Sunderland’s xG ranks 18th ahead of Liverpool visit | OneFootball

Sunderland’s impressive league position contrasts with their attacking metrics, with expected goals placing them 18th ahead of Liverpool’s visit on Wednesday.

According to Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats are ninth on 36 points from 25 games, eight off the top four and 13 clear of the drop, despite a 3-0 loss at Arsenal last time out.

Their season has been anchored by defence. Robin Roefs has eight clean sheets, only five keepers have more, and they have conceded the fifth-fewest goals, 29. In chance creation they have 25.71 xG, ahead of only Burnley, 24.04, and Wolves, 23.52, and trail Nottingham Forest by 2.66.

At the top of the xG chart sit Chelsea on 51.09, then Arsenal on 50.49, Manchester City on 49.48 and Manchester United on 49.07. Liverpool are sixth with 44.21.

Sunderland are one of six Premier League sides to have outscored their xG, by 1.29. They have also outperformed their expected goals against by 9.78, bettered only by Aston Villa, 11.17, and Everton, 11.11.

In total they have overperformed expected points by 9.72, which rounded to 10 would leave them joint-17th if results had matched the models. Even so, the numbers do not tell the whole story.

There is no doubt the work of Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Omar Alderete and Granit Xhaka has helped Regis Le Bris forge a formidable unit and re-stabilise Sunderland in the Premier League.

Source: Sunderland Echo