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5 - With five points, this is Manchester United's joint-lowest tally after five games of a Premier League season, also picking up five in 2014-15. Sluggish.

Michael Carrick looks on worriedly during his side's 1-1 draw v Fulham.

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2007 - Today against Manchester City, Brian Brobbey was the first player to score a hat-trick but end on the losing side in a Premier League match since Roque Santa Cruz for Blackburn Rovers against Wigan Athletic in December 2007. Valiant.

Brian Brobbey takes the match ball after his hat-trick v Man City.

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4 - Brian Brobbey is just the fourth player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick against the side starting the day top of the table, after Robbie Fowler v Aston Villa in November 1998, Dirk Kuyt v Man Utd in March 2011, and Romelu Lukaku v Man Utd in May 2013. Unstoppable.

Brian Brobbey celebrates one of his goals v Man City.

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2 - Derek McInnes is only the second Rangers manager to win both of his first two Old Firm derbies against Celtic in charge of the club in all competitions, after Graeme Souness in 1986. Bragging.

Derek McInnes makes a calm gesture as Martin O'Neill looks on sternly during Rangers' win at Celtic.

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20.6% - Among goalkeepers that have conceded 100+ goals in the Premier League, only Hans Segers (22% - 36/164) has conceded a higher proportion from outside the penalty area than David Raya (20.6% - 33/160). Range.

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300 - Aged 27 years and 249 days, Declan Rice is the third-youngest player to start 300 Premier League games after Gareth Barry (26y 323d) and Frank Lampard (27y 209d). Sparta.

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50 - Tottenham Hotspur have lost 50 of their 141 Premier League games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as many defeats as Arsenal have suffered in 382 top-flight matches at the Emirates Stadium. Gap.

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1+1 - Johan Manzambi is the second player to both score and assist on their first Premier League start for Aston Villa after Kevin Phillips against Bolton Wanderers in August 2005. Impression.

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2010 - Tonight, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli became the first player born in 2010 to play in the Premier League, while he was also the first 16-year-old to play for Chelsea in the competition. Sweet.

Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli on the ball during his Premier League debut.

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2.71 - Brentford have played seven Premier League games on a Friday and won six of them (D1). Their points-per-game average of 2.71 on Fridays is the best of any side to play 3+ matches on a specific day of the week in the competition’s history. Favourite.

Keith Andrews pumps a fist in celebration as Brentford beat Chelsea.

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6 - Chelsea’s Xabi Alonso is only the sixth manager to see his side concede 2+ goals in each of his first five games as a Premier League manager, after Mick McCarthy, Sammy Lee, Terry Connor, Slavisa Jokanovic, and Scott Parker. Problems.

Xabi Alonso gesticulates during his Chelsea side's loss to Brentford.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 17/09/2026

35 & 36 - 35-year-old Danny Welbeck and 36-year-old Jordan Henderson are the oldest English players to start a Premier League game for Chelsea since a 36-year-old John Terry in May 2017 against Sunderland. Multiverse.

Danny Welbeck, then of Brighton, chats to Jordan Henderson, then of Brentford.

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4-0 - Crystal Palace's 4-0 victory over Lech Poznań is the biggest by a side in their first game of the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League since RZ Pellets WAC beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-0 in September 2019. Seamless.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 17/09/2026

35y 141d - Bournemouth's Adam Smith (35y 141d) is the oldest English outfielder to make their debut in major European competition since Reginald Pickett for Ipswich Town against Milan in November 1962 (35y 317d). Perseverance.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 16/09/2026

13 - Since he joined Liverpool ahead of the 2023-24 season, no player has scored more goals from outside the box for Premier League clubs in all competitions than Dominik Szoboszlai (13). Marksman.

Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates his long-range goal against Spurs in the League Cup.

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121 - There was just 121 seconds between David Raya's penalty save from Enzo Le Fée (55:40) and Bruno Guimarães' goal for Arsenal (57:41). Margins.

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8 - Morgan Gibbs-White has either scored or assisted in each of his last eight Premier League away games (6G, 4A); only Erling Haaland (September 2023), Robin van Persie (May 2011), and Andrew Cole (December 1993) have enjoyed longer runs in the competition (all 9). Tourist.

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5 - Morgan Rogers is the fifth different player to score or assist in each of Chelsea's first four games of a Premier League season, after Didier Drogba (2010-11), Cesc Fàbregas (2014-15), Diego Costa (2014-15 & 2016-17), and Eden Hazard (2018-19). Famous.

Morgan Rogers celebrates giving Chelsea the lead v Hull City.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 11/09/2026

8 - Players wearing shirt #8 have scored more Premier League goals this season than any other (11), ahead of #9 (10). Box-to-box.

Martin Ødegaard in his #8 shirt celebrating with Arsenal teammates after scoring.

Bruno Fernandes in his #8 shirt knee slides in celebration at a goal at Old Trafford.

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2 - In August, Chelsea's João Pedro became only the third player ever to score and assist in both of his team's first two games of a Premier League season, after both Saïd Benrahma and Michail Antonio for West Ham in 2021-22. Acknowledged.

Chelsea's João Pedro applauding during their 4-3 win over Brighton.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 10/09/2026

3.81 - Since the start of 2021-22, Arsenal's 3.81 open play xG against Napoli last night is the most accumulated by an away side in a UEFA Champions League game. Upgraded.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 09/09/2026

32nd – Earliest hat-tricks scored in UEFA Champions League history: Lewandowski v RB Salzburg (23rd minute) Simone v Rosenborg (24th minute) Mbappé v Olympiacos (29th minute) Pavlidis v Barcelona (30th minute) Demirovic v Viking (32nd minute) Raided.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 09/09/2026

21 - Lamine Yamal now has 21 goal involvement in the UEFA Champions League (11 goals, 10 assists); the outright most by a teenager in the competition's history, overtaking Kylian Mbappé's 20. Prodigious.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 08/09/2026

36 - Erling Haaland scored his 36th UEFA Champions League goal for Manchester City, equalling Sergio Agüero as joint-most for the Citizens in the competition. Inevitability.

Erling Haaland does a knee slide celebration v Porto.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 08/09/2026

12 - With 12 goals, John McGinn is now Aston Villa's all-time leading goalscorer in major European competitions, overtaking Ollie Watkins (11). Super.

John McGinn raises a fist to celebrate putting Villa 1-0 at Club Brugge.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 07/09/2026

08:42 - Alexander Isak's brace against Ipswich Town on MD3 (08:42) is the earliest brace in a Premier League game since Jarrod Bowen's against Brentford in February 2024 (06:15). Rapid.

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2 - In three Premier League appearances this season (2 goals), Martin Ødegaard has doubled his Premier League goal tally in the entirety of last season (1 in 24 apps). Lease.

Martin Ødegaard celebrates giving Arsenal the lead v Chelsea.

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3 - Chelsea are the first side to score in the opening five minutes of three successive Premier League games since Newcastle United in December 2024, and first ever to do so in their first three matches of a season in the competition. Blocks.

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2 - Arsenal have conceded within the opening two minutes of a Premier League game (01:17) for the first time since August 2023 against Fulham (57s). Stunned.

Chelsea players celebrate their opener v Arsenal.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 05/09/2026

3 - Myles Lewis-Skelly is the first English teenager to start each of Arsenal's first three Premier League games of a season. Trusted.

Myles Lewis-Skelly applauding during a Premier League game for Arsenal.

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5 - Only Junior Kroupi (13) and Rayan (7) have more Premier League goal involvements since the start of last season among teenagers than Josh King (5 - 3 goals, 2 assists). Fledgling.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 05/09/2026

3 - Bournemouth are the first team in Premier League history to score the opening goal in their first three games of a season and fail to win any of them (D2 L1). Fragile.

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2 - Bruno Fernandes has scored his second Premier League hat-trick - both of which have come in Manchester United's first home game of a Premier League season: 2021-22 v Leeds United and 2026-27 v Ipswich Town. Magician.

Bruno Fernandes celebrates one of his goals v Ipswich.

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80 - Manchester United have benefitted from more own goals than any other side in Premier League history (80), overtaking Liverpool (79). Helping.

Harry Maguire's shot deflects in for Manchester United vs Ipswich.

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25.6% - Chelsea's possession of 25.6% and successful pass total of 146 vs Brighton were both their lowest figures on record (from 2003-04) in any Premier League match, while their pass accuracy of 67.0% was their lowest in a home league game since February 2004 v Charlton (65.9%). Methodology.

Xabi Alonso calls out instructions during Chelsea's win over Brighton.

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6 - João Pedro today was the sixth player (and first for Chelsea) to score a goal, assist a goal, and score an own goal in the same Premier League game, and first since Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min against Man City in December 2023. Eventful.

João Pedro makes a 2-0 gesture during Chelsea's win over Brighton.

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4 - Chelsea's Xabi Alonso is only the fourth manager to see his side score 7+ goals in his first two Premier League games, after Bobby Robson (8 in Sep 1999), Michael Laudrup (8 in Aug 2012), and Marcelo Bielsa (7 in Sep 2020). Entertainment.

Xabi Alonso celebrates one of Chelsea's goals v Brighton.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 27/08/2026

2 - Chelsea are only the second side ever to score in the opening four minutes of both of their first two Premier League games of a season, after Bolton Wanderers in 2002-03. Blocks.

Chelsea players celebrate their opener v Brighton.

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100 - Only Harry Kane has more goals (102) and goal involvements (121) across Europe's big five leagues in all competitions than Kylian Mbappé since his Real Madrid debut in August 2024 (100 - 89 goals, 11 assists). Centurion.

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OptaJoe @optajoe.com · 25/08/2026

9 - Since arriving at Chelsea, only Mohamed Salah (15) and Ollie Watkins (10) have both scored and assisted in more Premier League games than Cole Palmer (9). Key.

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15 - There was 15 passes in the build-up to Keane Lewis-Potter’s opening goal for Brentford, only Michael Kayode’s goal v Wolves in March (19) and Rico Henry’s goal v Bournemouth in December (18) have seen more in a Premier League goal for the Bees under Keith Andrews. Busy.

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2 - In Hull City and Ipswich Town, this is just the fourth Premier League season to see two newly promoted sides win their opening league game of the campaign after 1997-98 (Bolton & Crystal Palace), 2021-22 (Brentford & Watford) and 2025-26 (Leeds & Sunderland). Occasion.

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1 - Nilson Angulo is the first player to see their side's first goal of a Premier League season come from a direct free-kick since Marcos Alonso for Chelsea against Crystal Palace in 2021-22. Precision.

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66.7% - Among teams to appear in more than one Premier League campaign, Hull City have the highest win percentage on MD1 in the competition’s history (66.7% - 4/6). Purring.

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