How attractive is the 2023-2024 Premier League?

England's top flight is having its most prolific season with the most goals and red cards after 14 rounds.

38 goals were scored in the 14th round of the Premier League last weekend, taking the total for the season to 442. No game ended in a 0-0 draw and seven of the 10 games had at least three goals - a figure that has occurred in 90 of the 140 games (64%) played. An average of 3.16 goals have been scored per game after the first 14 rounds of the Premier League this season - a record in the history of the competition.

This is an improvement on the 2022-23 season, when the average number of goals was 2.85, but it is not a surprising phenomenon. In fact, the last three Premier League seasons have all ranked in the top four for the highest average number of goals in the history of the competition. So the league is indeed trending up the number of goals year by year.

There are a number of reasons for this. According to the Athletic , the gap between the top and bottom teams in the Premier League is widening, increasing the likelihood of high-scoring games. Over the last three seasons, the average gap between the top and bottom teams has been 66 points. Ten years ago, it was 58.

Coaching styles and philosophies also influence goalscoring rates. Teams are now more willing to take risks. They are more willing to build the ball up from the goalkeeper and look to escape the press. Success or failure, this style of play brings high scoring opportunities.

Jack Grealish scored for Man City in the 3-3 draw with Tottenham last weekend. Photo: Reuters — Jack Grealish scored for Man City in the 3-3 draw with Tottenham last weekend. Photo: *Reuters*

This philosophy has taken a step further since Roberto De Zerbi became Brighton manager at the start of last season. Teams tend to "invite" opponents to rush into the ball, which can either create lightning attacks or cause fatal mistakes. In the last 18 Premier League matches, Brighton have either scored or conceded, including 14 in the first round of this season. This is the first time a team has done that in the top flight of English football since the 1934-35 season.

However, the Premier League is not the league with the most goals scored among Europe's top five leagues. The Bundesliga has the highest scoring rate, averaging 3.41 goals per game. The Premier League is second, followed by La Liga (2.76 goals), Serie A (2.59) and Ligue 1 (2.53).

The new overtime rules also increase the chances of scoring. More time is added to matches to ensure live ball time. Players are now under more pressure at the end of matches, and fewer games end with both sides at full strength.

There have been 31 red cards issued in 140 games this season. That’s more than the entire 2022-23 season, which had 380 games, with 30. For those who like pragmatic football, tight play and goalless draws, this could be an appealing aspect.

Paul Heckingbottom, the recently sacked Sheffield United manager, was right to complain that he was disappointed with one or two players in the 5-0 defeat to Burnley on 2 December. Oli McBurnie was sent off before half-time after receiving two unnecessary yellow cards. He was the first player to receive two red cards in the Premier League this season.

McBurnie wasn't the only player to have an early shower over the weekend. Midfielder Conor Gallagher also picked up a second yellow card in the 45th minute, which nearly cost Chelsea a 3-2 win over Brighton. The 31 red cards in just 14 games is a huge jump from last season. At the same time in the 2022-2023 season, the Premier League had just 11 red cards.

At the start of the season, there were suggestions that the Premier League was on the verge of fewer red cards. This was after the 2022-23 season saw a total of just 17 straight red cards, the fewest in history. However, the opposite has happened.

Referees have been penalising time wasters and disrupters, meaning players are at greater risk of being booked. This season, a yellow card has been issued for an average of 4.8 fouls, much faster than at the same stage in the previous five seasons.

Card decisions have a big impact on the game. In round 11, Tottenham, the only unbeaten team after 10 rounds, surprisingly lost 1-4 at home to Chelsea. The match will probably remain in the fans' memories for a long time because of the two red cards given to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, causing Tottenham to finish the match with only nine men on the field.

The appeal of the Premier League is no longer just about the technical side. Unpredictable events on the pitch, cards, goals, mistakes and controversies are becoming more and more frequent, adding to the entertainment value of the tournament. It is very possible that the 2023-2024 Premier League will set a record for goals and cards if this trend continues.

Vinh San

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