West Brom scored 34 goals in 38 matches last season – fewer than Newcastle and Norwich – but now they are outscoring Manchester United and the champions
By Martin Laurence for WhoScored?, part of the Guardian Sport Network
The Premier League was billed as the “league of managers” in the summer. With Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte arriving, José Mourinho returning, and Arsène Wenger, Jürgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino all fighting for the title, there was a sense that the men on the sidelines would steal the limelight from the players. While all of these glamorous names have become renowned for their particular approaches to the game, some of the less fashionable managers in the league are beginning to fight back against unfavourable perceptions.
Managers are generally seen as either offensively or defensively minded, with Tony Pulis perhaps the archetypal example of the latter group. He gained that reputation at Stoke City and, until recently, had only strengthened his status as a reactive coach at West Brom. However, while a favourable run of fixtures since the start of November has undoubtedly played its part, his players have been in freescoring form lately.
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