Premier League 2018-19: The best Opta numbers of a thrilling season

The Premier League is over again for another season with fans having to wait until August 10 to get their fix of top-flight action.

Manchester City can reflect on becoming the first team to retain the title in a decade, having held off the strong challenge from Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp s side recorded the third-highest points total in Premier League history but it was still not enough to dethrone City.

Omnisport takes a look at some of the best Opta numbers from another gripping season of Premier League football.

May 13 quite an important day in folklore! 

— Manchester City (@ManCity)

44 Ilkay Gundogan s goal for City in November s Manchester derby completed a stunning 44-pass move more than any goal in the Premier League thi…

Spain better than 2010 team, says Torres

Fernando Torres believes the current Spain squad is better than the one that lifted the 2010 FIFA World Cup trophy in South Africa.

Spain s title defence started on the worst possible note after they were dismantled 5-1 by the Netherlands in their Group B opener on Friday a repeat of the 2010 World Cup final.

Vicente del Bosque s squad have been criticised for being too old following the defeat in Salvador, which was the first time Spain had conceded five goals in a match since losing 6-2 to Scotland in 1963.

But speaking ahead of Spain s second Group B fixture against Chile on Wednesday, Torres said the team in Brazil was an improvement on the side that took to the field four years ago.

We are the same as we were a week ago, or four years ago. The team has matur…

Panthers vs Bills Week 15 Picks and Predictions: Carolina No Match for Hungry Buffalo

The hits keep coming for the Buffalo Bills who have gone 3-5 SU (2-5-1 ATS) since beating the Chiefs in Arrowhead in Week 5. Now they’ll look to bust a two-game losing skid at home Sunday versus the Carolina Panthers who have been plagued by poor quarterback play and have dropped three in a row themselves.

Can Josh Allen put this team on his shoulders and carry them to a playoff spot despite an injured foot? Can the Panthers get some competent QB play and keep their slim playoff hopes alive or are they really a Bottom-5 team? Find out in our free picks, predictions and NFL odds for Panthers vs. Bills.

NFL Underdogs: NFL Picks, and Predictions Week 9

The calendar turning to November not only signals the second half of the NFL schedule, but closes the door on “underdog” season for football bettors.

Over the past seven years, the opening eight weeks of action have proved profitable for those teams getting the points. NFL underdogs covered at a collective 54.5% between Week 1 and Week 8 from 2015 to 2021, with that success surging to 56.7% the previous three years.

The 2022 campaign has been no different, with point spread pups producing a 67-52-3 ATS count in the opening half of the slate (56.1%). But here comes November “kickin’ the door and wavin’ the four-four” in Week 9, so underdog bettors better bundle up for the cold, hard months ahead. 

From 2015 to 202…

Week 15 NFL Teaser: Crowd Pleaser

There I was, minding my own business, laying on my couch thinking that my teaser cold streak was about to come to an end… but there Tommy DeVito was, charging the Giants up the field on the way to a game-winning field goal, breaking my heart and I’m sure the heart of countless others who teased the Packers down to 0.5 in the NFL odds. 

To make matters worse, at right around the same time, I was on another emotional roller coaster of watching my Miami Dolphins choke away a win against the Tennessee Titans in what was the most humiliating loss in franchise history. How ridiculous of a comeback was it by the Titans? Well, over the last 20 seasons, teams who were down by 14 or more points inside of the final three minutes had a record of 3-2074!

49ers vs Raiders Prediction, Picks & Odds for This Week’s NFL Preseason Game

It’s official, Gardner Minshew is the Las Vegas Raiders’ starting quarterback, but he won’t be taking the field against the San Francisco 49ers. Will that deter our 49ers vs. Raiders predictions from backing the hosts?

Find out why my NFL picks are siding with Las Vegas on Friday, August 23.  

49ers vs Raiders prediction

My best betRaiders +7.5 (-110 at bet365)

My analysis

Nobody is overly confident in a QB combo of Carter Bradley and Nathan Peterman, however, the San Francisco 49ers aren’t expected to play any of their key players either.

Winning by more than 7.5 points in a battle of backup players fighting to make the 53-man roster is a tall task, even for the defending …

The Numbers Game: Carsley aims to stake claim for permanent England job

England have made a bright start to life without Gareth Southgate, putting in impressive displays to win both of their Nations League openers against Republic of Ireland and Finland in September.

With a permanent replacement still yet to be announced for the national team, Lee Carsley will again be in the dugout this week aiming to maintain his 100% record.

With the aim to gain promotion back to League A, Carsley is set to come up against his toughest test yet given that England are not in the driving seat in their current group.

Greece sit above them in the table, with a superior goal difference and are on a three-match winning streak in all competitions.

But having disappointed in their previous Nations League campaign, England will be determined to put…

Euro 2024 Data Dive: Southgate rewrites England penalty history, Netherlands reach familiar ground

Just four sides remain at Euro 2024 with the final in Berlin next Sunday now within touching distance.

England came through another nerve-jangling affair, this time against Switzerland, needing penalties to confirm their place in the semi-finals.

They will face the Netherlands in Dortmund next Wednesday, with Ronald Koeman s side coming from a goal down to knock Turkiye out of the competition.

After another rollercoaster day of knockout football, we take a deep dive into the best Opta statistics from Germany.

England 1-1 Switzerland (aet, 5-3 pens): Three Lions rewrite penalty history

Gareth Southgate marked his 100th game in charge of England with a win, in the end.

Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the decisive spot-kick following a 1-1 …

Digne: Barca were better than LaLiga champions Madrid in 2016-17

Luis Enrique was instrumental in Digne s move to Barcelona in 2016-17, luring the Frenchman to the Catalan giants from Paris Saint-Germain.

I will be forever thankful to the club and to Luis Enrique for bringing me to the greatest club in the world, he added. From the moment I heard of their interest, there was only one club I wanted to join, because it was always my boyhood dream to play here.

Now it is up to me to work hard and develop myself as a player, because obviously nobody is the finished article as a 23 year old. My ambition is to make an impact here and to be part of a great future for this club, and now I am looking forward to be playing for – and learning from – Ernesto Valverde. [I] can t wait for next season to start to be honest.

In his fir…

2008 – 2009 UEFA Champion’s League kickoff

So it has begun. Long before any of the major European leagues have kicked off and long before the transfer window is closed, the preliminary round of this year’s UEFA Champion’s League kicked off this week. A summer break shorter than normal, bridged by the Euro 2008, it’s taken off.

I’m not going to analyze the matches in depth, basically since I haven’t seen a single minute of any of the matches. These rounds don’t exactly enjoy a high priority in televised media. Probably for a reason. Let’s face it, very few of these teams – if any – will make it to the Champion’s League, let alone win it. Naturally, all …