# Premier League chaos returns with goals and long-range strikes

> Early season trends suggest the 2026-27 campaign could become the second-highest scoring in Premier League history.
- Title: Premier League chaos returns with goals and long-range strikes
- Summary: Early season trends suggest the 2026-27 campaign could become the second-highest scoring in Premier League history. The Premier League is experiencing a…
- Keywords: premier league, 2026-27 season, goals per game, counterattacks, long-range shots, set pieces, end-to-end football, new managers, scoring trends, sports, Premier, League
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/21/long-range-hits-goals-galore-inside-premier-league-chaos
- Published: 2026-09-21T16:45:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: premier league, 2026-27 season, goals per game, counterattacks, long-range shots, set pieces, end-to-end football, new managers, scoring trends, sports
## Goals are up across the league
The Premier League is averaging 2.82 goals per game this season, up from 2.75 last year. If scoring continues to rise, 2026-27 could become the second-highest scoring season in Premier League history.

> Goals in the Premier League are up. Chaos is returning.
## Teams are running much further
Every Premier League team is covering more distance per match than last season. Even Liverpool, the lowest for this metric, is ahead of any club's final figure from 2025-26.
## Counterattacks are becoming more common
Fast-break shots have risen from 1.75 per game to 2.08, a shift that would have ranked second only to the Bundesliga last season. Chelsea and Bournemouth are among the top five for this metric.
## Long-range goals are surging
Shots and goals from outside the area are increasing sharply. Brighton have already scored four long-range goals this season, compared to six for the entire 2025-26 campaign.
## Set-piece goals are declining
Nine teams have not scored from set plays yet, including the champions. Set-piece goals have fallen from 0.71 per game to 0.56, despite teams taking more set-piece shots overall.
## New managers are causing uncertainty
More new managers than ever before are leading Premier League clubs this season, creating unpredictability on the pitch. This transition in the dugout is contributing to the chaotic, end-to-end style of play.

> Transition in the dugout causes uncertainty on the pitch, as it is harder to know what to expect from teams being led by new men.
## Draws are more common than big wins
Two-two is the joint-most common scoreline with six instances so far. Matches won by two or more goals are in decline, while the proportion of draws is rising.

> Teams are slugging it out, back and forth. You attack, we counter, and everyone runs further as a result.
## Key takeaway

The Premier League is experiencing a surge in goals and end-to-end football, driven by more counterattacks, long-range shots, and fewer set-piece conversions, though these trends may settle as the season progresses.