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Articles by Peter McKeever
Is Football Finally Coming Home? England’s Rise Since Euro 2016 Nadir
After 10 years of progress, England are transformed from the team that failed at Euro 2016. This is the story of how they came to be contenders to win the 2026 World Cup. Looking back, Euro 2016 feels like the nadir. There have been many low points for the England men’s team over the years since their only taste of glory in 1966.
UEFA Europa League Live Table and Predicted Knockout Opponents
Keep on top of everything that happens in the final round of 2025-26 league-phase fixtures with our live UEFA Europa League table and data-powered predictions.
UEFA Champions League Live Table and Predicted Knockout Opponents
Track the chaos of the final round of 2025-26 league-phase fixtures with our live Champions League table and data-powered predictions.
Who Will Win Serie A in 2025-26?
Which team will win Serie A this season? Stay up to date with our live Opta supercomputer predictions for the 2025-26 Italian top-flight title race. Napoli managed to pip Internazionale to the Serie A title on the final day last campaign to win the scudetto for the second time in three seasons. Winning the Serie A title in back-to-back seasons has proved difficult in recent years, with Juventus the last team to do so in 2019-20.
Who Will Be Relegated From the Premier League in 2025-26?
Which teams will be relegated from the Premier League this season? Stay up to date with our live Opta supercomputer predictions for the 2025-26 Premier League relegation battle. It looks like 2025-26 will finally end the run of all three newly-promoted sides being relegated straight back to the Championship.
Who Will Win the Premier League in 2025-26?
Which team will win the Premier League this season? Stay up to date with our live Opta supercomputer predictions for the 2025-26 Premier League title race. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal lead the way in the Premier League title race in 2025-26. Their improved strength-in-depth has helped them get this far, but can the Gunners go all the way and finally win their first title since 2003-04?
Opta Power Rankings: Who Are the Best Football Teams in the World?
Who are the best teams in world football? A common question that’s been asked through the ages, but one that isn’t always easy to answer… Unless we consult the Opta Power Rankings. The Opta Power Rankings is a global team ranking system that assigns an ability score to over 13,500 men’s domestic football teams and over 2,500 women’s clubs on a scale between zero and 100, where zero is the worst-ranked team in the world and 100 is the best team in the world.
The Three Promoted Premier League Sides Will Be Relegated Again - This Never Used to Happen
Usually, at least one of the three promoted sides avoids relegation, but Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich are all heading back to the Championship at the first time of asking. For the second season in a row, the three teams who had earned promotion to the Premier League only a year before will be heading straight back down to the Championship.
Where Will Dan Burn Rank Among England's Oldest Debutants?
Thomas Tuchel has called up 32-year-old Dan Burn in his first England squad, with the Newcastle defender in line to be one of the oldest players to make his England debut. But where would he rank all time in the oldest players to win their first cap? It’s been quite a week for Dan Burn. Last Friday, he received his first-ever call-up to the England national team.
Is Ange Postecoglou to Blame for Spurs’ Injury Crisis?
Tottenham have endured terrible problems with injuries this season, but how much are manager Ange Postecoglou’s tactics to blame? The Premier League has arguably never witnessed a team like this version of Tottenham Hotspur. Mired in the bottom half of the table and looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone despite having scored fewer goals (48) than only the top two, Ange Postecoglou’s side are an enigma.
The Premier League's Set-Piece Arms Race Has Only Just Begun
The influence of set-piece coaches in the Premier League seems to have grown significantly in recent years, but how much of an impact have they had, and is it just a fad? To many casual fans of English football, Brentford might seem unremarkable because they aren’t historically successful and the 2021-22 season was their first in the top flight since 1946-47.
Europa League Live Table and Predicted Knockout Opponents
Keep on top of everything that happens in the final round of 2024-25 league-phase fixtures with our live Europa League table and data-powered predictions.
Champions League Live Table and Predicted Knockout Opponents
Track the chaos of the final round of 2024-25 league-phase fixtures with our live Champions League table and data-powered predictions.
Champions League Predictions: Opta Supercomputer's 2024-25 League Phase Projections
Which teams will make it through the league phase of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League and into the knockouts? You can find the Opta supercomputer’s Champions League predictions and points projections on this page. The UEFA Champions League is back, although Europe’s elite club competition has a very different look for the 2024-25 season. Not only has the tournament increased from 32 to 36 teams, but we have a new format to get used to as well.
Champions League Predictions: Opta Supercomputer's 2024-25 League Phase Projections
Which teams will make it through the league phase of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League and into the knockouts? You can find the Opta supercomputer’s Champions League predictions and points projections on this page. The UEFA Champions League is back, although Europe’s elite club competition has a very different look for the 2024-25 season. Not only has the tournament increased from 32 to 36 teams, but we have a new format to get used to as well.
NBA Player Projections and Stats
DRIP is a projection of a player’s contribution to a team’s plus/minus per 100 possessions. All metrics above are NBA player projections calculated by our DRIP model, except for minutes. DELTA measures a player’s increase/decrease in DRIP from the beginning of the season until the end. Box position attempts to give a more accurate depiction of a player’s position, with 1 being a true point guard and 100 representing a traditional center.
NBA Player Rankings and Projections
Glossary of Key Metrics DRIP is a projection of a player’s contribution to a team’s plus/minus per 100 possessions. All metrics above are player projections calculated by our DRIP model, except for minutes. DELTA measures a player’s increase/decrease in DRIP from the beginning of the season until the end. Box position attempts to give a more accurate depiction of a player’s position, with 1 being a true point guard and 100 representing a traditional center.
NBA Predictions 2024-25
How our projection model works: It incorporates each team’s TRACR, win-loss record and strength of schedule throughout the season to date and our supercomputer simulates the remaining schedule to produce our season-long NBA predictions. TRACR normalizes performance from league environmental factors that can either inflate or deflate numbers.
Champions League Predictions: Opta Supercomputer's 2024-25 League Phase Projections
Which teams will make it through the league phase of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League and into the knockouts? You can find the Opta supercomputer’s Champions League predictions and points projections on this page. The UEFA Champions League is back, although Europe’s elite club competition has a very different look for the 2024-25 season. Not only has the tournament increased from 32 to 36 teams, but we have a new format to get used to as well.
How Do Playing Styles Change Across the Top European Leagues?
The Premier League, the Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and La Liga: they may be considered the top five leagues in the world, but how different is the football that’s played in them? We delved into the numbers… Throughout the history of football, certain styles of play or philosophies have become associated with specific countries.
The Player Welfare Debate: Is Football Really at Breaking Point?
With Manchester City star Rodri suggesting players could strike over their workload, we look into the numbers behind football’s packed schedule and ask whether anything needs to change. “I’ve got no idea what it was – maybe exhaustion, maybe dehydration?” Former Arsenal, Ipswich Town and West Brom midfielder Brian Talbot is discussing the aftermath of the 1980 FA Cup final with Opta Analyst. On the team bus following the game at the end of a record-breaking season, Talbot collapsed.
Is Premier League Pressing Getting Too Good For Every Team to Play Out From the Back?
Recent Premier League games have been full of goals scored from pressing and mistakes by players trying to play out from the back. We ask whether teams should be taking fewer risks with their build-up play as a result. There are a few things about modern-day football that really rile supporters up. Time-wasting; failing to beat the first man with a corner, or worse, taking a corner short; diving; Mikel Arteta. The list goes on – football fans are very, very good at finding something to moan about.
The Numbers Behind Arsenal’s ‘Time-Wasting’ Against Manchester City
With 10 men and a 2-1 lead, Arsenal defended doggedly against Manchester City. They very nearly held on to the win. But just how much did they rely on the dark arts to manage the game in the second half? Everyone knew what was coming. You knew it. Your dog knew it. Pep Guardiola knew it. Mikel Arteta definitely knew it. With Arsenal leading 2-1 at half-time away to Manchester City and down to 10 men after Leandro Trossard’s red card, there was only one thing for it.
Champions League Predictions: Opta Supercomputer's 2024-25 League Phase Projections
Which teams will make it through the league phase of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League and into the knockouts? You can find the Opta supercomputer’s Champions League predictions and points projections on this page. The UEFA Champions League is back, although Europe’s elite club competition has a very different look for the 2024-25 season. Not only has the tournament increased from 32 to 36 teams, but we have a new format to get used to as well.
Mikel Arteta is Happy for Arsenal to Win Ugly - He's Becoming a Mourinho-Guardiola Hybrid
Time-wasting or game management? However you define it, Arsenal have become masters of winning ugly. They will need to do the same again to beat Manchester City this weekend. Mikel Arteta is never far from the conversation when talk of time-wasting/game management (delete depending on your allegiance) looms.
Possession and Territory, but Too Few Chances Created: Tottenham’s Final-Third Problems Analysed
Tottenham are seeing more of the ball than any other Premier League team this season, but they’re not forging many clear sights of goal. We look at the numbers behind their struggles. Among plenty of positives during Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham reign, there have been a few specific issues that have plagued his team. Most of them have involved trying – or more accurately, failing – to keep the ball out of their own net.
Opta Power Rankings
Who are the best teams in world football? A common question that’s been asked through the ages, but one that isn’t always easy to answer. We’ve now got some help from the Opta Power Rankings. The Opta Power Rankings are a global team ranking system that assigns an ability score to over 13,000 men’s domestic football teams and over 2,000 women’s domestic football teams on a scale between zero and 100, where zero is the worst-ranked team in the world and 100 is the best team in the world.
Football Predictions | Opta Analyst
Your home for football predictions for various competitions in 2025-26 via the Opta supercomputer. The first section contains individual game-by-game predictions. Scroll down to see season-long predictions. Opta’s League Prediction model estimates the likelihood of teams finishing in each position in the competition. We can therefore see how successful a team’s season is likely to be, whether it’s their relegation or title chances.
Football Predictions | Opta Analyst
Your home for football predictions for various competitions in 2024-25 via the Opta supercomputer. The first section contains individual game-by-game predictions. Scroll down to see season-long predictions. Opta’s League Prediction model estimates the likelihood of teams finishing in each position in the competition. We can therefore see how successful a team’s season is likely to be, whether it’s their relegation or title chances.
NFL Predictions 2024
Our NFL predictions 2024 are updated after every scoring play throughout the season. How our projection model works: Rather than being a simulator of future games, it calculates projections by looking at each team’s quarterback and EVE (efficiency vs. expected) performance in terms of yards added in expected passing situations. The model analyzes every matchup of the regular season and gives each team a predicted win percentage across its games.
Player Radars: Opta's Player Comparison Tool
Compare players in seconds with the Opta Player Radars. From offensive contributions like shots, dribbles and chance creation, to defensive prowess such as aerial duels and defensive actions, compare different players’ rankings across various aspects of the game. With our comparison tool, you can answer questions like: Who’s the most similar player to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland? Now PSG have lost Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid, who are the best forwards to replace him?
Southgate's 100th Game Could Define his England Tenure
Overall, Gareth Southgate’s England reign has been a successful one, but it still hasn’t brought that elusive tournament victory. Ahead of his 100th game in charge this weekend, can Euro 2024 finally spell the end to England men’s trophy drought? Gareth Southgate will take charge of his 100th game as England manager on Saturday when his Three Lions’ side take on Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
ATP Wimbledon 2024 Predictions Hub
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UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifying Stats: The Round-Up
With UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying done and dusted, we recap the stats from across the campaign ahead of this summer’s European Championship tournament in Germany. UEFA Euro 2024 qualification is over. With 239 games played and 690 goals scored over a year of qualifiers, 53 nations have been whittled down to 24 finalists at Euro 2024 in Germany this summer. Here, we look over the key statistics from across the qualification campaign.
NFL Rookie Wide Receivers Who Make Contested Catches
The 2024 NFL Draft was rich in wide receiver prospects, and four of the top five of our pre-draft rankings wound up being first-round picks. With the draft in the rear-view mirror and teams working through OTAs and toward minicamp and training camp, then the NFL season ahead, we’re instead taking an alternate approach to dive into a more specific trait: Who will be the best in this talented class with contested catches?
What Are Difference-Making Statistics of the Best FCS Teams
Win the turnover battle and win the game. It’s an adage in football that is so true – and a staple in coachspeak – yet perhaps it’s too simplistic because football isn’t exactly a simple sport. Turnover margin has proven to be an excellent barometer for determining wins and losses, but many other statistics reflect the success of a team.
NBA Predictions 2023-24
Our 2023-24 NBA predictions are updated during every game throughout the season and playoffs. How our projection model works: It incorporates each team’s TRACR, win-loss record and strength of schedule throughout the season to date and our supercomputer simulates the remaining schedule to produce our season-long NBA predictions. TRACR normalizes performance from league environmental factors that can either inflate or deflate numbers.
Tottenham vs Arsenal: How Spurs Can Be Kingmakers in Premier League Title Race
Tottenham face Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool in the season’s remaining weeks, and could therefore play a major role in where the Premier League trophy ends up. When the 2023-24 Premier League fixture list came out last summer, anyone looking at Tottenham’s schedule would have noticed their gaze being immediately drawn toward the run-in. Spurs were to play Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool in successive games in late April and early May.
Are Premier League Changes Killing Off the ‘Bore Draw’?
Alterations to how Premier League matches are officiated appear to have enhanced the entertainment on offer. As such, 0-0 draws are rarer than ever. To many around the world, the idea of drawing in sport goes against the very nature of competitiveness, so the thought of a 0-0 draw will be confronting to some. In a variety of sports, it’s simply impossible to end a match, game or race dead-level because the rules prevent it, such as in tennis with tie-breakers or basketball with overtime.
How Our ELO Ratings Size up the Top Prospects in the NFL Draft
We’re using our new advanced metrics, 1-on-1 pass protection ELO rating and 1-on-1 pass rush ELO rating, to rank the top prospects in the NFL Draft. What makes a good pass rusher or pass protector? We’ve taken a big step toward answering that question by taking the “ELO” rating concept, which calculates the relative skill levels of players in zero-sum games (originally created for chess), and applying it to line play in the passing game in football.
MLB Scores and Standings
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How Pep Guardiola Expertly Manages Manchester City’s Surprisingly Shallow Squad
Pep Guardiola may find his Manchester City squad stretched in the final weeks of the season, and his management of the players’ game time will be crucial. Manchester City won the treble last season. A year on, they are one of only two teams (along with Paris Saint-Germain) who could still win the treble of domestic league, domestic cup and UEFA Champions League in 2023-24. They are also unbeaten in 22 games in all competitions, winning 19 of them, in a run stretching back to early December.
Euro 2024 Qualifying Stats: The Round-Up
With Euro 2024 qualifying now over following the play-offs, we recap the stats from across the campaign ahead of this summer’s tournament in Germany. Euro 2024 qualification is over. With 239 games played and 690 goals scored over a year of qualifiers, 53 nations have been whittled down to 24 finalists at Euro 2024 in Germany this summer. Here, we look over the key statistics from across the qualification campaign.
NWSL 2024 Season Stats
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2024 NCAA Tournament
(Teams showing 0.0% have less than a 0.1% probability of reaching that round.) How our projection model works: TRACR, a team rating adjusted for the team’s conference and current roster, is a net efficiency metric that evaluates team strength based on points per possession. A preseason adjustment, trained on over 15 years of college basketball data, is also included.
We've Got A Thrilling Title Race, But At What Cost?
The gap between the best and the worst teams in the Premier League is bigger than ever before. We examine why, and wonder where the top flight of English football is headed. Last weekend, the Premier League’s top five all won. Four of them were making it three wins in a row. Two of them haven’t lost this year. At the other end of the table, the bottom five all lost. Two of them haven’t won in at least nine games.
MLS Stats 2024 | The Analyst
Your home for MLS stats in 2024. Major League Soccer is home to arguably the greatest footballer alive, with Lionel Messi now in his second season at Inter Miami following his move from Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in June 2023. You can keep up-to-date with how he’s getting on in our MLS stats hub, plus track how last year’s Major League Soccer champions Columbus Crew are faring.
Are Manchester United Really That Bad at Corners?
Manchester United have received plenty of attention recently for how they defend and attack corners. We analysed the data to see if the criticism is justified or not. With Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying a significant stake in Manchester United and beginning to overhaul the club off the pitch, it would seem that at long last the Glazer era is coming to an end, but otherwise there have been few positives emanating from Old Trafford this season.
Are Manchester United Really That Bad at Corners?
Manchester United have received plenty of attention recently for how they defend and attack corners. We analysed the data to see if the criticism is justified or not. With Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying a significant stake in Manchester United and beginning to overhaul the club off the pitch, it would seem that at long last the Glazer era is coming to an end, but otherwise there have been few positives emanating from Old Trafford this season.
Australian Open 2024 Predictions Hub
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