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A key narrative of England's top flight this campaign concerns the decline of scoring in open play and the way teams have been scoring more from set-pieces instead.

Comparing goal sources to the initial 11 matches last season, we see a drop of 39 scored in open-play and 26 more from set-plays and spot-kicks, leading to 13 less in total.

If we look at overall statistics, the number of shots teams are taking have seen a staggering 370 fewer in open play than this time last time out.

Even with the significant rise in set-piece goals, records show only two additional shots produced from these situations outside of spot-kicks, demonstrating the proficiency teams are at finding ways to score from dead-ball chances.

Scoring Rates Reveal the Tale

Over 300 goals recorded in the first 110 fixtures to date averages out at nearly 2.75 goals per game, if this persists for the entire campaign could be the lowest for since 2020-21, since 2020-21 (2.69 per game).

But just 196 scores coming in open-play equates to 1.78 per game and is tracking to be the lowest for since 2009-10, from 16 years ago (1.76 average).

The 2009-10 season additionally represents the unique EPL season to experience goals scored at a higher rate from non-penalty set-pieces than this campaign's frequency of 0.77 per fixture (0.79 average).

Which Sides Are Most Responsible?

In terms of goals scored from open-play, Wolves have seen the most significant drop, registering a mere four in 11 matches, 10 less than this point the previous campaign.

Excluding Wolves, the Premier League's decline in open-play scoring is largely a trend among London clubs, with five of the capital's seven sides scoring a minimum of five goals fewer from open play than last season.

Honestly, this is primarily due to them netting many scores at the beginning of the previous campaign rather than them having difficulty to score in open-play this campaign.

Conversely City have seen the largest rise, with almost every one of the 23 they've scored this season coming in open play.

Dead-Ball Dominance

Comparing newly promoted sides with the relegated sides they took the place of. Play-off winners Sunderland have recorded three extra goals in open-play than the Saints managed in their opening 11 matches en route to demotion the previous campaign.

When it comes to scoring from set-pieces (not counting penalties), the Gunners and Chelsea have experienced the most significant jump, with both sides compensating for the five fewer goals that they've produced in open play with the same number from set-pieces.

Man United have netted double the number scores from set-plays as they achieved in matchday 11 the previous campaign ahead of the manager took over, while the Black Cats additionally prove better at scoring than the fellow red-and-whites that went down.

City seem unaware of the message about scoring more from set-plays, since they've netted a reduction of three than the previous campaign, like Nottingham Forest, though that might be down to the tactical shift they have tried to implement.

League-Wide Trends

Six sides – the Gunners, Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle, Spurs and West Ham – represent this season's top trend-setters by recording fewer goals from open play and additional from set-pieces, while Manchester City are the unique club to defy the pattern up to now by doing the contrary.

It remains to be seen to observe if teams continue to depend greatly on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they rediscover their general attacking flair and begin converting additional scores in open play also.