11 Goals, a Manchester City Comeback and Late Liverpool Drama — Sunday’s Premier League Roundup
After90
Three Premier League matches, 11 goals and drama until the 98th minute. Full match stats and analysis powered by After90Sports Data.
The opening round of the 2026-27 Premier League delivered plenty of drama on Sunday, August 23, with three matches producing 11 goals, a dominant Brighton performance, a late Manchester City comeback and a Liverpool equaliser deep into stoppage time.
This report is based exclusively on verified After90Sports match data, including goals, statistics, lineups, cards, substitutions and head-to-head records.
All statistics and match data in this report are sourced from verified After90Sports Data.
Sunday by the Numbers
Across the three matches:
- 3 matches
- 11 goals
- 81 shots
- 24 shots on target
- 9.54 Expected Goals
- 26 corners
- 71 fouls
- 14 yellow cards
- 1 red card
- 2 wins and 1 draw
Brighton recorded the biggest victory of the day, Manchester City needed two late goals to turn defeat into victory, while Dominik Szoboszlai rescued Liverpool with a 90+8' penalty at Newcastle.
Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth
Cherki Inspires a Dramatic Late Comeback
Manchester City opened their Premier League campaign with three points, but they had to work until stoppage time to overcome Bournemouth 2-1.
The visitors took the lead in the 26th minute when Marcus Tavernier converted after an assist from Evanilson.
Bournemouth held onto that advantage until the 84th minute.
That was when City's substitutions finally changed the game.
Rayan Cherki, introduced in the 63rd minute, provided the assist for Marc Guéhi to equalise in the 84th minute.
Then, in the first minute of stoppage time, Cherki was involved again, setting up Joško Gvardiol for the winning goal.
Final score:
Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Manchester City | Bournemouth |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 66% | 34% |
| Shots | 12 | 5 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 4 |
| Expected Goals | 2.16 | 0.63 |
| Corners | 8 | 3 |
| Fouls | 11 | 11 |
| Pass Accuracy | 89% | 80% |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 2 |
City controlled 66% possession and attempted 12 shots compared with Bournemouth's five.
Their 2.16 Expected Goals, compared with Bournemouth's 0.63, also reflected the greater quality of City's attacking opportunities.
Yet Bournemouth remained ahead until the 84th minute before City's late pressure finally produced the breakthrough.
Rayan Cherki Changes the Game
Cherki's impact from the bench was decisive.
He entered the match in the 63rd minute and assisted:
- 84' — Marc Guéhi
- 90+1' — Joško Gvardiol
City therefore went from:
Manchester City 0-1 Bournemouth
to:
Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth
with Cherki directly assisting both goals.
City's Remarkable Record Against Bournemouth
The result also extends Manchester City's dominant head-to-head record.
According to After90Sports Data, the teams have met 18 times:
- Manchester City: 16 wins
- Draws: 1
- Bournemouth: 1 win
Their five meetings before Sunday's game were:
- Bournemouth 1-1 Manchester City
- Manchester City 3-1 Bournemouth
- Manchester City 3-1 Bournemouth
- Bournemouth 2-1 Manchester City
- Bournemouth 0-1 Manchester City
City have now added another 2-1 victory to that record.
Brighton 4-0 Aston Villa
Four Goals in 31 Minutes
Brighton produced the most dominant performance of Sunday's Premier League action with a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa.
All four goals arrived within the opening 31 minutes.
Villa defender Victor Lindelöf scored an own goal in the eighth minute to give Brighton the lead.
Maxim De Cuyper doubled the advantage in the 18th minute after an assist from Georginio Rutter.
Then came Jack Hinshelwood.
He scored Brighton's third in the 30th minute from Diego Gómez's assist and added another just one minute later.
After only 31 minutes:
Brighton 4-0 Aston Villa
Villa's afternoon got even worse when João Gomes was sent off in the 40th minute.
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Brighton | Aston Villa |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 71% | 29% |
| Shots | 19 | 6 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 0 |
| Expected Goals | 3.58 | 0.31 |
| Corners | 5 | 2 |
| Fouls | 12 | 8 |
| Pass Accuracy | 93% | 78% |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 2 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 1 |
Perhaps the most striking number:
Aston Villa recorded zero shots on target
Brighton's Expected Goals figure reached 3.58, compared with only 0.31 for Villa.
The hosts also controlled 71% possession, attempted 19 shots and completed their passes at an impressive 93% accuracy.
It was a comprehensive statistical advantage.
Hinshelwood Strikes Twice in Two Minutes
Jack Hinshelwood was one of the standout performers of the day.
His goals came in:
- 30' — Brighton's third
- 31' — Brighton's fourth
Two goals in consecutive minutes effectively ended the contest before the first half was over.
A Significant Win Considering the Head-to-Head Record
What makes Brighton's result even more impressive is Aston Villa's previous dominance in this fixture.
Before Sunday's match, After90Sports Data showed:
- 14 meetings
- Brighton: 2 wins
- Draws: 3
- Aston Villa: 9 wins
Villa had therefore won nine of the previous 14 recorded meetings.
This time Brighton did not simply win.
They won:
Brighton 4-0 Aston Villa
Newcastle United 2-2 Liverpool
Newcastle Lead Twice Before Szoboszlai Rescues Liverpool
Newcastle versus Liverpool produced the tightest and most dramatic match of the day.
The hosts needed only five minutes to take the lead.
William Osula provided the assist for Anthony Elanga, who opened the scoring.
Liverpool finally responded in the 55th minute when Ryan Gravenberch set up Cody Gakpo.
But Newcastle needed only two minutes to restore their lead.
Substitute Joe Willock scored in the 57th minute following an assist from Yoane Wissa.
The home side remained in front until deep into stoppage time.
Then, in the:
90+8'
Liverpool were awarded a penalty.
Dominik Szoboszlai converted to rescue a point.
Final score:
Newcastle United 2-2 Liverpool
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Newcastle United | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 40% | 60% |
| Shots | 13 | 26 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 6 |
| Expected Goals | 1.42 | 1.44 |
| Corners | 2 | 6 |
| Fouls | 15 | 14 |
| Pass Accuracy | 77% | 84% |
| Yellow Cards | 4 | 3 |
Liverpool clearly produced more attempts:
26 shots compared with Newcastle's 13.
They also controlled 60% possession.
But the most interesting statistic is how close the Expected Goals figures were:
- Newcastle: 1.42
- Liverpool: 1.44
A difference of only 0.02.
Liverpool may have taken twice as many shots, but the overall quality of chances created by the two teams was almost identical.
Liverpool Had Twice the Shots — But Almost Identical Expected Goals
This is perhaps the most interesting analytical takeaway from Sunday's matches.
Liverpool:
26 shots
Newcastle:
13 shots
Exactly twice as many attempts.
Yet:
- Liverpool — 1.44 Expected Goals
- Newcastle — 1.42 Expected Goals
That suggests Newcastle generated far fewer attempts but produced chances of sufficient quality to keep their overall attacking threat almost level with Liverpool.
Liverpool's Historical Advantage
According to After90Sports Data, the teams' previous 28 recorded meetings produced:
- Liverpool: 18 wins
- Newcastle United: 3 wins
- Draws: 7
Their five meetings before Sunday's match:
- Liverpool 4-1 Newcastle
- Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool
- Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle
- Newcastle 3-3 Liverpool
- Liverpool 4-2 Newcastle
Despite Liverpool's significant historical advantage, Newcastle were only minutes away from taking all three points this time.
Sunday Match Comparison
| Match | Score | Possession | Shots | Shots on Target | Expected Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City vs Bournemouth | 2-1 | 66%-34% | 12-5 | 5-4 | 2.16-0.63 |
| Brighton vs Aston Villa | 4-0 | 71%-29% | 19-6 | 5-0 | 3.58-0.31 |
| Newcastle vs Liverpool | 2-2 | 40%-60% | 13-26 | 4-6 | 1.42-1.44 |
Sunday's Standout Numbers
11 Goals
The three matches produced:
11 goals
81 Shots
Total attempts:
- Manchester City vs Bournemouth: 17
- Brighton vs Aston Villa: 25
- Newcastle vs Liverpool: 39
Total:
81 shots
24 Shots on Target
- Manchester City vs Bournemouth: 9
- Brighton vs Aston Villa: 5
- Newcastle vs Liverpool: 10
Total:
24 shots on target
9.54 Expected Goals
The three matches combined for:
9.54 Expected Goals
They produced 11 actual goals.
Brighton Lead the Attacking Numbers
Brighton recorded the highest Expected Goals total among all six teams:
3.58
They also scored the most goals:
4
And they were the only team on Sunday whose opponent failed to record a single shot on target.
93% Pass Accuracy
Brighton also produced the highest pass accuracy of the six teams:
93%
Manchester City followed with 89%, while Liverpool recorded 84%.
Two Assists for Rayan Cherki
Cherki entered in the 63rd minute and created both Manchester City goals:
- 84' — Marc Guéhi
- 90+1' — Joško Gvardiol
A direct contribution to turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory.
Two Hinshelwood Goals in Two Minutes
Hinshelwood scored in:
- 30'
- 31'
to help Brighton put Aston Villa out of reach before half-time.
Liverpool: Twice the Shots, Almost Equal Chance Quality
Liverpool attempted 26 shots.
Newcastle managed 13.
But the Expected Goals numbers were:
- Liverpool: 1.44
- Newcastle: 1.42
A remarkably small difference despite Liverpool having twice as many attempts.
Five Takeaways from Sunday's Premier League Action
1. Manchester City's Bench Can Change Matches
City were still scoreless after 83 minutes.
Then Cherki helped create two goals in a matter of minutes.
It was an early reminder of how important squad depth could become over the course of the season.
2. Brighton Produced the Strongest Opening Performance
Among Sunday's six teams, Brighton delivered some of the most dominant numbers:
- 4 goals
- 71% possession
- 19 shots
- 3.58 Expected Goals
- 93% pass accuracy
- 0 shots on target conceded
A very strong opening statement.
3. Aston Villa's Start Is Concerning
Their numbers tell the story:
- 0 goals
- 0 shots on target
- 0.31 Expected Goals
- 29% possession
- 1 red card
- 4-0 defeat
A difficult start to the new campaign.
4. Liverpool Produced Volume, But Chance Quality Tells Another Story
Twenty-six attempts is a significant attacking volume.
But Liverpool's 1.44 Expected Goals compared with Newcastle's 1.42 shows that the difference in opportunity quality was nowhere near as large as the difference in shot count.
That will be an interesting trend to monitor over the coming weeks.
5. Stoppage Time Changed Two Results
Manchester City scored the winner in:
90+1'
Liverpool equalised in:
90+8'
Those late moments changed City's return from one point to three and saved Liverpool from opening the season with a defeat.
A Sunday That Had Everything
Eleven goals.
A comeback.
A 4-0 demolition.
A red card.
A winner in the 90+1st minute.
And an equaliser from the penalty spot in the 90+8th.
Sunday's three Premier League matches delivered three very different stories.
Brighton produced the strongest statistical performance.
Manchester City showed their ability to turn a game around late.
Liverpool dominated possession and shot volume but needed the final moments to rescue a point.
Newcastle, meanwhile, demonstrated that generating fewer attempts does not necessarily mean creating significantly less danger.
After just three matches, Sunday's final numbers were:
11 goals. 81 shots. Drama until the 98th minute.
Data Source
All results, goals, statistics, lineups, cards, substitutions and head-to-head records in this report are sourced exclusively from:
After90Sports Data
Verified football data from After90Sports — Football. Data. Beyond the 90.