Top-flight domestic football returned with a bang this weekend, with clubs embarking on the run up to Christmas across Europe's top divisions.
There were fresh goalscoring records for prolific pair Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, Alejandro Garnacho netted one of the all-time great Premier League goals as Manchester United achieved a notable landmark at the other end of the pitch too, while Tottenham Hotspur equalled some unwanted records with a third straight defeat.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up the very best stats from matches across Europe this weekend.
AC MILAN
15&260 – At 15 years and 260 days, Francesco Camarda is the youngest player to make his debut in #SerieA history, surpassing Wisdom Amey who debuted at 15 years, 274 days. History.#MilanFiorentina pic.twitter.com/kzyaUFWFm0
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 25, 2023
5 - Théo Hernández is the only defender to have scored at least two goals in each of the last five Serie A seasons, the second in the Big-5 European leagues in the period, after Achraf Hakimi. Supremacy.#MilanFiorentina pic.twitter.com/Ob5CtOzDei
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 25, 2023
AJAX
2 - Steven Berghuis is the second @AFCAjax player to provide 2+ assists in two consecutive @eredivisie home games this century, after Steven Pienaar in May 2003. Namesake. pic.twitter.com/dlcKO7pz7n
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 25, 2023
ARSENAL
2015 - This is the second time in Premier League history the top 2 have met but neither have finished the day top of the table, after 28th November 2015 (Leicester 1-1 Man Utd, Man City ended day top). Tight. #BREARS pic.twitter.com/y4MaG5FubY
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 25, 2023
ARSENAL WOMEN
100+ - Beth Mead has become the second player to reach 100 goals+assists in the @BarclaysWSL, after Vivianne Miedema:
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
112 - Miedema (78 goals, 34 assists)
100 - Mead (57 goals, 43 assists)
Power. pic.twitter.com/Xfejl08r40
ASTON VILLA
4th - Aston Villa will end a day in the Premier League's top four positions at least 13 games into a season for the first time since December 27th 2009. Flying. pic.twitter.com/MpyrLWCaeT
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
12 - Among all Premier League players, only Erling Haaland (18) has scored more goals across all competitions than Ollie Watkins (12) this season. Sharp. pic.twitter.com/As93jYUJme
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
ATLETICO MADRID>h2>
25 - Only Manchester City (26) have won more games in 2023 among teams in Europe's top five leagues than @atletienglish (25, like Barcelona), being the red-and-white side the one with the most league wins at home this year (17).
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 25, 2023
Sweet. pic.twitter.com/RCmjxqouiu
600 - @Koke6 🔴⚪️ becomes tonight the first player ever to reach 600 appearances with @atletienglish in all competitions. Indio. pic.twitter.com/ToPtiPachb
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 25, 2023
BARCELONA
15 - Barcelona have won 15 points in LaLiga this season from goals scored in the last 15 minutes of a game, the highest tally this season among Europe's top five leagues. Tension. pic.twitter.com/OQMtlfmPik
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 25, 2023
BAYER LEVERKUSEN
8 - Xabi Alonso is the first Leverkusen manager to win eight consecutive Bundesliga matches. Record. #SVWB04 pic.twitter.com/JbJPFdt6JC
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 25, 2023
6 - Álex Grimaldo is the first player since detailed data collection (2004-05) to be involved in a goal in each of his first six away games in the Bundesliga. Wanderlust. #SVWB04 @OptaJose pic.twitter.com/g1xEyGE9nE
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 25, 2023
2 - Bayer 04 Leverkusen are the first club in Bundesliga history to score at least twice in each of their first 12 matches of a season. Doubleverkusen. #SVWB04 pic.twitter.com/gqsvfVDil5
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 25, 2023
BAYERN MUNICH
18 – Bayern München's Harry Kane is the first player in Bundesliga history to score 18 goals in the first 12 matchdays of a season, as well as the first Englishman to score 18 goals in a single campaign in the competition. Sir. #KOEFCB pic.twitter.com/b9ZgroziMg
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 24, 2023
0 - Today's 1-0 win at Köln was the first time FC Bayern München did not make a single substitution in a Bundesliga match since the 11th of December 2010 and a 3-0 win over St. Pauli under Louis van Gaal. Rarity. #KOEFCB
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 24, 2023
BOLOGNA
11 - Bologna have kept 11 clean sheets at home in #SerieA under Thiago Motta: no other side have collected more on their own patch in the period (since September 2022, 17) in the competition (also 11 Juventus). Wall.#BolognaTorino
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 27, 2023
BOURNEMOUTH
5 - Justin Kluivert has become the second player to score in each of the big 5 European leagues (Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and German Bundesliga) in the 21st century, after Stevan Jovetic. Completed. #SHUBOU pic.twitter.com/WbssCxiWgw
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 25, 2023
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
17 - Brighton are the first side to both score and concede in 17 consecutive top-flight games since Manchester United in 1959-60 (also 17 in a row). Entertainers. #NFOBHA
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 25, 2023
CAGLIARI
450 & 700 - Claudio Ranieri reached 2 milestones in Cagliari-Monza:
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 26, 2023
- 450th match as manager in Serie A
- 700 points gained as manager in Serie A.
Sir.Claudio#CagliariMonza #SerieA
EVERTON
Everton have had more shots than their opponents in 9 of 13 @premierleague games this season
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) November 26, 2023
5 of those games ended in defeat - most defeats of any PL team this season when outshooting their opponents
🫣 pic.twitter.com/1L7fDDBZ8F
4 - Only Burnley (0) have earned fewer points at home than Everton (4) in the Premier League this season. Indeed, it's the fewest points the Toffees have ever picked up from their opening seven home matches of a league season. Sticky. pic.twitter.com/nBQmOvo7EP
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
FC TWENTE
0 - @fctwente lost an @eredivisie home game for the first time since 7 May 2022 (1-2 against Fortuna Sittard) and failed to find the net at their own ground for the first time since 28 November 2021 (0-0 against Feyenoord). Interrupted. pic.twitter.com/ggbBQPPeb3
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 25, 2023
FEYENOORD
28 - Santiago Giménez scored his 28th Eredivisie goal of 2023, the highest tally for a player in a calendar year since Luis Suárez in 2009 (30 goals). Pistolero. pic.twitter.com/R0YC2FOyf0
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 25, 2023
FULHAM2h>
3 - Fulham vs Wolves today was just the second time in Premier League history that three penalties were scored in the second half of a game after Everton vs Newcastle United in September 2003. Tense. pic.twitter.com/4KahISohri
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 27, 2023
30y 36d - Fulham's starting XI tonight has an average age of 30 years and 36 days, the oldest by a Premier League side this season and their oldest in the competition since April 2014 against Hull City (30y 193d). Experience. pic.twitter.com/ifcECtLPC3
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 27, 2023
GIRONA
34 - Girona have collected 34 points after their first 13 games in LaLiga 2023/24 (W11 D1 L1) – four of the last five teams with 34 or more points at this stage of the campaign in the top-flight ended up as champions (except for Barcelona in 2013/14 - 37 points, 2nd). Surprise. pic.twitter.com/VWbByajUjW
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 27, 2023
GRANADA
33 - #Granada 🔴⚪️ have conceded 33 goals after 14 games played in @LaLigaEn 23/24, their third worst ever record at this stage of the competition in a single season after 1942/43 (39) and 1944/45 (35). Gap.
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 24, 2023
HERACLES
20y, 41d - Aged 20 years and 41 days, Mohamed Sankoh is the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick for Heracles Almelo in the Eredivisie. Hero. pic.twitter.com/tSVVcNE2LO
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 26, 2023
INTER MILAN
27 - Lautaro Martínez has scored 27 goals in Serie A in 2023, only two Inter players have scored more goals in a single calendar year in Serie A since 2000: Diego Milito (28 in 2012) and Christian Vieri (28 in 2001). Brilliant.#JuventusInter #SerieA pic.twitter.com/d4ViEaC3lK
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 26, 2023
JONG PSV
45:14 - Just 14 seconds after coming on at halftime, Jong PSV's Tim van den Heuvel received the fastest red card on record for a substitute in the @1e_Divisie (since 2008-09). Rash. pic.twitter.com/fia5cZpg7c
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 24, 2023
LAZIO
100 - Ciro Immobile is the first #SerieA player to reach 100 away goals in the competition. Conqueror.#SalernitanaLazio pic.twitter.com/FXXNTtqYhi
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 25, 2023
LIVERPOOL
10 - Jürgen Klopp has won points in 10 Premier League matches against Pep Guardiola (W4 D6 L5), no other manager has avoided defeat in more than four games against Pep in the competition. Giants. #MCILIV pic.twitter.com/iip6mjn9E9
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 25, 2023
MANCHESTER CITY
5⃣0⃣ - Erling Haaland (48th appearance) takes the Premier League record for fewest appearances to reach 50 goals
— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) November 25, 2023
48 - Erling Haaland🇳🇴
65 - Andy Cole🏴
66 - Alan Shearer🏴
68 - Ruud van Nistelrooij🇳🇱
72 - Mo Salah🇪🇬 & Fernando Torres🇪🇸 #PremierLeague #ManCity
20/21 - Erling Haaland has now scored against 20 of the 21 opposing sides he's faced in the Premier League with the only exception being Brentford. Collection. pic.twitter.com/wDeVqBvuEg
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 25, 2023
MANCHESTER UNITED
17 - Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have scored in the same Premier League game 17 times for @ManUtd, the second-most of any duo for the club:
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
19 - Scholes & van Nistelrooy
17 - Martial & Rashford
16 - Scholes & Giggs
15 - Ronaldo & Rooney
14 - Berbatov & Rooney
Dyad. pic.twitter.com/rlNWhVN8GO
🧤- Most Premier League🏴 clean sheets
— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) November 26, 2023
500 - Manchester United (+1)
476 - Chelsea
460 - Liverpool
456 - Arsenal
361 - Everton#EVEMUN #EPL
3-0 - @ManUtd have won a Premier League away game by 3+ goals despite having fewer shots than their opponent for the first time since October 2015 against Everton (also 3-0). Repeat. pic.twitter.com/u6CSdkaSBJ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
5/6 - @ManUtd have won five of their last six Premier League games (L1). Since the start of October, their five wins and 15 points are both the most any side has recorded in the competition. Surge. pic.twitter.com/40TEeBbwf9
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
19 - Aged 19 years and 148 days, Alejandro Garnacho is the youngest @ManUtd player to score against Everton at Goodison Park in the Premier League, surpassing Wayne Rooney (19 years, 293 days in August 2005). Magnificent. pic.twitter.com/pgskxGR10I
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
NAPOLI
7 - Walter Mazzarri is unbeaten in his first match in charge in all seven of his spells at a club in #SerieA (W5 D2). Armor.#AtalantaNapoli
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 25, 2023
NICE
13 - Nice are yet to trail for a single minute in Ligue 1 this season and became the first team to do so after the first 13 matchdays in the top-flight's history. Insurmountable. #OGCNTFC pic.twitter.com/zqItkVvKo6
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 26, 2023
PSV EINDHOVEN
15 - Including his last two games at Ajax, Peter Bosz has now won 15 consecutive Eredivisie games, the longest streak for a manager since Louis van Gaal in 1995 . Invincible. pic.twitter.com/vo7bhdrY8f
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 25, 2023
REAL BETIS
8 - Willian José has scored eight goals in his last five games for @RealBetis_en in all competitions, one more than in his previous 47 appearances for the club.
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 26, 2023
Momentum. pic.twitter.com/f90aaE3ga5
REAL MADRID
3 - @RodrygoGoes 🇧🇷 is the third @RealMadriden player ⚪️⚪️ to being involved in at least three goals in the 21st century in two consecutive @LaLigaEn matches (v Valencia and today against Cádiz) after Cristiano Ronaldo (7 times) and Gonzalo Higuaín (once). Samba. pic.twitter.com/VrReKXBFbs
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 26, 2023
ROMA
18 - Paulo #Dybala has been involved in 18 goals against Udinese in Serie A (10 goals and 8 assists), since Opta collected the data of assists (2004/05), only Francesco Totti (20 v Parma) has taken part in more goals against a single side in the competition. Joya.#RomaUdinese
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 26, 2023
SEVILLA
17 - #Sevilla 🔴⚪️ have seen at least two of their players sent off in 17 different @LaLigaEn matches in the 21st century, more than any other team in the competition in this period. Toughness. pic.twitter.com/tGyToZIAP0
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 26, 2023
STUTTGART
7 - Deniz Undav has scored seven goals in his first nine Bundesliga appearances for VfB, a joint-record for Stuttgart along with Hartmut Weiß in 1965, Fritz Walter in 1987 and Adhemar in 2001. Rocket. #SGEVfB pic.twitter.com/wT6LX5hzJx
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 25, 2023
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
10 & 3 - Tottenham are only the third team in English top-flight history to go unbeaten across their first 10 games of a season, and then lose their next three games, after Huddersfield Town in 1924-25 and Sheffield United in 1971-72. Cascade. pic.twitter.com/ym5o9j7RyK
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
5 - Tottenham are only the fifth side in Premier League history to lose three consecutive games despite going 1-0 ahead in all three, and first since Leicester City in December 2014, whose third game was also against Aston Villa. Slip. pic.twitter.com/lDDUQy3UFI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2023
WOLFSBURG
56% - Jonas Wind has scored nine of VfL Wolfsburg's 16 Bundesliga goals this season (56%), the highest proportion of any player for a club so far this term. Breezy. #WOBRBL pic.twitter.com/cXJk770cDY
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 25, 2023
Barney Corkhill
