To call this Premier League season ‘unique’ would be like saying ‘Roy Keane probably isn't a big fan of Love Island’.
If a three-month break halfway through the season wasn’t enough to make this a pretty, erm, unforgettable season, then Liverpool being crowned champions and Dominic Solanke scoring THREE goals certainly was.
What a season. What a team. ?#LFCchampions pic.twitter.com/vI2AsgxVHh
— Liverpool FC (Premier League Champions ?) (@LFC) July 26, 2020
There’s been no shortage of thrills and spills over the course of the season, and it’s thrown up some quality stats in the process.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best and most bonkers stats of the 2019/20 Premier League season.
1. Alisson Becker Has Same Number of Assists as Raheem Sterling
Not only is Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker a superb shot-stopper, he's also pretty useful at the top end of the field. Or, erm, Raheem Sterling's goalscoring prowess may have come at the expense of some generosity.
The Manchester City forward mustered just one Premier League assist in the 2019/20 season. One. Granted, his twenty league goals went some way to compensating for that, but it's still a remarkable stat in a team as free-flowing as Manchester City.
The Liverpool goalkeeper notched his assist with an superb long ball to play Mohamed Salah through on goal in the Reds' 2-0 triumph over Manchester United in January.
2. Manchester United Break Premier League Penalty Record
14 – Manchester United’s penalty at Leicester is their 14th Premier League spot-kick of the season, the most one side has ever won in a single campaign in the competition. Typical. pic.twitter.com/3yAuD9xHVp
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 26, 2020
Manchester United's glut of penalties this season has been well documented, with the club breaking the Premier League record for the amount won in a single season (14).
The haul means that 0.6% of the penalties that have EVER been given in the Premier League were awarded to United in 2019/20.
Despite missing four of their 14 penalties, spot-kicks saw United earn an extra seven points this season, meaning they've got their efforts from 12 yards to thank for a place in next season's Champions League.
3. Kevin De Bruyne Equals Thierry Henry's Assist Record
Kevin De Bruyne has been setting the standard for midfield play in the Premier League for some time now, though his 2019/20 form was as good as we've seen from the magical Belgian.
His deft through-ball to Sterling in City's final day win over Norwich saw the 29-year-old clock his 20th assist of the campaign, equalling the tally set by Thierry Henry in 2002/03.
Not content with his record-equalling stat, the former Wolfsburg man also broke the record for the most chances created from open play, with his 104 beating Eden Hazard's total of 98 back in 2014/15.
4. Mesut Özil Creates Second-Most Chances For Arsenal
It seems almost a lifetime ago that Mesut Özil recorded 19 assists in the 2015/16 season.
The German appears to have been deemed surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium, though that hasn't stopped him clocking up lofty figures when he has featured.
Despite having not played for the club since 7 March, only Nicolas Pepe (46) has created more than Özil's 39 chances for Arsenal in the league this season.
However, the 31-year-old seems condemned to life in the stands under an umbrella for the remainder of his Gunners career.
5. Leicester Pick Up Fewer Points Than Southampton Since 9-0 Demolition
When Leicester City recorded the largest ever top-flight away win with their 9-0 thumping of Southampton in October, the Foxes looked well on their way to a top-four finish, with the Saints languishing in the bottom three.
However, in an extraordinary turn of events, Ralph Hasenhüttl's men went on to pick up more points in the remaining 28 league games (44) than the Champions League-chasing Foxes (42).
The Saints' haul saw them finish just seven points outside of the European places - despite having looked set for a battle against relegation - with Brendan Rodgers' side failing to secure qualification to Europe's premier competition.
6. Virgil van Dijk Has as Many Goals for Liverpool as Andriy Shevchenko Managed at Chelsea
Despite Virgil van Dijk having spent half a season less at Liverpool than Andriy Shevchenko spent at Chelsea, this season saw the centre-back equal the Ukrainian's goal tally at their respective clubs.
Admittedly, Shevchenko spent his final year with Chelsea on loan at AC Milan, but why let a little technicality get in the way of a stat?
Van Dijk's goal away at Newcastle on the final day took his Reds goal count up to nine, matching the amount the former Milan frontman mustered in his disappointing spell at Stamford Bridge.
7. Frank Lampard Replicates Derby Stats with Chelsea
Champions League qualification in his first season at Chelsea is undoubtedly a success for Frank Lampard, especially given the transfer embargo the club were under during the summer window.
Of course this isn't Lampard's maiden season in management, having led Derby County to the play-off final the season prior, and the Chelsea boss' first two seasons as a manager have a striking resemblance.
Both Lampard's Chelsea and Lampard's Derby scored 69 and conceded 54 (excluding the latter's play-off campaign).
Given the Championship season is eight games longer than the Premier League's, it's impressive the Blues managed to score as many as the Rams in fewer games, though on the flip side Chelsea's defence clearly needs some work.
8. David Luiz Breaks Record for Most Penalties Conceded
David Luiz has now conceded five penalties in the Premier League this season, at least two more than any other player. ? pic.twitter.com/u5ZAnxG0Kz
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 26, 2020
Oh David.
Having conceded three penalties in 160 games at Chelsea, the curly-haired wonder managed to concede five in 33 Arsenal appearances during his first year at the club.
The tally represents the most spot-kicks conceded by a single player in a Premier League season, surpassing the previous 'best' of four in a season.
Seven players breathed a sigh of relief as the Brazilian took the unwanted crown following his foul on Danny Welbeck on the final day, with Ken Monkou, Luc Nijholt, Claus Lundekvam, Ibrahima Sonko, Gary Caldwell and Jose Fonte all relieved of the unwanted record.
9. Manchester City Set Record for Number of Starting XI Changes
Manchester City are a team with seemingly endless financial clout and their deep squad reflects that.
Pep Guardiola hasn't been afraid to flex his squad-depth muscles this campaign, making no fewer than 143 changes to his starting XI - a Premier League record.
That means the Spanish tactician made on average almost four changes to every team he picked this season. There's no doubt that injuries and suspensions will have played their part in this figure, but 143?!
This stat may go some way to explaining why City failed to live up to their unusually high standards this season. Perhaps a more settled starting XI is the key to regaining their Premier League title? Or perhaps, erm, their defenders are just bad.
10. Southampton Home Form Would Have Seen Them Relegated
Now, we've already waxed lyrical about the Saints' impressive form post-Leicester embarrassment, but it was in fact their away form that earned them most of their points.
When only away results are considered, Southampton finished third in the Premier League, with only Manchester City and Liverpool picking up more points on the road.
However, an 11th-placed finish suggests their home form can't have been of a similar standard – and it certainly wasn't.
Were the table to be decided on home results only, Hasenhüttl's men would be plying their trade in the Championship next season. The Saints picked up just six wins from their 19 home games, with only bottom side Norwich accruing less points on home turf.
If they're to push on next season, it's clear to see where improvement is needed.
11. Roy Hodgson Fields Oldest Average Team
At nearly 73, Roy Hodgson is the oldest manager in the Premier League - in fact, he's 127 days older then the Santiago Bernabeu.
The former England boss is proudly flying the flag for the oldies, and he's doing the same with his team selections, too.
The average age of the Crystal Palace starting XI this season was 29 years and 336 days - the oldest in the league.
Despite a woeful end to the campaign, Palace never looked in danger of relegation, proving there's life in those legs yet.
12. Jamie Vardy Becomes Oldest Golden Boot Winner
Eight years ago Jamie Vardy was playing in non-league.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 26, 2020
He's just become the oldest player to win the Premier League Golden Boot after finishing the season with 23 goals ?https://t.co/BPq2HBFThi pic.twitter.com/vDnvMRezKA
Speak of golden oldies, this one isn't bad either.
Jamie Vardy's 23-goal haul saw him become the oldest winner of the Premier League's Golden Boot.
At the tender age of 33, he surpassed the record set by Didier Drogba back in 2009/10, with the Ivorian claiming the prize after his 29 goals for Chelsea at the age of 32.
Vardy also became only the second-ever Leicester player to finish top scorer in the top flight, after Gary Lineker achieved the feat while at the Foxes in 1985.
13. James Tarkowski Makes More Clearances Than Any Other Player
Averaging just over a goal a game, a tenth-placed finish would only be possible with a solid backline - but luckily for Burnley that's exactly what they've got.
The Clarets conceded less goals than Champions League qualifiers Chelsea this season, and central to their efforts was James Tarkowski.
The former Brentford man made a league-high 200 clearances in the Premier League, although he's got some way to go if he's ever going to take the record held by former Aston Villa defender Martin Laursen.
The Dane recorded an astonishing 739 clearances in the 2007/08 season, as Villa secured a top-six finish.
14. Aymeric Laporte Becomes Fastest Player to Reach 50 Wins
It may not have been the Premier League season City were hoping for, but that didn't stop their players breaking a whole host of individual records.
Along with De Bruyne's assists and chances created from open play records, Aymeric Laporte became the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League wins, doing so in just 59 games.
Yet again it was Drogba who handed over the crown (not a great year for the former Chelsea hitman) having set the previous record of 60 games.
Laporte has undoubtedly had a huge influence since arriving at City, and if the Frenchman can steer clear of injury next season then City will have every chance of regaining their title.
15. None of the Top Three Scorers Come From the Top Four Clubs
Despite scoring a whopping 322 goals between them, none of the Premier League's top four clubs had a representative on the goalscoring 'podium' this season.
Southampton's Danny Ings and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Vardy at the top of the goalscoring charts, meaning for only the second time in Premier League history, none of the three top scorers were from one of the top four sides.
The only other time this has happened was in the very first Premier League season, when Teddy Sheringham (playing for Tottenham and Nottingham Forest), Les Ferdinand (Queens Park Rangers) and Dean Holdsworth (Wimbledon) made up the top three.
16. Carlo Ancelotti Finishes in the Bottom Half for the First Time in 25 Years of Management
For a man who's become synonymous with a sly raised eyebrow, Carlo Ancelotti certainly raised a few when he opted to join Everton last December.
After some promising early signs under the Italian, the Toffees endured a torrid end to the season, taking just five points from their final six games as they slipped to twelfth in the table.
The underwhelming finish meant Ancelotti finished in the bottom half of the table for the first time in his 25 years of management - if that's not enough to raise an eyebrow, what is?
In fairness, when you've got Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich on your CV, a top-half finish is probably expected.
17. Jack Grealish Breaks the Record for Most Fouled Player in a Season
The progression and development of Jack Grealish hasn't gone unnoticed, with Manchester United said to be keen on attracting the Villa man to Old Trafford.
However, catching the eye of others isn't always good news, as Grealish has found out once or twice this season - or 167 times to be exact.
That's the amount of times the Villa captain has been fouled this season. meaning he was fouled more than four times a game.
The figure means Grealish has broken the record for the amount of times a single player has been fouled in a Premier League season, though the bruises won't hurt half as much having dragged his boyhood club to safety.
18. Virgil van Dijk Becomes Fifth Outfield Player to Play Every Minute of Title-Winning Campaign
5 - Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk has become only the fifth outfield player to play every single minute in a season for the title-winning side in @premierleague history. Stalwart. pic.twitter.com/WHJgUGiW9R
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 26, 2020
Everyone has a different opinion on who's Liverpool's most important player. Is it Alisson? Is it Roberto Firmino? Is it Jordan Henderson?
Well, it's Virgil van Dijk. Simple.
The Dutchman didn't miss a second of Premier League action for the Reds as they claimed their first English title for 30 years.
In doing so, he became just the fifth outfield player to appear in every minute of a title-winning season, with César Azpilicueta (2016/17), Wes Morgan (2015/16), John Terry (2014/15) and Gary Pallister (1992/93) going before him.
19. Wolves Didn't Have a Single English Goalscorer
Nuno Espirito Santo's men enjoyed another stellar campaign, matching last year's seventh-placed finish.
However, despite 12 different Wolves players scoring for the club in the league, none of them were English.
The Molineux side become just the fourth club to go an entire Premier League campaign without an Englishman from their team scoring, after Arsenal in 2006/07 and Stoke in 2015/16, while Fulham 'achieved' the feat on two occasions, in 2001/02 and 2005/06 respectively.
The reason we stipulate 'an Englishman from their team' is because Tammy Abraham did net an own goal for Wolves during Chelsea's 5-2 win at Molineux in September.
Cheers for making this one a little more difficult to explain, Tammy.
International flavour: Atalanta have a similar record this season, with none of their 98(!) Serie A goals so far being scored by one of their Italian players – and yes, they've benefitted from one Italian own goal too. Symmetry.
Source : 90min