The international break offers an early opportunity to look at what the statistics can tell us about the Premier League season so far.
It’s a small sample size but Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes are leading the way in one statistical category so far.
They are both outperforming their Expected Goals more than any other players in the Premier League.
They have both scored three goals so far. From the chances they’ve had, data from FBref shows they are outperforming their Expected Goals by 2.1.
That means, from the chances they’ve had, the pair could reasonably be expected not to have scored yet this season.
What are the reasons?
One major factor is how clinical United were on the opening weekend of the season against Leeds.
In the season opener at Old Trafford, United’s Expected Goals tally was 1.47 based on the quality of chances created.
Fernandes himself scored a hat-trick that day, showcasing his clinical edge to score his first ever United treble.
Greenwood has scored from tight angles against Leeds and Wolves, areas that many players would not expect to find the net from.
The Englishman is an expert at that, and can get powerful shots away so quickly off both feet.
Both he and Fernandes are capable of the spectacular, although it would also be good if United could lay on some simpler chances as well as the season goes along.
Greenwood has had a full pre-season and looks the pick of United’s frontline right now.
The rest during the international break will help him keep that going and he scored in the behind closed doors friendly against Stoke this week.
If he and Fernandes can keep snapping up difficult chances, a bumper season in front of goal should lie in wait.
- Manchester United transfer rumours: Mateus Fernandes latest, Said El Mala, Dusan Vlahovic
- How Amad Diallo fared in Ivory Coast’s 2-1 win against France
- Omar Berrada issues clear transfer statement for Man Utd’s summer 2026, and promises unpredictability
- Forget Lewandowski, Man Utd can sign a younger alternative with big pedigree for free
- Five times David Beckham stole the show at the World Cup
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
