assists) Rank Player Club xG + xA Interpretation 1 Mohamed Salah Liverpool ~35 Still elite-level chance generator 2 Erling Haaland Man City High Volume shooter, but less efficient year 3 Bukayo Saka Arsenal High More involved in build-up and scoring 4 Dominic Solanke Bournemouth High Breakout season 5 Ollie Watkins Aston Villa Consistent Strong hybrid forward

Key takeaway: Salah’s xG+xA dominance shows he remains Liverpool’s central attacking engine. Solanke and Watkins highlight the rise of forwards outside the traditional Big Six.

3.2 Overperformers vs Underperformers (Finishing) Overperformers Player Club Goals vs xG Trend Son Heung-min Tottenham Goals > xG Elite finisher, high shot efficiency Jarrod Bowen West Ham Goals > xG Excellent counter-attacking output Underperformers Player Club Goals vs xG Trend Darwin Núñez Liverpool Goals < xG High-volume, low-conversion Nicolas Jackson Chelsea Goals < xG Shot selection issues 4. Tactical Trends of the Season 4.1 Liverpool – The xG Machine

High-tempo vertical attacks

Improved midfield structure

Numerous high-value shots inside the box

Salah central to creation and finishing

Liverpool’s numerical superiority in the half-spaces created constant high-quality chances.

4.2 Arsenal – Best Defensive Structure in the League

Lowest xGA

Elite pressing triggers

Compact block + disciplined rest defence

Saka and Martinelli offering wide overloads

Their issue remained converting periods of dominance into goals.

4.3 Bournemouth & Villa – Data-driven success stories

High xG relative to squad value

Well-structured transitional attacks

Successful use of analytics in recruitment

Strikers outperforming expected metrics

These sides exemplified “smart recruitment + tactical clarity”.

  1. Momentum and Form Trends (2024–2025) Teams trending upward:

Aston Villa – stable positive momentum

Liverpool – strongest xG profile

Bournemouth – analytics-favourite outperformer

Teams trending downward:

Chelsea – chance creation inconsistent

Manchester United – high xGA and poor match control

  1. Key Insights Summary

Liverpool created the best scoring opportunities league-wide.

Arsenal had the league’s best defence by xGA.

Salah was the most influential player based on xG+xA.

Bournemouth & Villa exceeded expectations thanks to modern data-driven structures.

Manchester United showed the weakest defensive metrics among top-6 clubs.