Our weekly standout stats article is a pocket-sized statistical bible of everything eyebrow-raising that happened in the previous gameweek. For starters, we’ll shine the spotlight over everyone who over and underperformed their underlying stats. Our eagle-eyed analyst also keeps an eye on player heatmaps, searching for any assets who might be drifting out of their FPL position.

As with most of the content posted on our blog, the aim is to find FPL’s hidden gems. If you read nothing else ahead of next gameweek, read this.

(by the way, the xG Delta stat is the difference between actual goals and expected goals (xG). A high minus figure indicates underachievement and a high plus figure indicates overachievement. Cool.)

GAMEWEEK 8 OVERACHIEVERS AND UNDERACHIEVERS

xG OVERACHIEVERS

Adama Traore (+1.32)

N’golo Kante (+0.96)

Douglas Luiz (+0.96)

Conor Hourihane (+0.95)

xG UNDERACHIEVERS

Mohamed Salah (-0.95)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (-0.78)

Roberto Firmino (-0.64)

TEAM UNDER/OVERACHIEVERS

Gameweek 8 was very much a weekend of underachievement rather than overachievement. Manchester City, Everton and Watford can be considered the biggest underachievers of the week, scoring a combined 0 goals, but registering a combined xG of 4.37.

City trumped Wolves’ xG 1.62 to 1.19, yet saw another unexpected defeat come their way, putting them in a far from ideal position 8 points behind Liverpool after just 8 matches.

Watford and Everton clocked an xG of 1.44 and 1.31 respectively, but also failed to find the net. Everton have not only entered the relegation zone this week but they have also become the first members of the regular xG underachievers WhatsApp group chat. Manchester United are loitering by the way, awaiting final approval from the moderator any day now.

No team overachieved to the extent that they did not deserve to win their respective match. With that said, both Chelsea and Aston Villa embellished their xG figures with additional goals to sink their opponents. Chelsea scored 4 goals from an xG of 2.15 and Aston Villa netted 5 from an xG of 3.68.

GAMEWEEK 8 KEY STATS AND POSITIONS

Total Goal Attempts

Defenders – Maguire, Chambers (3)

Midfielders – Salah, El Ghazi (5)

Forwards – Connolly, Wesley (6)

Chances Created

Defenders – Young (6), Alexander-Arnold (5)

Midfielders – Rodri (5), S.Longstaff (4)

Forwards – Pukki, Jimenez (3)

AVERAGE POSITIONS

Connolly Brighton’s most advanced player.

Wood far more advanced than Barnes for the second gameweek running.

Digne extremely advanced, only just behind Sigurdsson and Iwobi, level with Calvert-Lewin and ahead of Richarlison.

Salah Liverpool’s most advanced player in a central position.

Norwich’s full-backs (Aarons and Lewis) both positioned very high up the pitch.

Baldock Sheffield United’s most advanced player.

Cancelo positioned in more of a central midfield role than his starting left-back position.

Hudson-Odoi Chelsea’s most advanced player.

Man United lacking any kind of distinct formation in attack.

OTHER STANDOUT STATS

Team Shots – Aston Villa (22), Norwich (21), Liverpool, Man City (18).

Highest xG – Wesley (2.62)

Wesley and Connolly had the best ‘mins per goal attempt in box’ ratio amongst all starting forwards (15 mins and 16 mins respectively).

Cancelo top amongst defenders for touches in the final third (60). Aarons had the most touches in the opposition’s penalty area (7).

Young delivered the most crosses out of all players (14).