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It has become increasingly difficult to deny that, in recent years, the Premier League has become the number-one league in world football. Whether that's on a pure quality basis or for the entertainment factor, the English top flight has flourished over the last decade.
Something else that makes the league so great is the stadiums within it. Whether it's Manchester United's Old Trafford, Liverpool's Anfield or Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, the grounds in this country are the best they have ever been.
With that in mind, we here at Football FanCast have created a list looking at the capacity of every ground in the top flight, with data from Statista.
Kenilworth Road – Luton Town
Capacity: 10,265
Kicking off the list, unsurprisingly, is one of the new boys this season, Luton Town.
The Hatters play their games at Kenilworth Road and have done so ever since its construction back in 1905. The stadium got its name from one of the roads that run along one end of it.
The Kenny, as it is sometimes known, is the smallest ground the Premier League has seen, although the fans will be hoping the intimacy might help them pick up a few shock wins this year.
Vitality Stadium – Bournemouth
Capacity: 11,307
Up next is Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium, which, prior to Luton's promotion, was the smallest ground in the league.
The Vitality has been the home of the Cherries since its construction in 1910 when the club were known as Boscombe FC. The ground also used to have a different name, being called Dean Court for most of its existence, after the Cooper-Dean family who sold the club the land in which they built their home.
Gtech Community Stadium – Brentford
Capacity: 17,250
We see a bit of a jump in capacity from 19th to 18th place, as Brentford's new Brentford Community Stadium is the next ground on our list.
The stadium opened in 2020 and has hosted the Bees' home games ever since, as well as the odd international for good measure.
There were initially plans to include a futuristic monorail with the new stadium that would take people from Hounslow to the ground, but this was later scrapped due to rising costs – it would have been cool, though.
Turf Moor – Burnley
Capacity: 21,744
We're heading north for the next stadium on our list, and it's Burnley's Turf Moor, which comfortably beats out Brentford for capacity.
The ground has been home to the Clarets since 1883, and this makes it the second oldest continuously used ground in English football, behind only Preston North End's Deepdale.
In the Sean Dyche days, Turf Moor was widely considered one of the most challenging grounds to travel to in the Premier League due to its hostile atmosphere and ability to facilitate upsets. That aspect of the ground seems to have faded somewhat under Vincent Kompany, but fans will be hoping it soon returns and helps them avoid relegation.
Craven Cottage – Fulham
Capacity: 24,500
Fulham's Craven Cottage has perhaps the most interesting history of any ground in the Premier League.
The first thing built on the area that now houses the stadium was, in fact, a cottage built by William Craven, the sixth Baron Craven. The cottage stood on what were hunting grounds and housed countless wealthy individuals for over 100 years until it burnt down in 1888.
Following the fire, Fulham moved in and have been there ever since. The club even built a cottage in the corner of the ground, in which players get changed, and their families can watch the game from the balcony.
Selhurst Park – Crystal Palace
Capacity: 25,486
Selhurst Park, opened in 1924, has been the home of Crystal Palace for its entire existence.
However, the Eagles haven't been the only professional club to call the ground home, as Charlton Athletic played their home games at the stadium between 1985 and 1991.
Once Charlton left, Wimbledon came in to take their place and used the ground from 1991 to 2003.
City Ground – Nottingham Forest
Capacity: 30,404
We have reached the first 30,000-seater stadium on our list, and it's Nottingham Forest's City Ground.
The Tricky Trees moved to the ground in September 1898 and have been there ever since bar a six-game period in 1968 in which they had to play at the nearby Meadow Lane following a fire that totally destroyed the City Ground's Main Stand.
Interestingly, the club decided to name the stadium what they did in celebration of Nottingham's newfound city status when they first moved in.
Molineux – Wolves
Capacity: 31,750
Molineux stadium has been the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers since they moved in back in 1889.
The name comes from the Molineux family, who first bought the land in 1744 and proceeded to build a house and then a hotel on the grounds. The area was then turned into a leisure centre before finally coming into the ownership of the football team in 1899.
It was also used to host the first-ever UEFA Cup.
American Express Stadium – Brighton & Hove Albion
Capacity: 31,846
Brighton & Hove Albion's American Express Stadium, or the AMEX, was built in 2011 and has been the home of the Seagulls ever since.
Known to local fans as the Falmer Stadium, it has hosted several other sporting events, such as games for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The ground hosted its first European game this season as Brighton played AEK Athens in the UEFA Europa League.
Bramall Lane – Sheffield United
Capacity: 32,050
Sheffield United's Bramall Lane has been the team's home ever since its formation in 1889.
The stadium is one of the oldest in the country that has continuously housed the same team, although before the formation of the Blades, Bramall Lane used to host city rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
Interestingly, the stadium was a cricket ground before football took over and was even used for several international Test matches between England and Australia.
Manchester United face a hectic run of fixtures before Christmas that could make or break their season depending on their success or failure in those matches.
The Old Trafford side have two vital Champions League ties against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray to come, while they also have to face Newcastle United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the Premier League.
If Erik ten Hag can get through this tough run, and it is a big if, it might just be the catalyst the club need to improve during the second half of the campaign and challenge for a top four spot in the table.
Having won just nine of the first 18 matches in the current season, Ten Hag may look to strengthen his faltering side during the January transfer window, especially as some of his players are attracting attention from elsewhere.
Casemiro is reportedly being targeted by clubs in Saudi Arabia according to 90min and this could leave a big void in the centre of United’s midfield.
The riches offered by the Middle East could tempt the Brazilian into making the move to Asia and this may mean Ten Hag delves into the transfer market.
While their midfield options could be lighter with Casemiro potentially departing, Ten Hag will also be keen on strengthening his defensive options ahead of the second half of the season.
The Red Devils have conceded 30 goals in just 18 matches this season already and something needs to be done to fix this leaky defence.
According to German outlet Bild (via TEAMtalk), United are keeping tabs on young French defender Castello Lukeba ahead of the January window with hopes of luring him to England.
The 20-year-old secured a move to RB Leipzig from Lyon in the summer, despite United showing interest in the youngster earlier this year.
Scouts from Old Trafford, according to the report, have been monitoring the centre-back this season, although a move might be deemed slightly unrealistic in the next few months given that he has only been in the Bundesliga since the summer.
He could emerge as a dream heir to Raphael Varane should he make the move to Manchester, especially as the former Real Madrid defender has been linked with a move away.
At the beginning of November, TEAMtalk revealed that Varane was attracting attention from clubs in Saudi Arabia, and they were looking to make a move for the defender in January.
With just 18 months left on his current contract, the next transfer window could be the ideal time for Ten Hag to cash in on the 30-year-old and recoup a fee similar to the one they shelled out for him just over two years ago.
Having established himself as one of the finest centre-backs on the continent during his spell with Madrid, Varane has become more and more injury-prone since arriving in Manchester.
Indeed, since the beginning of the 2021/22 season, the Frenchman has missed 38 matches due a variety of injury issues and he as not quite been at his brilliant best, with his absences not allowing him to find his rhythm on the pitch.
This season, the 30-year-old has started just four Premier League matches while he fails to rank in the top ten in the squad for accurate passes per game in the league (30.4) along with ranking in the 15th spot for tackles per game (0.6) and 19th for interceptions per game, clearly proving that he has not been an outstanding contributor offensively or defensively.
Injury problems could be catching up with the French titan as, even when he is fit enough to feature, Varane has not been quite at the same level which saw him win four Champions League crowns with Madrid along with securing a World Cup winners medal for France in 2018.
By signing Lukeba, Ten Hag could unearth a natural heir to the United defender at the turn of the year.
The young gem made his debut for Lyon during the 2021/22 season, eventually featuring 30 times in what was a breakthrough season, and his performances were widely praised.
Journalist Josh Bunting waxed lyrical about the defender in December 2021 following a match against Metz, saying: “Castello Lukeba again impressive for Lyon at Metz , really sharp young player not just getting the goal but he’s slotting into that back 3 very well, he’s a very accurate passer of the ball,gets on it and can move it quickly. Also has a good pass selection about him. Big prospect.”
|
Domestic league statistics this season |
Raphael Varane |
Castello Lukeba |
|---|---|---|
|
Accurate passes per game |
30.4 |
57.5 |
|
Tackles per game |
0.6 |
0.7 |
|
Interceptions per game |
0.1 |
0.3 |
|
Clearances per game |
2.5 |
2.5 |
|
Total duels won per game |
1.8 |
3 |
As you can see within the table above, Lukeba has outperformed Varane at league level this term due to the defensive impact he has had on the pitch.
Another 38 appearances followed last term before he secured his big move to Leipzig in the summer and with his recent performances in Germany, Lukeba is beginning to look like the real deal.
The 20-year-old ace has already made 16 appearances, including four in the Champions League, and is looking settled at his new club this term.
Not only does he rank second among his teammates for accurate passes per game in the Bundesliga (57.5), but the defender also ranks in the top ten for tackles (0.7) and interceptions (0.3) per game, demonstrating how impressive he has been in defence.
Not only is he adept at passing and dictating the play from the heart of the defence, but he has impressive physicality for someone so young. Lukeba has won 63% of his total duels – three per game – in the German top flight this term and his ability to get the better of opposition players in one one-on-one battles is excellent.
The Leipzig sensation featured for the France U21 side on 14 occasions before finally making his debut against Scotland last month in a 4-1 victory, coming on with just three minutes left.
With his impressive performances this term, however, he could potentially sneak into the Euro 2024 squad next summer, and this would be the catalyst for him to really show his worth on the big stage.
Lukeba is certainly following in the footsteps of Varane and, if given continued exposure at the highest level, he may eventually reach his level.
United need another centre-back desperately and Lukeba is a fascinating prospect. While a move in the next few weeks might be out of the question, the Dutchman should be doing everything he can to lure the youngster to Manchester sooner rather than later.
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Leeds United have been linked with a move for an in-demand gem, and Fabrizio Romano has now described him as a “good talent” who is “impressing” for his current employers.
The Whites, under new owners in the 49ers Enterprises and a new manager in Daniel Farke, appear to be doing a solid job in rebuilding things at Elland Road following a woeful 2022/23 campaign in the Premier League. Off the pitch, Leeds made a number of new signings, with the likes of Joe Rodon, Sam Byram, Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara and Joel Piroe all making the move to Yorkshire and becoming regulars under Farke.
Plenty of players headed the other way, and on the pitch, Leeds now seem to be finding their groove following a tricky start. Farke’s side currently sit third in the Championship beating top two Leicester City and Ipswich Town away from home already.
One eye now seems to be on the January transfer window, with one player to be heavily linked with the short move across Yorkshire being Barnsley’s Fabio Jalo. Recent reports have claimed Leeds are expressing a real interest in securing the services of the 17-year-old, alongside the likes of Brighton, Everton and Fulham.
Writing in his Daily Briefing, relayed by Leeds All Over, Romano has now described the player as a “good talent” who is “impressing” this season and feels there could be clarity on his future in the coming months.
“A good talent, still only 17 years old, impressing at Barnsley this season. There have been links with Leeds United and some Premier League clubs, but honestly I’m not aware of any concrete or advanced negotiations so far – just normal scouting.
“I expect that to be decided in a more clear way between December and January.”
Jalo is only 17 years of age but has already been on the books at Oakwell for a number of years after moving to England from Benfica back in 2019. Since then, the winger, who can play on either side, has now made 16 senior appearances for Barnsley, scoring three goals including a wonder goal on the weekend in the FA Cup. (Fabio Jalo stats – Transfermarkt)
Last year, Jalo was named the club’s Academy Player of the Season and was hailed by academy manager Bobby Hassell, who said:
“Fabio has had an excellent season. He’s top scorer at under 16s and under 18s level and has also played and scored for our under 23s, too.”
Hassell then added:
“Fabio is fully deserving of this award. There were lots of players who stood out – as a collective, our under 18s have been magnificent – but the levels of consistency and maturity he has shown throughout the season have really caught the eye.”
Leeds have brought in the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto as teenagers and turned them into first-team stars in recent years, so Jalo could well be the next, making this one to watch.
Rangers return to Scottish Premiership action this weekend, but a concerning injury update has now emerged regarding a "superb" player, with his involvement against Aberdeen in doubt.
Things have been heading in a positive direction under new manager Philippe Clement in recent weeks, with the Gers knowing that they will only be five points behind Celtic in the title race if they win their game in hand.
The international break has halted their momentum a little in the past week or so, but reports have suggested that Clement is working his Rangers players hard in training, looking to make them as fit as possible going into a busy run of fixtures. On Sunday lunchtime, they make the daunting trip to Aberdeen.
While there is a lot more to be positive about at Ibrox compared to when Michael Beale was in charge earlier in the year, there are some injury problems that are acting as a concern for Clement at the moment. Nicolas Raskin is one player who is currently sidelined after picking up an ankle issue that saw him stretchered off earlier in the season, while Rabbi Matondo and John Souttar are other players who have been unavailable, too.
According to a new update from Dr Rajpal Brar, who was speaking to Ibrox News, Raskin could be out of Rangers' clash with Aberdeen this weekend, a setback after the rumours suggesting the Gers ace could return to action after the international break.
"If the post-international break return is true, it is a good update. Would likely mean a grade 3 inversion injury that is responding well to rehab. However, he’s likely to get some minutes in with the reserves first so he may not be ready for the first game right after the break."
While there are clearly some positives to take from this update, with Raskin seemingly doing well in his recovery, not having him available for the trip to Pittodrie is a blow, considering there was hope that he would be back for it.
|
Rangers' top goalscorers this season |
Total |
|---|---|
|
James Tavernier |
8 |
|
Abdallah Sima |
8 |
|
Danilo |
6 |
|
Cyriel Dessiers |
5 |
|
Ryan Jack |
2 |
|
Sam Lammers |
2 |
The 22-year-old has been a key player for Rangers this season, with Raskin's statistics highlighting that perfectly, starting eight Scottish Premiership games and completing 88% of his passes. Not only that, but he has also averaged 2.8 tackles per game in the competition, showing that he is an influential presence both in and out of possession, and This Is Ibrox podcast have described him as "superb", further outlining the esteem he is held in.
Should Raskin be ruled out of proceedings this weekend, the hope is that the Gers still have enough to get the better of an Aberdeen side sitting ninth in the table currently – they have won all four matches across three competitions since his injury – but his return to the fold will still be seen as a huge positive when it happens.
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It took just two weeks of pain and suffering but Everton are now firmly outside the relegation zone once more after an emphatic 3-0 victory at home to Newcastle United on Thursday night.
In fact, the Toffees have been tremendous throughout the campaign, with a ten-point deduction back in November generating an unfair reflection of the team's position in the Premier League table. Everton have now earned more points overall than Chelsea and would be tenth in the top-flight had they not been punished.
One player who has been a rock at the back for the Merseyside club is Jarrad Branthwaite, but with rumours of the centre-back being linked elsewhere, Everton are said to be looking around for a new central defender.
According to a recent report from Foot Mercato, Everton are keeping tabs on Lyon centre-back Jake O'Brien ahead of the January transfer window.
The French outfit are in free-fall at the moment and currently sit rock bottom of Ligue, despite reaching a Champions League semi-final merely three years ago.
The Irish defender moved to Les Gones during the summer for around £850k, having previously played for his boyhood club Cork City before joining Crystal Palace.
With the Eagles, O'Brien was sent out on loan to Swindon Town and eventually Belgian side RWD Molenbeek before making the switch to the Groupama Stadium, having failed to make a single competitive appearance for Palace at Selhurst Park.
Incidentally, O'Brien is Lyon's joint-top goalscorer with three goals, alongside former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette, having scored 27% of the team's goals which is incredible for a centre-back. Additionally, O'Brien has ranked quite high statistically when compared to all other central defenders from Europe's top-five leagues.
|
Jake O'Brien |
|
|---|---|
|
Per 90 Metric |
Percentile Ranking in Men's Big Five leagues |
|
Non-Penalty Goals |
99 |
|
Non-Penalty Expected Goals |
99 |
|
Passes Completed |
76 |
|
Pass Completion % |
88 |
|
Short Passing Completion % |
87 |
|
Long Pass Completion % |
92 |
|
Aerial Duels Won % |
96 |
|
Ball Recoveries |
87 |
|
23/24 Stats via FBref |
|
O'Brien could be the perfect replacement for Branthwaite at Goodison Park as the latter is currently being touted with a move to Old Trafford ahead of the January transfer window as Erik ten Hag looks to shore up his leaky Manchester United defence.
The rumoured pursuit of O'Brien has similar connotations to the deal which saw Branthwaite move to Merseyside back in 2020 for a mere £1m from then-League Two outfit Carlisle United.
Everton have since bumped up their asking price for the 21-year-old to £25m. Like Branthwaite, O'Brien also has experience in the English lower leagues, having made 21 appearances for Swindon, and could be available for an incredibly cheap amount, especially with Lyon sitting bottom of France's top flight.
The Irishman is said to be worth £4m, according to the CIES Football Observatory.
Furthermore, even if Branthwaite was to remain with Everton, O'Brien could provide depth and quality on Sean Dyche's bench, particularly with Ben Godfrey being linked with a move elsewhere this winter. The ex-Norwich City defender has played merely 91 minutes all season under Dyche and O'Brien has outperformed him in almost every metric so far, based off of Godfrey's stats last season.
|
Per 90 Metrics |
Jake O'Brien – 2023/24 |
Ben Godfrey – 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
|
Goals |
0.38 |
0 |
|
Expected Goals |
0.25 |
0.14 |
|
Progressive Passes |
3 |
2.13 |
|
Passes To Final 1/3 |
3 |
2.7 |
|
Passes To Penalty Area |
0.13 |
0.11 |
|
Pass Completion |
90.5 |
64.8 |
|
Aerial Duels Won % |
73.9 |
46.9 |
|
Touches |
69.3 |
43.9 |
|
Tackles |
0.5 |
2.25 |
|
Tackles Won |
0.5 |
1.41 |
|
Interceptions |
0.38 |
0.91 |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
Godfrey has been making more tackles than O'Brien, although the latter has a higher success rate. However, apart from interceptions, the Lyon star trumps the Everton defender.
If Godfrey leaves this January, Dyche should look no further than O'Brien to be an upgrade on him due to his superior defensive and in-possession capabilities across the board to repeat the club's Branthwaite masterclass.
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