Here are the top 10 players owned by their xG through the Premier League season so far. Everton have an issue.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!These are the Premier League stars whose goals tally lags their xG most. For the less fun list of players outstripping their xG numbers, go here.
1) Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton): -6.1
Expected goals: 9.1
Actual goals: 3
He celebrated a goal v Tottenham but it was given to Jack Harrison instead. He has now failed to score in 19 games, a run stretching back to October. The list of double-figure Premier League scorers this season with a lower xG than DCL reads: Richarlison, Cole Palmer, Jarrod Bowen, Son Heung-Min and Hwang Hee-Chan.
2) Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea): -4.3
Expected goals: 11.3
Actual goals: 7
No goals in the Premier League since mid-December but there is some mitigation in that he a) was at the African Cup of Nations and b) has been shunted out to the left wing. He is still wondering how he didn’t score v Crystal Palace at the end of December.
3) Darwin Nunez (Liverpool): -3.3
Expected goals: 12.3
Actual goals: 9
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen thinks Darwin Nunez “has to adapt his way of thinking” after scoring a goal with a “one in 10” chance of success in the Reds’ last game. Nonsense. It was a 0.6 chance.
4) Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United): -3.0
Expected goals: 6.0
Actual goals: 3
Rather better at creating the chances than finishing them. A lot better, it would seem.
5) Enzo Fernández (Chelsea): -2.6
Expected goals: 5.6
Actual goals: 3
Now scored four in 10 in all competitions so finally getting the hang of this £100m footballer lark.
6) Yoane Wissa (Brentford): -2.5
Expected goals: 6.5
Actual goals: 4
He still has no idea how he didn’t score v Crystal Palace as Brentford slumped into a crisis without Ivan Toney.
7) Pedro Porro (Tottenham): -2.2
Expected goals: 2.2
Actual goals: 0
Has taken 37 shots in the Premier League without scoring a goal. He is a right-back.
8) Beto (Everton): -2.2
Expected goals: 3.2
Actual goals: 1
It’s almost impressive that he has had 26 shots and only four have hit the target.
9) Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest): -2.0
Expected goals: 4.0
Actual goals: 2
Hits the target with only 15.9% of his shots.
10) Erling Haaland (Manchester City): -1.7
Expected goals: 18.8
Actual goals: 17
The Premier League’s top scorer but he should be further ahead of the pack. Had a ludicrous nine shots v Chelsea without scoring.
Read more: Premier League’s best finishers 23/24
