The Alternative Premier League Table: No 16 – Pressing and possession won in final third – The Athletic

Welcome to the latest edition of The Alternative Premier League Table, where each week The Athletic analyses the entire division through a specific lens.

After Conor O’Neill studied the impact made by substitutes at each club last week, Anantaajith Raghuraman is back and looking at each team’s pressing.

As usual, the article that follows is long but detailed, so please settle down and enjoy it all — or use the index at the bottom of the page to jump to a specific club.

The Premier League’s shift towards more direct football has had many in-possession consequences for teams. An unnoticed change, however, is in the work being done out of possession.

Teams are averaging 3.4 possessions won in the attacking third per 90, the lowest in the last eight seasons. Simultaneously, the average passes per defensive action (a metric measuring how long a team waits before making a defensive action, with a lower figure indicating higher intensity) is the second lowest in that period at 12.4.

More teams are employing principles that bait the opposition’s press before playing over them, but some teams have continued to excel at winning the ball high up the pitch, resulting in high-quality opportunities.

This week’s Alternative Table ranks the 20 clubs based on their average PPDA and possessions won in the attacking third per 90 across the first 15 matchdays.

Key takeaways include:

• Brighton & Hove Albion lead all teams in possessions won in the attacking third, with 4.9 per 90, and have the second-best PPDA.
• Bournemouth currently have the best PPDA in the league for the second season in a row, though their possessions won in the attacking third have dropped.
• Manchester City’s PPDA has dropped substantially from 2024-25 — another indicator of the tactical shift they have made.
• Crystal Palace have continued to sit deep for the second successive season, preferring to press aggressively in midfield rather than higher up the pitch.

Brighton

James Milner said to Sky Sports before the start of 2024-25 that Brighton’s training sessions under Fabian Hurzeler were giving him “flashbacks” to his time at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp.

Intensity without the ball has been one of Hurzeler’s hallmarks, with Brighton leading all teams in possessions won in the attacking third this season. They have often done this by giving their midfielders the freedom to move into the front line. Yasin Ayari, Diego Gomez (who has played 383 minutes in holding midfield), and Carlos Baleba have combined to win the ball 16 times in the final third.

Georginio Rutter has been the wrecker-in-chief, though, with 10 possessions won in the attacking third, often doing so with relentless running and sudden bursts of acceleration from the blind side of opposition players.

Manchester City

Long renowned for his eagerness to win the ball back, this is perhaps the most passive a Pep Guardiola side has ever been.

Their 3.9 possessions won in the attacking third per 90 is nearly half of the 7.5 per 90 they managed as recently as 2023-24. This is the first time they do not have a final-third regain that has ended in a goal since the start of 2018-19 (though clearly this season still has a while to go).

City’s PPDA of 14.5 is the highest in that same span and has steadily risen since 2021-22, as seen below.

Guardiola has prioritised security instead, with Rodri in and out of the team and a much more youthful squad at his disposal. City have remained receptive to opposition mistakes, choosing their moments to pounce after baiting the press forward rather than leaving themselves exposed as they did in 2024-25.

Tijjani Reijnders, often deployed as a No 6 or No 8, leads the team with eight possessions won in the attacking third, with Nico Gonzalez and Erling Haaland second on seven.

Bournemouth

Building from last season, Andoni Iraola’s side remain one of the league’s most intense pressers alongside Brighton and Arsenal. Most teams are yet to figure out solutions to Bournemouth’s man-marking high up the pitch, often giving the ball away while attempting to play through it.

The few that have figured it out have done so by going long and combining it with positional fluidity to drag players into unfamiliar areas of the pitch. That has seen their shot-ending possessions won in the attacking third drop from 5.7 per 90 in 2024-25 to 4.2 this term. A quick look at their map of regains in the final third shows that they are often away from goal.

Antoine Semenyo leads the team with 10 possessions won in the attacking third. Eli Junior Kroupi has shown his worth up front, winning the ball back six times in the final third in just 411 minutes.

Crystal Palace

Palace rank second bottom in PPDA and joint 17th in possessions won in the attacking third. The teams around them in both metrics – Burnley, West Ham United, Fulham, and Wolverhampton Wanderers – have struggled, while Palace are in the top four.

Oliver Glasner’s system relies on securing the middle of the pitch rather than pressing the opposition defence. This setup (against Liverpool below) to prevent the ball from reaching the No 6 is a common theme of how Palace press — passive but effective.

They often drop into an aggressive mid-block, locking zones of central progression while using their wing-backs and one of the three centre-backs to support their two-man holding midfield.

Palace are OK to cede possession with the knowledge that their midfield and defence can keep most teams at arm’s length. They have conceded just 3.9 shots on target per 90 since the start of last season, the third lowest behind Arsenal (2.9) and Manchester City (3.5).

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal into one of Europe’s best out-of-possession sides. A lot of that has to do with their intensity, anticipation, ability to transition between man-marking and defending space, and well-drilled jumps from midfield or full-backs.

The 2-1 loss to Aston Villa last weekend was the fourth time they have won seven possessions in the attacking third this season (including four in the opening 23 minutes). Only Manchester City, Bournemouth and Liverpool have done that more than once.

Bukayo Saka leads the team with 11 possessions won in the attacking third. Noni Madueke and Martin Odegaard, who have played fewer than 425 minutes each, have combined to do so 11 times, and their injuries hurt the team’s press.

Liverpool

Liverpool’s pressing numbers have dipped in comparison to last season, with their PPDA rising from 10.4 to 10.6 and possessions won in the final third dropping from 4.4 to 4.

The reduction in intensity is a surprise given Arne Slot’s side have chased more games this term than they did on their way to the 2024-25 league title. But Slot is yet to find the right combination of forwards from the options at his disposal. Playing four attack-minded players has often resulted in teams baiting the press and finding the spare man to overload Liverpool’s midfield.

The departure of Luis Diaz, who won 22 possessions in the attacking third last season, has contributed to the drop-off, too.

Liverpool lead the league in goals scored from regains in the final third with four, though, capitalising on errors against Leeds United, Aston Villa, Brentford and Bournemouth.

Aston Villa

John McGinn leads all players in possessions won in the attacking third, with 14, playing a major role in Villa’s rise despite the team having only the 10th-best PPDA.

The 31-year-old has been relentless in pushing up from midfield to press opponents on their blind side. Many of these have come moments after Villa lose the ball in attack, giving them the chance to sustain attacks. They have often come on the right flank, but McGinn has been afforded the freedom to drift across the pitch.

Rather than pressing high up the pitch, Unai Emery has often used a mid-block to force teams to play around Villa rather than through them. They also deploy a high line, which has forced 2.5 offsides per 90, the second-most in the league (marginally behind Liverpool).

McGinn has been the connector between those two aspects alongside Morgan Rogers (11 possessions won in the attacking third).

Everton

Right behind McGinn in this metric are Everton duo Jack Grealish (13) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (12). Both have proven to be energetic and proactive out-of-possession additions to a team that is sixth in possessions won in the attacking third after ranking 12th last season.

This clip against Sunderland shows how well the duo work in tandem when applying pressure in the attacking third. Grealish initially applies pressure before Dewsbury-Hall anticipates well to win the ball, with the duo then sharing a neat one-touch exchange.

Iliman Ndiaye has added 11 regains in the attacking third, too, while among centre-backs, James Tarkowski leads the league with three (level with Jan Paul van Hecke).

David Moyes’ sides have seldom been known for their aggression high up the pitch, but this Everton team has individuals who can make the difference.

Leeds United

Leeds, who have the joint-fourth most possessions won in the attacking third, recorded eight of those during their 3-1 home win over Chelsea earlier this month, their best result of the season. It was the joint-third best performance in that metric by a team in a single match (seven other teams have done so, too).

Daniel Farke’s side began 2025-26 with a safety-first approach, fortifying the defence instead of prioritising attacking fluency. That was also on show in that Chelsea victory, with Leeds recording a PPDA of 21.0, their second-highest of the campaign, and pouncing on the visitors’ numerous defensive lapses.

Ao Tanaka being given the freedom to push forward from midfield to press, sometimes alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin, has played a key part. It was a role that Anton Stach, who leads the team with 11 possessions won in the final third, played at the start of the season.

Starting Tanaka and Stach, energetic midfielders who are excellent at covering ground, provides Leeds with the ability to trigger a high press, but also protect spaces and fall back into a deeper block.

Leeds’ pressing has also played a part in Calvert-Lewin receiving more service. Only Mohamed Salah (six) has attempted more shots from regains in the attacking third than his five, with one of those being the third goal against Chelsea.

Newcastle United

Newcastle’s pressing intensity has significantly dropped in the past two seasons. Their average PPDA across 2024-25 and 2025-26 stands at 11.4 compared to 10.6 across 2022-23 and 2023-24. They have won 4.1 possessions in the final third per 90 this season, down from the 5.2 they averaged across 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Eddie Howe has brought in a tactical change, with Newcastle often using a five-man second line out of possession. Their wingers have the licence to push up to join the No 9, the lone first-line presser, but have often stayed deeper alongside the midfield trio. Injuries have also forced them to field five-man defences, further limiting their ability to squeeze space higher up the pitch.

Newcastle have shown signs of returning to a more aggressive press. Three of their five best matches in terms of PPDA have come in the last four matchdays. Their 11 possessions won in the attacking third during the 2-2 draw with Tottenham was the highest single-game mark by a team this season.

Chelsea

In his second season, Enzo Maresca has seen Chelsea improve their PPDA from 12.0 to 10.5. They are winning fewer possessions in the attacking third (4.97 in 2024-25 vs 3.3 this season), but that has been a league-wide trend, with teams going more direct rather than playing through pressure.

Joao Pedro leads the team with 10 possessions won in the attacking third and has been a shrewd addition in that regard. Moises Caicedo, another signing from Brighton, has excelled in pushing up from midfield to limit opposition midfielders from dropping deep to pick up possession.

Maresca has often used a 4-4-2 system to press teams, using the No 10 and striker as the first line and the wingers and holding midfielders as the second. The system aims to squeeze teams into the wider areas and limit their passing options.

Chelsea have varied that approach according to the opponent, too. On occasion, they have left players higher up the pitch to threaten in transition after forcing turnovers.

Manchester United

United are mid-table in PPDA and possessions won in the attacking third, but rank second behind Liverpool (four) with three regains in the final third ending in goals. One of those was their opener in the 4-1 win at Wolves, coming from a loose Andre pass. The match saw them record their best PPDA mark of the season (6.3).

Ruben Amorim’s side are not intense pressers, preferring, like many teams, to secure the middle of the pitch instead. United lead the league in possessions won in the midfield third with 21.9 per 90, with Bruno Fernandes (3.4 per 90) and Casemiro (3.3 per 90) providing the bite.

This United squad is better suited to winning first and second balls in midfield than pressing higher up the pitch. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have made an impact on that front, though, with 18 combined possessions won in the final third.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves rank joint 17th in possessions won in the final third with 2.7 per 90, their lowest since the start of 2018-19.

There was an alarming lack of coherence to their out-of-possession work under Vitor Pereira and not much has changed under Rob Edwards. They rank 17th in tackle success rate in the attacking third at 33 per cent and have rarely been well-positioned to win second balls, something they did well under Pereira at the end of last season.

A hurting Arsenal are up next.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham averaged the league’s best PPDA (9.4) across Ange Postecoglou’s two seasons in charge, while winning the third-most possessions in the final third (5.7), behind Manchester City and Arsenal.

Thomas Frank’s Spurs sit fourth in PPDA (10.4), but part of the reason it is high has been down to them chasing games. Their five best PPDA returns came in games in which they trailed and needed to force the issue. Spurs sit joint 13th in final-third regains with 3.1 and rank bottom in possessions won in the final third that have led to a shot, with just two.

Tottenham manager Frank (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Dominic Solanke’s absence due to injury — he has played just 31 league minutes — after proving his worth as the leader of the press at Bournemouth and in spurts last season has played a part. Frank’s system also means Tottenham prefer to stay compact in midfield after teams exploited the massive gaps in the middle third in 2024-25.

Nottingham Forest

Forest’s numbers have been consistent in terms of possessions won in the attacking third despite the difference in styles between Nuno Espirito Santo, Postecoglou and current boss Sean Dyche. They hold the record for the highest single-game PPDA this season, recording a 28.2 mark by sitting deep and absorbing pressure in the 3-0 win over Liverpool.

Forest’s midfielders have been the primary architects of their forward press, with Elliot Anderson (nine) and Morgan Gibbs-White (seven) winning the most possessions in the attacking third. The duo, who are often given the licence to advance into the pockets of space during the opposition’s build-up phase, led these charts for Forest in 2024-25, too.

Among wide defenders, Neco Williams’ five possessions won in the attacking third only trails Brighton’s Mats Wieffer (eight).

Sunderland

Sunderland’s impressive return to the top flight has been enabled in part by a solid defensive base and a hybrid structure ahead of them.

Regis Le Bris’ side are versatile in how they set up out of possession, with players from the second line afforded freedom to push ahead and vice versa. Like most high-performing sides, they force their opponents to filter play out wide and are confident in their ability to deal with crosses and cutbacks.

That has meant they have not required an aggressive press up top. Sunderland are the only team to record three different matches (against Forest, Wolves and Arsenal) without a single possession won in the final third. They won two of those and drew the other.

Sunderland are also excellent at recognising when to jump into tackles in the middle third, prioritising quality (52 per cent duel success rate) over quantity (5.9 per 90, the fifth-fewest).

Fulham

Fulham are averaging their fewest possessions won in the attacking third (2.4 per 90) since returning to the Premier League in 2022.

Marco Silva’s team has struggled to press efficiently from the top without Andreas Pereira, who departed in the summer to join Palmeiras. Alex Iwobi has had to play deeper to lend the midfield balance, resulting in fewer forced turnovers in the final third. The lack of a high press has also seen teams easily bait Fulham’s players forward and play over them into the vast spaces left by their midfielders.

Their only possession won in the final third that has led to a goal came in the 2-1 win over Tottenham, when Guglielmo Vicario passed straight to Josh King, who set up Harry Wilson to score from 35 yards out.

King’s development could see him take over the role Pereira held in Silva’s setup, but that would be placing a heavy burden on the 18-year-old’s shoulders.

Brentford

Brentford ranked third for possessions won in the attacking third in 2024-25 with 5.0 per 90. That has dropped to 3.1 per 90, only good for 13th.

When pressing, Brentford have shown their most intensity from goal kicks, using several synchronised jumps to lock onto opposition players in the build-up phase. They drive teams wider and set traps on one side of the pitch, baiting them to attempt a switch to the other flank.

From open play, Brentford often fall into a low block, regularly using a 5-3-2 or 4-4-2 shape, with Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade as the principal outlets. Their defensive work rate from front to back is one of the best in the league, and they are excellent at picking moments to be aggressive.

Burnley

Burnley rank bottom for possessions won in the attacking third with 2.0 per 90 (down from 3.97 per 90 in 2023-24 under Vincent Kompany), often setting up in deep defensive shapes.

Scott Parker has a few talented players, but the overall difference in quality and depth means they cannot go toe-for-toe with most teams in the top flight. Jaidon Anthony has recorded a team-leading six possessions won in the final third to go with his four goals and one assist.

West Ham United

West Ham’s numbers have stayed consistent under Graham Potter and Nuno, suggesting that while they are not faultless, the personnel at their disposal have played a sizeable role.

The east Londoners have looked better resorting to a more old-school style of defending under Nuno. But in a league where jumps from midfield are becoming more important to contain opposition build-up, the lack of mobility in West Ham’s engine room outside of Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa is a concern.

Jarrod Bowen, as with most of their metrics over the past two seasons, leads them in possessions won in the attacking third with nine. Callum Wilson and Fernandes are second, with five each.