The midweek cluster of top-flight games was packed with drama, from a double sacking and a player equalling the Premier League appearance record, to the longest winning streak of its kind in English football history.
Read on for a breakdown of the best of the stats from gameweek 26.
Stats you might have missed
Home Blues
- Chelsea have dropped the most Premier League points (15) from winning positions at home this season.
Chelsea let a two-goal lead slip in a disappointing 2-2 draw with Leeds. Goals from Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer had the hosts cruising to a comfortable win at the hour mark, only for the visitors to hit back to earn a prized point.
The Blues have now dropped 17 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, a whopping 15 of which have come at home, which is more than any other club.
Frank finished
- Thomas Frank’s tally of 1.12 points per game is the lowest return of any Tottenham manager to oversee 5+ Premier League games.
Thomas Frank’s eight-month Tottenham tenure was ended after a 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle, which left Spurs 16th in the table and five points above the drop zone.
Frank’s 244-day tenure is the fourth shortest of any permanent Spurs manager in Premier League history, while his tally of 29 points from 26 games (1.12 per game) is the lowest points-per-game return on record among all Spurs managers to oversee 5+ matches in the Premier League.
READ: Tottenham analysis: What went wrong for Thomas Frank at Spurs?
The win for Newcastle meant they have now beaten Spurs 28 times, more than any other opponent they’ve faced in the Premier League, while this fixture extending its own record for most matches (62) without a goalless draw.
Red Devils stalled
- West Ham have gone unbeaten against Manchester United in consecutive league campaigns for the first time since 1932-33/1933-34.
Manchester United missed out on the chance to claim five wins in a row after they drew 1-1 away to relegation-threatened West Ham. In fact, United were fortunate to even come away with a point, leaving it until the 96th minute to equalise through Benjamin Sesko, who now has four goals in his last five.
While they will be gutted not to have secured all three points, West Ham did extend their unbeaten run to four matches in this fixture, meaning they’ve now gone undefeated against Manchester United in consecutive league campaigns for the first time since 1932-33/1933-34.
Teenage kicks
- Bournemouth’s Rayan became only the third teenager in Premier League history to register a goal involvement in each of his first three games.
Bournemouth fought back to secure a 2-1 win at Everton, with teenager Rayan once again making headlines.
The 19-year-old became just the third teenager in Premier League history to record a goal or assist in each of his first three appearances in the competition, following in the footsteps of Robbie Keane and Anthony Martial.
Rayan netted the equaliser at Goodison Park, adding to his goal in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, and his assist in the 2-0 victory at Wolves.
20 and 0 for City
- Manchester City have won all of their last 20 clashes against Fulham, setting an English football record.
Manchester City’s 3-0 victory at home to Fulham may not have raised many eyebrows, but it did see them extend an extraordinary record: City have now won 20 consecutive matches in all competitions against the Cottagers, which is the longest winning streak one club has ever recorded against another in English football history.
The streak spans 14 years with 17 of the games coming in the Premier League, two in the FA Cup, and one in the League Cup.
Marco Silva has now lost all 14 matches that he’s faced as a manager against Manchester City, which is the most one manager has faced an opponent with a 100% loss rate.
Dyche dumped
- Nottingham Forest have become the first Premier League club to sack three managers in a season since Watford in 2019-20.
Nottingham Forest are on the hunt for their fourth permanent manager of the season after Sean Dyche was dismissed in the early hours of Thursday morning following a frustrating goalless draw at home to bottom side Wolves.
Despite dominating proceedings with 62% possession, 35 shots, 10 on target, and an xG of 2.73, Forest simply couldn’t find a breakthrough. That tally of 35 shots was the second most in a Premier League game without scoring in the last 10 seasons.
The stalemate proved costly for Dyche, whose departure is the club’s third dismissal of the campaign, following the exits of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou. As a result, Forest are the first Premier League side to sack three managers in a single season since Watford – who else – in 2019-20.
Milner’s milestone
- James Milner equalled Gareth Barry’s 653 match Premier League appearance record.
Brighton sunk to a late 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa in an underwhelming match that will be best remembered for James Milner’s milestone.
The midfielder’s appearance off the bench saw him equal Gareth Barry’s 653 Premier League appearance record. The 40-year-old, who made his debut in November 2002, has now made 34 appearances for Brighton, 48 for Leeds, 94 for Newcastle, 100 for Aston Villa, 147 for Manchester City, and 230 for Liverpool.
Meanwhile, the result could prove costly for the under-fire Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, who has been installed as the new favourite in the Premier League Sack Race.
Burnley’s comeback
- Burnley became only the fifth team to trail by two or more goals in the first-half of a Premier League but still go in at the break ahead.
Burnley conjured a remarkable comeback away to Crystal Palace to keep their faint survival hopes alive.
After 33 minutes on the clock, the club looked to be sleepwalking to their 17th match without a win after they fell two goals behind at Selhurst Park. Yet, come half-time they were incredibly ahead following three quick-fire goals.
In the process, the Clarets became only the fifth team to trail by two or more goals in the first-half of a Premier League but still go in at the break ahead, after Chelsea vs Tottenham (1994), Tottenham vs Newcastle (1995), Bradford vs Derby (2000), and Hull vs West Ham (2009).
It also meant that Scott Parker finally won a Premier League away game in London at the ninth attempt.
Van the man
- Virgil van Dijk has scored more Premier League goals than any other defender since he joined Liverpool.
Sunderland’s unbeaten home record since returning to the Premier League was ended by Liverpool thanks to a solitary goal from Virgil van Dijk.
It was the Dutchman’s 23rd Premier League goal for Liverpool, which is more than any other defender since he joined the Reds in January 2018, and now the most of any Liverpool defender in the competition, surpassing Sami Hyypia (22)
The assist for the goal came from Mo Salah, who now has the joint-most Premier League assists for Liverpool (92) alongside Steven Gerrard.
On a side note, the match was only the fourth in Premier League history with no English starters on either side after Arsenal vs Portsmouth (2009), Arsenal vs Chelsea (2019), and Fulham vs Manchester City (2025).
Bees throw-in kings
- Brentford have scored 10 Premier League goals from throw-ins since the start of last season, double the amount of any other side.
Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentford on Thursday night, as they missed out on the chance to go six points clear at the summit.
Noni Madueke’s header put the Gunners ahead – their 11th headed goal of the season, more than any other Premier League side – but Brentford once again turned to one of their most reliable weapons.
Keane Lewis-Potter’s equaliser came from a throw-in, marking Brentford’s 10th Premier League goal from a throw since the start of last season, which is double that of any other top-flight team.
