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Posts by OptaJoe

Bruno Fernandes holding the ball while applauding the fans during a Premier League match.

Bruno Fernandes holding the ball while applauding the fans during a Premier League match.

6 - Bruno Fernandes has won Premier League Player of the Month for the sixth time, now the joint-most by any Manchester United player, surpassing Wayne Rooney (5) and equalling Cristiano Ronaldo (6). Super.

1 day ago 9 0 0 0
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91 - Andy Robertson is earning his 91st cap for Scotland against Japan, as many as Jim Leighton, only Kenny Dalglish (102) has made more appearances for the national team. Longevity.

1 week ago 30 3 1 1
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5 - Vivianne Miedema is the first player in @barclayswslbot.com history to score 10+ goals in five different seasons. Famous.

1 week ago 27 5 0 0
Dominic Solanke sits on a football during England training.

Dominic Solanke sits on a football during England training.

8 - Dominic Solanke is making his first start for England - eight years and 133 days after his England debut as a substitute against Brazil in November 2017. It's the longest ever gap between any player's first appearance and first start for the Three Lions. Patience.

1 week ago 13 4 0 0
Régis Le Bris celebrates in the foreground as Eddie Howe looks dejected in the background as Le Bris' Sunderland side beat Howe's Newcastle.

Régis Le Bris celebrates in the foreground as Eddie Howe looks dejected in the background as Le Bris' Sunderland side beat Howe's Newcastle.

2 - Eddie Howe is the first ever Newcastle manager to lose both of his first two league meetings with Sunderland, while Régis Le Bris is just the second Sunderland boss to win his first two against Newcastle in the league, after Gus Poyet in 2013-14. Contrasts.

1 week ago 22 2 0 1
Brian Brobbey bundles home what proves to be Sunderland's winner at Newcastle.

Brian Brobbey bundles home what proves to be Sunderland's winner at Newcastle.

90 - Timed at 89:45, Brian Brobbey has scored what is the latest ever winning goal in a Premier League match between Newcastle and Sunderland. Delight.

1 week ago 17 0 0 1
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14 - Raúl Jiménez has scored all 14 of his Premier League penalties, only Matt Le Tissier (23 in April 2000), Mohamed Salah (15 in December 2021) and Harry Kane (15 in May 2022) have enjoyed longer scoring runs from the spot in the competition's history. Formality.

2 weeks ago 11 0 0 0
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10 – Reigning Premier League champions to lose 10+ games in a season:

Leeds United in 1992-93 (15)
Blackburn Rovers in 1995-96 (13)
Manchester United in 2013-14 (12)
Chelsea in 2015-16 (12)
Leicester City in 2016-17 (18)
Chelsea in 2017-18 (10)
Liverpool in 2025-26 (10)

Feeble.

2 weeks ago 32 9 1 2
Liam Rosenior scratches his head as Chelsea lose to PSG.

Liam Rosenior scratches his head as Chelsea lose to PSG.

Pep Guardiola looks forlorn as Man City lose to Real Madrid.

Pep Guardiola looks forlorn as Man City lose to Real Madrid.

Eddie Howe puts his hands to his head as Newcastle lose to Barcelona.

Eddie Howe puts his hands to his head as Newcastle lose to Barcelona.

Igor Tudor looks to the floor as his Spurs side are knocked out by Atletico Madrid.

Igor Tudor looks to the floor as his Spurs side are knocked out by Atletico Madrid.

4 - In Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, and Tottenham Hotspur, this is the first time ever that four sides from a single nation have all been eliminated at the same stage of a season in the UEFA Champions League. Fall.

2 weeks ago 27 7 4 6
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Anthony Elanga raises a fist in celebration of one of his goals v Barcelona.

Anthony Elanga raises a fist in celebration of one of his goals v Barcelona.

2 - Anthony Elanga is only the second player to score twice in a UEFA Champions League away match at Camp Nou for an English club, after Dwight Yorke for Manchester United in November 1998. Stage.

2 weeks ago 10 1 0 0
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4 - Pep Guardiola has lost both legs of a UEFA Champions League knockout stage tie for the fourth time, with three of those coming against Real Madrid (2013-14, 2024-25 and 2025-26). Rarity.

2 weeks ago 18 1 0 3
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8 - Chelsea have conceded eight goals across a competitive two-legged tie (domestic and European) for the first time in their history. Breached.

2 weeks ago 23 2 2 2
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5 – Teams to overturn a 3+ goal deficit in a UCL knockout tie:

Deportivo de La Coruña v Milan in 2003-04 (QF)
Barcelona v Paris SG in 2016-17 (RO16)
Roma v Barcelona in 2017-18 (QF)
Liverpool v Barcelona in 2018-19 (SF)
Sporting CP v Bodø/Glimt in 2025-26 (RO16)

Fightback.

2 weeks ago 14 2 0 0
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91:23 - Maxi Araújo's goal for Sporting CP against Bodø/Glimt is the earliest ever scored in extra time in UEFA Champions League history. Turnaround.

2 weeks ago 4 1 1 0
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6 - Bodø/Glimt are the first side in UEFA Champions League history to name the same starting XI for six successive games. Familiarity.

2 weeks ago 19 2 0 1
Rio Ngumoha takes on Pedro Porro during Liverpool v Spurs.

Rio Ngumoha takes on Pedro Porro during Liverpool v Spurs.

7 - Aged 17 years and 198 days, Rio Ngumoha is the youngest player on record (from 2006-07) to complete as many as seven dribbles in a single Premier League game. Flash.

2 weeks ago 19 5 2 3
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Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates opening the scoring for Liverpool v Spurs.

Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates opening the scoring for Liverpool v Spurs.

4 - Dominik Szoboszlai has scored four direct free-kick goals in the Premier League this season, the most ever by a Liverpool player in a single campaign in the competition, with only David Beckham in 2000-01 and Laurent Robert in 2001-02 (both 5) netting more. Fantastic.

2 weeks ago 22 3 1 1
Antoine Semenyo celebrates scoring for Man City in the Premier League, fingers pointing to the sky.

Antoine Semenyo celebrates scoring for Man City in the Premier League, fingers pointing to the sky.

3 - Antoine Semenyo is only the third Ghanaian to win Premier League player of the month, after Tony Yeboah (twice in 1995, March & September) and André Ayew (August 2015). Star.

3 weeks ago 11 1 0 0
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14:59 - Atlético de Madrid's three goals against Tottenham Hotspur is the earliest a side has ever been three goals ahead in a UEFA Champions League knockout stage match. Demoralised.

3 weeks ago 28 4 0 2
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12 - Liverpool has lost 12 games in all competitions this season in which they've conceded the opening goal; their most since 2015-16 (also 12). Lacklustre.

3 weeks ago 13 1 1 5
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88 - Bolton Wanderers won despite being two goals down until the 88th minute today, the latest a team has been trailing by 2+ goals to win an EFL match since the 2004 rebrand. Grandstand.

4 weeks ago 9 1 0 0
Arsenal scored their second corner goal of the day v Chelsea.

Arsenal scored their second corner goal of the day v Chelsea.

16 - Arsenal's 16 goals from corners in the Premier League this season is the joint-most by any side in a single campaign, alongside Oldham in 1992-93, West Brom in 2016-17, and the Gunners themselves in 2023-24. Angles.

1 month ago 28 7 3 3
Youssef Chermiti points to his ear in response to the crowd celebrating his second goal v Celtic.

Youssef Chermiti points to his ear in response to the crowd celebrating his second goal v Celtic.

4 - Youssef Chermiti is the first Rangers player to score four league goals against Celtic in a single season since Mark Walters in 1988-89. Fantastic.

1 month ago 9 0 0 0
Youssef Chermiti celebrates calmly as his teammates look in disbelief after his bicycle kick opener v Celtic.

Youssef Chermiti celebrates calmly as his teammates look in disbelief after his bicycle kick opener v Celtic.

7 - Youssef Chermiti has scored eight Scottish Premiership goals this season - seven of which have come against either 1st-placed Hearts (4) or 3rd-placed Celtic (3). Occasion.

1 month ago 8 1 0 0
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28 - Only John Terry (41) has more Premier League goals among central defenders, excluding penalties, in the competition's history than Virgil van Dijk (28). Heated.

1 month ago 15 5 1 0
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Eberechi Eze celebrates his second goal against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Arsenal.

Eberechi Eze celebrates his second goal against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Arsenal.

5 - Only Robert Pirès (7) and Emmanuel Adebayor (6) have more Premier League goals for Arsenal against Tottenham than Eberechi Eze (5), who now has as many goals in this league fixture for the Gunners as both Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie managed. Favourite.

1 month ago 127 30 1 9
Eberechi Eze celebrates opening the scoring for Arsenal v Spurs - as his Arsenal teammates follow him.

Eberechi Eze celebrates opening the scoring for Arsenal v Spurs - as his Arsenal teammates follow him.

4 - Eberechi Eze is only the second player to score 4+ goals in North London derbies in a league season, after Arsenal's Ted Drake in 1934-35 (5). This accounts for 80% of Eze's Arsenal goal total in the Premier League (4/5). Occasion.

1 month ago 79 13 2 3
Alexis Mac Allister celebrates his last-gasp winner at Nottingham Forest, arms outstretched.

Alexis Mac Allister celebrates his last-gasp winner at Nottingham Forest, arms outstretched.

7 - Liverpool have seen seven winning goals in the 90th minute (or later) in their Premier League games this season (3 for, 4 against) - the most ever by any side in a single campaign in the competition. Re-write.

1 month ago 21 3 0 0
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879 - With Nathan Collins coming on for Brentford, James Milner has now played in the same game as all 879 players to make 100+ Premier League appearances since 2002-03. Quirky.

1 month ago 44 9 0 3
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3 - In Anton Stach (3) and Dominik Szoboszlai (3), this is the first Premier League season to see two players score at least three goals from direct free-kicks since Christian Eriksen and Jason Puncheon in 2014-15 (3 each). Range.

1 month ago 13 3 2 0