How have Sunderland performed in the xG department compared to their Premier League rivals?
Sunderland host Liverpool on Wednesday, looking to bounce back quickly from their 3-0 defeat to Arsenal.
However, even off the back of that disappointing result at the Emirates Stadium, the Black Cats are enjoying a fine season back in the Premier League. Regis Le Bris’ sit ninth in the table with 36 points from 25 games, just eight points behind the top four and already 13 points clear of the relegation zone.
Sunderland’s strong campaign so far has most definitely been built on a strong defensive record, with only five goalkeepers keeping more clean sheets than Robin Roefs (8), while the Black Cats have conceded the fifth-fewest goals (29). But what about at the other end of the pitch? How do Sunderland compare to the rest of the Premier League in terms of expected goals (xG) and goals scored?
Sunderland xG compared to Premier League rivals
Chelsea - 51.09
Arsenal - 50.49
Manchester City - 49.48
Manchester United - 49.07
Brentford - 44.68
Liverpool - 44.21
Bournemouth - 43.60
Crystal Palace - 42.17
Newcastle United - 41.34
Leeds United - 39.00
Brighton - 38.13
Aston Villa - 34.79
Everton - 31.25
West Ham - 31.13
Fulham - 30.39
Tottenham - 29.89
Nottingham Forest - 28.37
Sunderland - 25.71
Burnley - 24.04
Wolves - 23.52
It’s incredible to think that a side enjoying a season as strong as Sunderland’s could be third-bottom in the xG table, but that is the reality for Le Bris’ men. Only the bottom two of Burnley and Wolves have registered less xG, while they trail next side up Nottingham Forest by 2.66. Sunderland’s attacking situation could have been even worse, given they’re one of just six sides in the Premier League to overperform their xG according to Understat, doing so by 1.29 - alongside Tottenham (5.11), Fulham (4.61), Man City (1.52), Aston Villa (1.21) and Burnley (0.96).
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Understat also credit Sunderland with a 9.78 overperformance on their xGA figure, which is bettered only by Aston Villa (11.17) and Everton (11.11). All of that combined means they’ve overperformed their expected points by 9.72. Rounding that up to 10 means the Black Cats would be joint-17th and very much in the relegation battle if their outcomes had matched their statistical expectations.
Of course, stats don’t mean everything, and there’s no doubt the likes of Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Omar Alderete and Granit Xhaka have helped Le Bris forge a formidable defensive unit to re-stabilise Sunderland as a Premier League club.
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