Liverpool Was the Unluckiest Team in the Premier League
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An independent study confirms what Liverpool fans already knew.
Despite how scintillating Liverpool’s football was last season, there was always a feeling of frustration as, time and again, big decisions seemed to go against the Reds. Every football fan thinks that their team is the most hard done by, but, for a while there, it felt like Liverpool couldn’t buy a penalty as the season progressed.
Well, an independent study done by ESPN, titled the ESPN Luck Index, determined what the fans already knew: Liverpool was deemed the unluckiest team in the Premier League last season. According to the study, Liverpool should have won 12 extra points in the league, bringing their total to 87 points, as opposed to the 75 they earned last season. This would have put them in second place on the modified table, behind Manchester City, who still would have won — though with three less points.
The index, which was made by Intel and the University of Bath, and using the expertise of ex-Premier League referee Peter Walton, analyzed every game from last season. They looked for things like incorrectly awarded/disallowed goals, red cards given out, and penalties awarded.
To rub a bit more salt in that wound, the team that was found to be the luckiest last season was none other than Manchester United, who, according to the study, benefited from calls that gifted them with six extra points. In the revised table, United fell down to fourth place.
These things are supposed to even themselves out over the course of the season, but since they didn’t, maybe this coming season will see Liverpool get some of those close calls made in the favors. Or, hey, maybe just a penalty or two.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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