IN CONTROL OR LEAVING IT LATE? ANALYSING PREMIER LEAGUE GAME STATES IN 2025-26

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Matchday 7 Analysis: Which Teams Dominate and Who's Playing Catch-Up

Which teams have held a winning position the longest in the Premier League this season, and who has spent the most time trailing? We analyze every team's time spent in each game state across 2025-26 after seven matchdays.

MANCHESTER CITY: MASTERS OF THE LEAD

Manchester City might not be top of the league during the October international break, but they've been the most prolific team in terms of holding a lead in the Premier League this season.

Pep Guardiola's side have been leading for 423 minutes and 15 seconds in Premier League matches this term – a massive 119 minutes and four seconds longer than any other side. They've been in the lead across 60% of their total minutes in the competition in 2025-26, helped by the fact they have scored inside the opening 20 minutes in four of their seven games.

One notable example came against Arsenal on 21 September, when Erling Haaland put them into a ninth-minute lead at the Emirates Stadium before the Gunners equalized in second-half stoppage time. City led for 89 minutes and 23 seconds in that game – the longest any team have led this season in a Premier League match they ultimately failed to win.

BOURNEMOUTH'S EARLY STRIKES

Bournemouth have been leading for 42% of match time this season, the second-greatest proportion behind Man City. Their two 1-0 wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur in August saw them take the lead inside five minutes before holding on to secure all three points.

No team have held a winning position for longer in a Premier League game this season than Bournemouth in those two wins – 97:50 vs Wolves and 96:42 vs Spurs.

THE STRUGGLING SIDES

Unsurprisingly, bottom side Wolves have been in a losing position for the greatest proportion (54.1%) of time and the most minutes (381:01) overall in the Premier League this season, followed by West Ham United (45.9% – 318:38).

It's the Hammers – already on their second manager of the season after sacking Graham Potter and replacing him with Nuno Espírito Santo – who have been in the lead the least often this term, leading for just 25 minutes and 6 seconds (3.6% of game time). Of that time, 16 minutes and 21 seconds came in a sensational 3-0 win for Potter against Nuno at Nottingham Forest on 31 August.

LIVERPOOL'S LATE HEROICS

If we were judging the most undeserved Premier League win this season based on the lowest total time spent in a winning position, that accolade would go to Liverpool at Burnley on 14 September. Arne Slot's side were drawing 0-0 for the vast majority of the game until Mohamed Salah's stoppage-time penalty stole all three points. They led for just two minutes and five seconds in that match.

NEWCASTLE'S DRAW SPECIALISTS

The longest a team have spent in any single game state this season is Newcastle United drawing games (477:35), which represents 67.1% of their total Premier League minutes. It would have been even longer had they held onto a point at home to Arsenal on 29 September, with Gabriel Magalhães' late header seeing the Gunners leave St James' Park with all three points despite leading for only three minutes and 13 seconds in the match.

CRYSTAL PALACE: LEVEL-HEADED WINNERS

Crystal Palace have made an excellent start to the season, collecting 12 points from their seven games. Part of this is down to their ability to take the game to opponents when matches are level. When games have been tied in the Premier League this term, Oliver Glasner's side have scored seven goals and conceded just one, with their goal difference of +6 in this game state better than any other Premier League team in 2025-26.

Their MD7 game against Everton saw them lose out late on, with Jack Grealish's winner seeing them fall behind in a Premier League match for the first time in 2025-26. They were in a losing position for just 9:60 that day, holding a winning position for nearly half an hour longer (39:15).

Analysis based on data through Matchday 7 of the 2025-26 Premier League se

Thanks to Stats Perform for the data

Photo:https: theanalyst.com

More information:24live.com


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