Chelsea has jumped out to an early lead in the 2021-22 Premier League race, amassing 25 points in 10 games. They are closely followed by Liverpool and Manchester City, who have 22 and 20 points in their kitty, respectively.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool has scored 29 goals so far, compared to Chelsea’s 26 and City’s 20. Norwich City, on the other hand, has only scored three goals so far.
However, just as few clubs have scored goals for fun while others have struggled, there are clubs that have been denied by the woodwork on numerous occasions. The list is led by a team that has hit the framework up to eight times in just ten games.
On that note, here are the five unluckiest Premier League clubs who have hit the crossbar the most this season:
Number 5: Leicester City
Leicester City‘s season hasn’t gone as smoothly as they had hoped. They’ve struggled to string together a string of victories, frequently crumbling soon after a commanding victory.
Their 4-2 victory over Manchester United a few weeks ago was followed by victories over Spartak Moscow, Brentford, and Brighton. However, Arsenal defeated them 2-0 on Saturday, October 30, putting an end to their winning streak.
They’ve also been unlucky with the woodwork, having been denied on five occasions this season in the Premier League. They were also unlucky against Arsenal, where they hit the crossbar twice and failed to score.
Number 4: Burnley
Burnley is the next team on this list, having hit the crossbar five times in ten Premier League games this season. Sean Dyche’s side is currently in the relegation zone, with only seven points from ten games, and has only one league win this season.
They may consider themselves unlucky, having been denied by the woodwork five times. However, their recent 3-1 win over Brentford gives them some hope.
The Clarets desperately need to string together a string of wins before the gap between them and the teams above them widen. They are currently three points behind 17th-placed Leeds United.
Number 3: Arsenal
Arsenal started the Premier League season poorly, losing their first three games. They appear to have found their footing now, as they are unbeaten in seven league games. This recent run of form has propelled them into the top half of the table, and they are now sixth after defeating Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
Their Premier League campaign could have been even better, as they, like Leicester and Burnley, have hit the crossbar five times. Nicolas Pepe has been the most unlucky of their players. The Ivory Coast international has been denied by the crossbar twice this season, putting him joint-third on the list of players who have been denied by the crossbar the most this Premier League season.
Mikel Arteta will want the club to maintain its current form in order to improve significantly on last season’s eighth-place finish in the Premier League.
Number 2: Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace has hit the crossbar six times in the first ten Premier League games of the 2021-22 season, ranking second in the league. Patrick Vieira’s side recently returned to form in the Premier League with a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Manchester City.
Christian Benteke has been the most unlucky of the Eagles’ players when it comes to hitting the woodwork. The Belgian striker has hit the framework three times this season, propelling Crystal Palace to second place on this list.
Benteke, on the other hand, appears to have found form, scoring in two of his last three league games. This will provide some relief for Vieira as he attempts to improve the club’s recent form.
Number 1: Brentford
Brentford is the Premier League’s unluckiest team when it comes to hitting the crossbar this season. The newly-promoted team has hit the crossbar eight times in ten games, the most in the league so far.
Brentford has been very impressive this season, despite their luck with the woodwork. They started the season with only one defeat in their first seven games, and despite a recent slump in form, they are currently ranked 12th after ten games.
Bryan Mbeumo has made the most contributions to Brentford’s eight goals. The forward has hit the framework six times this season, the most of any Premier League player. Pontus Jansson and Christian Norgaard have each scored once, propelling their team to the top of the standings.