In the opening three matchdays of 2026‑27, clubs fired off 186 attempts from beyond the box, the highest tally since 2019‑20’s 192. That represents 35 % of all shots, matching the peak from seven seasons ago. Could this surge signal a new era of long‑range firepower?
We therefore examined the expected goals and actual tallies generated by every Premier League side from those long-range efforts since last season’s kickoff.
Some squads have turned distant strikes into a habit, others not so much. While fans may overvalue them, tight defenses still leave room for a surprise volley.
No side in the past eight completed Premier League campaigns out‑performed its xG from distance more than Aston Villa did in 2025‑26, netting 15 goals from a mere 6.8 xG. John McGinn contributed four, with Emiliano Buendía and Morgan Rogers adding three each.
Villa logged 177 long-range attempts last term – the fifth‑most league‑wide – yet 33 % landed on target, the best rate overall. Remarkably, only two of those strikes were clear‑shot finishes, meaning one or zero defenders stood in the way.
That mix of quality and luck gave Villa the perfect formula, in my view unrivaled in recent years. This season, however, the magic hasn’t returned; the club have tried 11 distance shots without a single on‑target effort. Regression can be mean.
Last season Bournemouth topped the league with 211 attempts from distance and produced 8.6 xG, converting them into 12 goals.
Three of those goals – including Antoine Semenyo’s opener at Liverpool and Tyler Adams’ half‑court strike versus Sunderland – came on fast breaks. Bournemouth’s transition play yielded the most fast‑break distance shots, with 15 attempts from that scenario.
Early under Marco Rose, the Cherries have already taken 13 long-range shots in three games. They’re still searching for a goal, though two of those attempts have found the target.
Andoni Iraola has imported that approach to Liverpool, whose 21 distance attempts in three matches rank second behind Manchester United. Cody Gakpo’s lone goal from range arrived in the opener against Newcastle.
Long‑range efforts now make up 42 % of Liverpool’s total shooting, a modest rise from the 30 % average under Arne Slot in 2023‑24 and 2024‑25.
The Reds still tallied 13 goals from distance in that span, with Dominik Szoboszlai accounting for five. The Hungarian, who led the league with 52 attempts in 2025‑26, has already tried eight this season, three of which are on target.
Manchester United matched Villa’s 58 on‑target distance shots in 2025‑26, scoring nine goals. They also led the league with 65 first‑time attempts from outside the box, the fifth‑highest single‑season total since 2018‑19.
Under Michael Carrick, United exploited cut‑backs and edge‑of‑area layoffs, thanks to a fluid front line and late midfield runs. They also capitalised on clearances that landed at the box’s perimeter.
After three games in 2026‑27, United again sit atop the distance‑shot chart with 28 attempts and share the lead for first‑time efforts (nine) with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Brighton have produced nine first‑time attempts from just 17 total distance shots. Seven of those came against a Leeds side that defended the box tightly after taking the lead, forcing Brighton to either shoot or feed clearances to the edge.
They recorded a single attempt each versus Chelsea and a ten‑man Villa, both occasions seeing seven defenders inside the box and leaving Brighton players open on the fringe.
The league’s data darlings, Brentford, have fared worst in distance shooting since last season, managing only two goals from a 6.0 xG pool.
Their reputation for selecting high‑quality chances is well earned; Brentford ranked first and second for inside‑box shot percentage in 2024‑25 and 2025‑26 respectively. Since last season’s start, no side has posted a higher xG per long‑range attempt than their 0.05.
Accuracy remains a problem – only Manchester City posted a lower conversion rate (18 %). Brentford also sit at the bottom for first‑time distance shots among the 17 permanent clubs, with just 33 attempts, suggesting they often allow opponents to regroup before firing.
Under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City traditionally built attacks inside the box but also fielded elite long‑range shooters. Their 2019‑20 side netted 17 distance goals, the most since 2018‑19. Three City squads (2018‑19, 2021‑22, 2023‑24) share second place with 15 goals, alongside Aston Villa in 2025‑26.
Last season marked the first time City fell below ten distance goals, finishing with eight. Their former top long‑range scorer Kevin De Bruyne (19 since 2018‑19) departed for Napoli; Phil Foden and Rodri each added ten but saw limited minutes.
After three fixtures in 2025‑26, City sit at the bottom of the distance‑shot leaderboard with eight attempts.
Even after playing seven more games than rivals, Coventry City boast an impressive long‑range record since last season: 19 goals from 233 attempts.
Victor Torp contributed five of those, including two from free kicks. Over the previous five completed Championship seasons, only Joel Piroe (seven in 2021‑22), Manuel Benson (six in 2022‑23) and Morgan Whittaker (six in 2023‑24) have eclipsed that tally.
Torp has featured only 47 Premier League minutes this term, and Coventry have yet to score. They have tried 11 distance shots in three games, none on target, with five blocked, yet they lead the league in xG per long‑range attempt at 0.05.
Ipswich Town also piled up 14 distance goals in the Championship. Jaden Philogene supplied four, often cutting in from the left to curl efforts from the edge, as illustrated below.
An ankle injury has sidelined Philogene for the start of 2026‑27, handing Julio Enciso the role; he has taken eight of Ipswich’s 15 long‑range attempts, four of which forced goalkeeper action against Liverpool.
Hull City ranked second‑worst for distance accuracy last season at 18 %, well below Coventry’s 29 % and Ipswich’s 25 %. They managed only two goals from 6.4 xG, with 41 % of attempts blocked as they often shot into crowds.
After three Premier League matchdays, only Manchester United and Liverpool (seven each) have recorded more on‑target distance shots than Hull’s five from 14 tries, with just one blocked. Liam Millar’s solo strike secured a win over Coventry.
CLUTCH ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/3O9GvTcqaU — Hull City (@HullCity) August 29, 2026
Millar’s goal fits a broader pattern: Hull have generated a league‑high three fast‑break distance shots in three matches. Besides sitting deep and striking on the counter, Sergej Jakirović’s side also fire early in transition to surprise opponents.
Chelsea join Manchester United as the only clubs to net more than one distance goal in the opening three games. Morgan Rogers’ finish versus Arsenal followed Cole Palmer’s curled effort for their fourth goal against Brighton the previous weekend.
Across London, Tottenham Hotspur have seen their distance attempts steadily decline since 2018‑19’s 211 shots that yielded 14 goals. Subsequent seasons recorded 177, 172, 166 and 165 attempts, a brief rise to 184 in 2023‑24 under Ange Postecoglou, then drops to 138 and 135, producing just ten goals.
That could reverse this term. Spurs have already launched 15 long‑range shots in three matches, while Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton logged 358 distance attempts over his 70 Premier League games. His 2024‑25 Marseille side also finished second in Ligue 1 for distance goals with ten, one shy of Saint‑Étienne.
Nottingham Forest have moved in the opposite direction. After 130 distance attempts in 2022‑23, they rose to 162 in 2023‑24, 169 in 2024‑25 and 180 last season. The 2024‑25 campaign delivered their best conversion rate – 11 goals – which slipped to six this year.
Callum Hudson‑Odoi has been among the league’s most prolific distance shooters at Forest, tallying eight goals from just 37 attempts. His shot map shows a concentration in the left half‑space, where his right foot curls the ball.
Arsenal posted the third‑most distance shots in a single game this season, firing ten on opening night against Coventry City. Only two found the net, while three were blocked.
In 2025‑26, Arsenal were exceptionally efficient from range, scoring ten goals from 148 attempts, including five from 40 first‑time shots. Their strategy featured multiple players positioned in the box to create cut‑back opportunities, as seen with Martin Zubimendi against Sunderland.
A different approach has emerged early in 2026‑27. As my colleague Jon Mackenzie noted, the Gunners now employ diagonal wing passes and off‑the‑ball runs to pull defenders away and generate box chances.
Fulham also proved efficient in 2025‑26, netting ten goals from 158 distance attempts. Late‑game stunners shone – Harrison Reed’s 96th‑minute winner versus Liverpool and Harry Wilson’s 92nd‑minute strike against Brighton. Kevin’s 91st‑minute equaliser at Manchester United was also notable, though the side eventually lost.
In 2026‑27, Fulham enjoy a 62 % possession rate after three games (fourth highest), favouring wide play and crossing. Should that trend persist, their volume of long shots may decline relative to previous seasons.
Sunderland’s top‑flight return has been hampered by distance shooting, delivering only four goals from 115 attempts.
Chemsdine Talbi contributed two of those from nine tries, launching from the left against Burnley and a deflected effort at Liverpool. Yet Enzo Le Fee and Trai Hume combined for 34 long‑range strikes without scoring.
In 2026‑27, Nilson Angulo opened the season with a free‑kick versus Ipswich, but nine of the other 12 distance shots have been blocked.
Everton and Crystal Palace have similarly struggled to convert distance chances since last August.
Palace have under‑performed their overall xG by over 17 (41 goals from 58.4 xG). The same pattern appears in their distance game: 119 attempts, only 24 on target and three goals, with a league‑high 46 % blocked rate.
Everton have taken 131 distance shots, scoring three. Merlin Rohl and Jack Grealish combined for two goals from 11 efforts, while James Garner added the third after 30 more attempts.
Idrissa Gueye, Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall, Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil together fired 56 long‑range shots, 14 on target, yet failed to find the net.
Ainsley Maitland‑Niles made it look effortless at the weekend against Manchester United, slotting a memorable first‑shot winner at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Newcastle United increased their distance attempts last season.
From 2022 to 2025, their long‑range share hovered just under 28 %. It jumped to 35 % in 2025‑26 as they logged 176 shots and eight goals. Sandro Tonali led with 27 attempts, while Bruno Guimaraes contributed three of those eight goals from 22 tries.
Matthias Jaissle’s Newcastle have been defensively solid in their first three fixtures, thriving on transition. Joe Willock’s break‑away goal versus Liverpool – their sole distance strike in 2026‑27 – exemplifies that approach.
Leeds United’s Anton Stach netted four distance goals in 2025‑26, the third‑best season total since 2018‑19. He has already scored their only long‑range goal this campaign, a free kick against Forest.
Finally, Ethan Ampadu could soon deliver a thunderbolt; he has already tried 15 distance shots, generating 1.1 xG (0.07 xG per attempt) since last season’s start. Will the league see another surge in distance goals next season?