Fans are back to ground after 17 long months… and so are home comforts as six of the opening eight Premier League games so far end in victories for those playing in front of their own supporters
- Fans have returned to football after 17 months away due to the pandemic
- Last season’s top flight saw away teams win more than the home sides
- So far this season six of the eight teams to play at home took all three points
For so long, football fans have had to wait — stuck at home with no choice but to watch their beloved sides on television as canned chants and boos replaced their own hearty cheers.
But now, after 17 long months, they are back. Football, as we know it and love it, is back. And with it, so too is home advantage.
With last season played out behind closed doors, away teams enjoyed their most successful campaign ever. The Premier League became the first division in the history of the top four tiers of English football to see away teams win more games than the home sides.
Home advantage has started to come back with the return of supporters to grounds
So far in eight games there have been victories for six of the eight home sides in the top-flight
No supporters to cheer them on, no pressure on the referee.
However, we are only eight games into the new Premier League season and normal service has resumed.
So far, there have been six wins for the home sides. Manchester United then stuck five past Leeds in front of nearly 73,000 at Old Trafford before Chelsea breezed past Crystal Palace while Everton, Leicester and Watford also won.
It comes after Brentford kicked off the season and their first back in the top flight for 74 years with a dominant win over Arsenal. The crowd cheered every kick and sang their hearts out long aftet the final whistle. It’s what we’ve all missed and football is infinitely better for it.
Meanwhile, just two wins for away teams: Liverpool’s victory at Norwich and Brighton’s comeback at Burnley.
The wins have gone up, so too have the goals. Score more goals, win more games. Last season, home teams scored just 1.35 goals per game.
Hosts have banged in 18 goals at 2.25 per game helped by Bruno Fernandes’ hat-trick
After eight games, hosts have banged in 18, at 2.25 per game. Bruno Fernandes bagged three on his own with a sublime hat-trick at Old Tafford.
Away sides, thus far, have been left to feed off the scraps. Nine goals for them, half as many. Arsenal, Wolves and Palace all failed to find the net.
We are yet to see a penalty awarded by an under-pressure referee, though there’s not been much for fans to get too angry about. They are back in the stands and their teams are winning. What more could they ask for?
Liverpool and Brighton are the only two teams so far to win away from home in the top-flight