26/04 - 20:00
We run down our top 10 best performing teams from England's top four tiers. Number of games played are taken into consideration, as are domestic cups, with European cups and the EFL Trophy excluded as not all teams participate in either. Point percentage is used to compare teams' season long performances, mitigating different leagues and number of games played.
Last 5: WDWWD Point Percentage: 60% League Cup Status: OUT (First Round)
Exeter find their way back into our rankings with a big recovery from their recent drop-off culminating in a home win against the divisions previous form team, who were unbeaten in six, Northampton. Exeter jump back into the automatic promotion places with the win, where they feel they belong, and Randell Williams scored and recorded a ninth league-leading assist. Exeter also registered FA Cup progression over Cambridge in their last five, while a replay against Hartlepool awaits.
Last 5: DWWWW Point Percentage: 55% League Cup Status: OUT (IN)
Oxford’s 11 game unbeaten run continues, but a scoreless home draw with Shrewsbury drops them out of the play-off places and down in our rankings. You’d assume they’ll return to winning ways against MK Dons next time out, but a huge home game to Wycombe awaits before fixtures ease. A clean sheet gives them the highest number in all competitions in England’s top four tiers, while their 56 goals also continues as the best. They'll surely be back up the top shortly, but a busy week sees them lose out big time.
📈 Oxford United in 2019/20 (all domestic comps; top 4 tier teams):
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) December 9, 2019
⚽ Most goals scored (56)
⛔ Joint-most clean sheets (14)#OUFC @OUFCOfficial pic.twitter.com/DjFIxvUqeV
Last 5: WWDLW Point Percentage: 45% League Cup Status: OUT (Second Round)
The feel-good-factor is pretty much back at Newcastle, and it’s mainly thanks to the Jonj factor. Shelvey has three in his last three, which features back-to-back wins, and a more than admirable draw against Manchester City at St. James’. Newcastle have made their way into the top 10, and for a fanbase that was infuriated by Rafa Benitez’ departure and Steve Bruce’s appointment, they must be happy that they no longer look like relegation candidates, at least for the time being. Whilst we should never let results distract from Mike Ashley’s appalling ownership of the club, it's nice to see Geordies smiling alongside Steve Bruce, Jonjo Shelvey and Andy Carroll, heck, we’re even happy for the ones with their shirts off in zero degrees temperatures.
Last 5: WWWWL Point Percentage: 50% League Cup Status: OUT (Second Round)
Former Premier League stalwarts, Blackburn continue their creep towards the play-off places with a 1-0 home win over Derby who continue to see their Jekyll and Hyde away form destroy their impressive record at Pride Park. Only the Championship’s top three can boast better form than a Blackburn side who have won four on the bounce, with Adam Armstrong scoring the only goal of the game at the weekend which neatly averages Blackburn's goal difference out for the first time this season and sees them collect 50% of points available this season.
Last 5: WWDWW Point Percentage: 56% League Cup Status: OUT (First Round)
Blackpool have been threatening to break into our rankings for a while now, and do so in style with a 3-1 win over play-off rivals Fleetwood moving them all the way up to an impressive fourth place. Armand Gnanduillet scored his 11th of the season which means only the Peterborough boys have more goals, and it was assisted by League One’s top provider Liam Feeny, with his ninth assist of the season. It was also the fifth time Feeny has assisted Gnanduillet for a goal with no duo in England being able to boast a better partnership. If the two can continue there’s little doubt Blackpool should stick as a play-off side.
Last 5: WWDDW Point Percentage: 50% League Cup Status: OUT (IN)
For one of the biggest teams in world sport, it’s taken quite a while for United to break our top 10, but they do so in stunning fashion. With slightly patchy form featuring draws against Sheffield United and Aston Villa, wins against Tottenham and most recently, Manchester City, cannot be ignored when it comes to power. Since Ole Gunnar Solskjær replaced José Mourinho at Old Trafford on the 19th of December, only Liverpool and Manchester City have picked up more points in meetings between the ‘Big Six'.
While people like to poke fun at Solskjær not being at the level of Klopp and Guardiola, the fact of the matter is, their summer signings of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are winning them enough points that a top four push isn’t completely out of the question.
Table of meetings between the 'Big Six' since Ole Gunnar Solskjær replaced José Mourinho as Manchester United boss:
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) December 7, 2019
1⃣: Liverpool: 23
2⃣: Man City: 19
3⃣: 🔥MAN UTD: 16🔥
4⃣: Arsenal: 9
5⃣: Chelsea: 4
6⃣: Tottenham: 3#MUFC pic.twitter.com/jgIBB1xQbk
Last 5: WWWWW Point Percentage: 71% League Cup Status: OUT (Second Round)
Only 10 goals conceded this season, and just two in their last seven, it was only a question of whether Leeds could get things going at the other end of the pitch. And as the underlying numbers show, Leeds don’t even really need to be that good going forward when their Ben White-led defence is this good. Chance creation isn’t half bad and 2019/20 Leeds are starting to look like one of Marcelo Biesla’s most well oiled machines of his storied career. Keep this going and the sky’s the limit.
📈 Fewest league goals conceded (2019/20; top 4 tiers):
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) December 9, 2019
10⚽: 👊LEEDS👊, Leicester
13⚽: Ipswich
14⚽: Liverpool, Wycombe
15⚽: Cheltenham, Forest G, Newport
16⚽: Sheff U, Brentford, Forest#LUFC @LUFC @KikoCasilla13 pic.twitter.com/6U9WQwts5o
Last 5: WWWWW Point Percentage: 75% League Cup Status: Out (First Round)
Since our last rankings, West Brom managed to take three points from Deepdale, becoming the first team to do so this season, following it up with a 5-1 gubbing of Swansea yesterday that keeps them two points clear of Leeds and 10 clear of third place. Matheus Pereira is having a Ruben Neves season looking far too good for the Championship, registering three assists and a goal in Sunday’s victory, and at this point West Brom themselves are starting to look too good for the Championship as well.
📈 Most league assists (top 4 tiers; 2019/20):
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) December 9, 2019
11🅰: 💥@MatheusPereira💥
9🅰: De Bruyne, Feeney, R Williams
8🅰: Eliasson#WBA @WBA pic.twitter.com/yo0zEVSE3Y
Last 5: WWWWW Point Percentage: 79% League Cup Status: IN
Nine wins on the bounce take Leicester six points ahead of Manchester City, and keep them eight behind Liverpool. Brendan Rodgers signed a new long term deal at his team celebrated in style with a solid 4-1 win at Villa Park. Jamie Vardy extends his scoring streak to eight, with the chance of equaling his own Premier League record of 11 against Liverpool, and now there’s arguments to be made that this Leicester side are better than the 2016 title winners. The Foxes will hope to take six points from Norwich and Everton before they face Manchester City and Liverpool at Christmas. Come through that unscathed and there will be even more people talking about another title challenge.
Last 5: WWWWD Point Percentage: 95% League Cup Status: IN
33 games unbeaten for Liverpool extends to a walk in the park victory over Bournemouth where they increased their number of different goal scorers to 16, the most in Europe. Liverpool have been without Alisson, Fabinho, Matip and Robertson and the wins keep coming. The big question was their lack of summer signings and depth with the busiest of winters. But first league goals of the season from Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Naby Keita show Jurgen Klopp has fine tuned his squad to perfection. All of this week’s top four had a shout for top spot with perfect records, but the ease of Liverpool’s Bournemouth win, plus the sheer quality that their bench players showed during a midweek 5-2 over Everton, Liverpool are the best team in England.
#⃣Highest number of league goalscorers in Europe's top five leagues (2019/20):
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) December 7, 2019
16⚽️: 🔥LIVERPOOL🔥
14⚽️: Real Madrid, Barcelona
13⚽️: Leipzig
12⚽️: Atalanta, Nice, Brest, Amiens
11⚽️: Man City, Inter, Roma, Cagliari, Bologna, Levante, Bayern Munich#LFC#BOULIV#YNWA pic.twitter.com/pU3MGZoTYz
Dropping out;
Brentford: (Previously 10th) They were on the way out with some inconsistency, and a 2-1 loss to play-off competitors Sheffield Wednesday drops Brentford down to ninth in the Championship and off the top six.
Northampton: (Previously 9th) Northampton's unbeaten run comes to an end with Exeter putting them back in their place. Northampton to seventh in League Two and out of our top 10.
Portsmouth: (Previously 8th) A decent draw to Peterborough sees Portsmouth just miss out during a competitive week, but with fixtures upcoming against Ipswich and Wycombe they have an outside chance of a special December.
Fulham: (Previously 5th) Just when it looked like Fulham had found a way to deal with their inconsistency and challenge for the automatic promotion spots, they lose at home to Bristol City and open an eight point gap to a special top two.
Potential Risers;
Bristol City, Cardiff, Bristol Rovers, Swindon, Colchester
On the 9⃣th day we look at the cursed Chelsea 9⃣ shirt.
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) December 9, 2019
Least appearances for #CFC number 9s:
12: Falcao
16: Di Santo
19: Higuain
20: 💸BOULAHROUZ💸
25: Sidwell, Abraham
39: Sutton
40: Cascarino
41: Kezman
50: Stein
72: Morata
73: Crespo
88: Viali
172: Torres
177: Hasselbaink pic.twitter.com/rUvzh4Dvif
