Man City completed 692 passes against West Brom - how did the rest compare?
Tuesday 11 August 2015 22:45, UK
Manchester City completed a whopping total of 692 passes in their 3-0 win over West Brom on Monday Night Football, 211 more than any other side – but how did the rest of the Premier League rank on the opening weekend of the season?
City made the most of 66 per cent possession at the Hawthorns as two goals from Yaya Toure and another from Vincent Kompany put them top of the table. Their total of 692 passes was way up on their average of 492 last season, and it was just 64 passes short of last season's Premier League dizzying high of 754 set by Manchester United against QPR in January.
Arsenal ranked second in the opening weekend passing stakes with 481 completed in their shock 2-0 defeat home to West Ham, while newly-promoted Bournemouth also failed to make their domination count as they lost 1-0 to Aston Villa despite completing 464 passes.
At the other end of the rankings, Crystal Palace showed how to succeed with a more direct style. The Eagles completed the fewest passes in the Premier League last season, and Alan Pardew’s men triumphed 3-1 against Norwich City on Saturday despite making just 200 in total - 188 fewer than the Canaries.
Premier League opening weekend successful passing stats
1. Manchester City: 692
Top passer v West Brom: David Silva (90)
Team average last season: 492
2. Arsenal: 481
Top passer v West Ham: Santi Cazorla (71)
Team average last season: 452
3. Bournemouth: 464
Top passer v Aston Villa: Andrew Surman (88)
Team average last season: 403
4. Everton: 451
Top passer v Watford: John Stones (61)
Team average last season: 408
5. Manchester United: 401
Top passer v Spurs: Daley Blind (48)
Team average last season: 477
6. Newcastle United: 396
Top passer v Southampton: Massadio Haidara (48)
Team average last season: 304
7. Tottenham: 391
Top passer v Man Utd: Toby Alderweireld (58)
Team average last season: 413
8. Norwich: 388
Top passer v Crystal Palace: Graham Dorrans (51)
Team average last season: 362
9. Liverpool: 378
Top passer v Stoke: James Milner (54)
Team average last season: 422
10= Sunderland: 347
Top passer v Leicester: Younes Kaboul (51)
Team average last season: 290
10= Chelsea 347
Top passer v Swansea: Nemanja Matic (45)
Team average last season: 444
12. Swansea City: 322
Top passer v Chelsea: Jonjo Shelvey (52)
Team average last season: 386
13. Aston Villa: 310
Top passer v Bournemouth: Idrissa Gueye (42)
Team average last season: 344
14. Southampton: 309
Top passer v Newcastle: Steven Davis (56)
Team average last season: 381
15. Stoke City: 301
Top passer v Liverpool: Glenn Whelan (50)
Team average last season: 314
16. West Brom: 266
Top passer v Man City: Darren Fletcher (44)
Team average last season: 285
17. West Ham: 257
Top passer v Arsenal: Mark Noble (36)
Team average last season: 266
18. Leicester City: 250
Top passer v Sunderland: Danny Drinkwater (42)
Team average last season: 250
19= Watford: 200
Top passer v Everton: Ikechi Anya (26)
Team average last season: 336
19= Crystal Palace: 200
Top passer v Norwich: Jason Puncheon (31)
Team average last season: 221
