Opta shares eye-opening stat on where Everton should be in Premier League table this season
Everton should currently be sitting fifth in the Premier League table despite their indifferent start to the season, according to Opta.
The sports analytics company produced an article on its website on Wednesday (18 October) that showed the Toffees should actually be sitting one place above Liverpool in the league heading into the Merseyside Derby on Saturday (21 October).
It said the Blues should have at least 14 points – double their current tally of seven – to place them as the league’s “biggest underperformers” after recording the sixth-highest expected goals at 10.41.
“According to Opta’s expected points model, 16th-placed Everton – who have taken seven points from the 24 on offer – should actually find themselves as high as fifth, on at least 14 points,” said Opta.
“Not only would that have them as possible European contenders, but it would see them sit a place above Liverpool (who occupy fourth spot in reality) heading into the derby.
“At the other end, despite conceding some sloppy goals, Everton are sixth best for expected goals against (xGA), with 10.41. They are undoubtedly the league’s biggest underperformers, sitting a whopping 11 places lower than the data suggests they should be, while their points difference of -7.64 is also the greatest in the top flight.”
No surprise
It probably won’t come as too much of a surprise to see that Everton should be much higher in the Premier League table after the chances they have created this season.
The Toffees failed to score in three of their four opening gams at Goodison Park despite having more than enough opportunities to win at least two of those matches.
But it finally all came together against Bournemouth last time out, where the Blues found the back of the net three times to earn their first victory at home in this campaign.
Although Sean Dyche would certainly like to have more points on the board, he will be heartened to see that his side should be higher in the table at this point and that they appear to be moving in the right direction.
They now have an opportunity to prove that they can go head to head with some of the better sides when they face Liverpool at the weekend as they look to climb the Premier League table and move away from danger.
In other Everton news, the club could have been handed a January transfer boost in their bid to sign a player.