Now that the 2025–26 Premier League season is well underway, enough games have been played to give clubs a sense of what to expect from the remainder of the season. Supporters of clubs like Wolves and West Ham United may be concerned about their teams’ longstanding Premier League status, while fans of the just promoted teams, for instance, may be hopeful given their team’s early success.
Liverpool and Arsenal are expected to fight for the league title as they try to reclaim it, although Manchester City is also in the running for a trophy thanks to Erling Haaland’s outstanding play. There has been a lot of discussion this season over the Premier League’s level of play, with athleticism and dead ball situations appearing to be prioritized more than in previous years.
Ruben Amorim responded to Arne Slot’s remarks regarding the use of long passes forward after Manchester United’s spectacular victory at Anfield. But with that in mind, which teams have played the most long ball passes this season, as determined by StatMuse?
20-11
Now that the 2025–26 Premier League season is well underway, enough games have been played to give clubs a sense of what to expect from the remainder of the season. Supporters of clubs like Wolves and West Ham United may be concerned about their teams’ longstanding Premier League status, while fans of the just promoted teams, for instance, may be hopeful given their team’s early success.
Liverpool and Arsenal are expected to fight for the league title as they try to reclaim it, although Manchester City is also in the running for a trophy thanks to Erling Haaland’s outstanding play. There has been a lot of discussion this season over the Premier League’s level of play, with athleticism and dead ball situations appearing to be prioritized more than in previous years.
Ruben Amorim responded to Arne Slot’s remarks regarding the use of long passes forward after Manchester United’s spectacular victory at Anfield. But with that in mind, which teams have played the most long ball passes this season, as determined by StatMuse?
West Ham United and Leeds United have played nine games as of the writing of this article. Every other Premier League team has participated in eight games.
20-11
Manchester City has tried the fewest long balls in the Premier League this season, staying true to manager Pep Guardiola’s pass-oriented style of play. Between them and 19th-place Aston Villa, who have attempted 361 long balls forward in their first eight Premier League games, there are about 40 passes.
Nottingham Forest, a team from the Midlands, is a little ahead of Villa and will be hoping that new manager Sean Dyche can lead them to form again. Arsenal leads Forest by three long balls in 17th position on the table, and there is not much of a difference between the two teams. Both Brentford and Liverpool, who finished in the bottom quarter of the table with 382 and 391 long pass attempts, respectively, were led by Keith Andrews, an internal hire who took Thomas Frank’s job after he served for a long time.
Brighton & Hove Albion is only one pass ahead of the Bees, and Tottenham Hotspur, now ranked 13th in the league, is the eighth and last team to have scored fewer than 400 long balls forward. Fulham, who sit around their North London counterparts, have 410. But like Newcastle United, who are right in front of the club, the Cottagers barely miss out on the top 10.
Premier League 2025–2026: Most Long Balls Attempted, 11th–20th
Rank
Club
Long Ball Attempts
Attempts at Passes
The eleventh
Newcastle United
412.
2,674
The 12th
Fulham
410
2,777
13th
Tottenham Hotspur
396
3,012
14th
Brighton
392
2,587
15th
Brentford
391
2,112
16th
Liverpool
382
3,551
17th
The Arsenal
369
3,413
18th
Forest of Nottingham
366
3,418
19th
Villa Aston
361
3,107
20th
City of Manchester
327
3,943
10th–1st
Chelsea, who have already won a Conference League and Club World Cup under manager Enzo Maresca, are the first team to finish in the top 10 with 417 long balls forward. The Blues are nine passes behind Sunderland, who have had the best start of any promoted team and are dominating the division.
With ten fewer long passes attempted than Burnley and Everton, two teams that have proven difficult for opponents to break down, Crystal Palace has become one of the Premier League’s hardest teams to beat under Oliver Glasner.
In their best-ever start to a Premier League season, Bournemouth, who play a very exciting and dynamic style of football under Andoni Iraola, have attempted to make 451 long passes. Although Leeds’ 458 long passes are eight fewer than West Ham’s current total, they have made the most attempts of any promoted team. Nuno Espirito Santo took Graham Potter’s place, but the Hammers’ problems have persisted.
The only Premier League team without a victory after eight games this season is Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have attempted to play the second-most long balls of any team (474). Manchester United is in first place. The Red Devils frequently tried to play the ball forward in their 2-1 victory at Anfield, which helped them reach 481 long passes this season.
Premier League 2025–2026: Most Long Balls Attempted, 1st–10th
Rank
Club
Long Ball Attempts
Attempts at Passes
First
United Manchester
481
2,804
Second
Wolves
474
2,648
Third
*West Ham United
466
2,967
Fourth
Leeds United
458
3,132
Fifth
The Bournemouth
451
2,707
Sixth
Burnley
448
1,931
7th
Everton
448
2,403
The eighth
The Crystal Palace
438
2,315
9th
Sunderland
426
2,422
The 10th
Chelsea
417
3,636
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