The Premier League's most wasteful finishers this season - including Everton, Chelsea, and Man Utd stars

It is a truth universally accepted that goals win games. At the risk of going full 'Michael Owen punditry insight', generally speaking, if you score more than your opponent, it's going to take something pretty remarkable for you end up on the wrong end of a result. As such, the inverse abides too; fail to find the back of the net, and don't be surprised if you suffer the consequences.

In the Premier League, where the quality is high and the margins are fine, we are constantly being bombarded with the narrative that missed opportunities will come back to haunt individual players and their teams. Perhaps there is a certain veracity to that. And now, with the advent of xG, we can measure exactly just how costly all of those wasted efforts have been.

So, with that in mind, we've sifted through Whoscored's database of statistics to find out which Premier League players have the largest discrepancies between the goals they were expected to score, and the ones they actually have. Check out the findings below...

7. Enzo Fernandez - Chelsea - -2.75

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez isn't necessarily in Mauricio Pochettino's side to find the back of the net, but that doesn't mean that he can't chip in here and there as and when required. So far this season, he has three goals to his name, but if he'd buried all of his chances, he would be sitting on a tally closer to six strikes.

6. Beto - Everton - -2.96

It's almost perversely impressive for a player who only arrived in the Premier League in January to have forced his way into the top six of this list, but Beto has squandered plenty of opportunities since he signed for Everton from Udinese. A missed penalty against West Ham last weekend won't have helped his cause, although he did go some way towards atoning for the error with a goal later in the contest.

5. Bruno Fernandes - Manchester United - -3.24

Statistically speaking, Bruno Fernandes has been Manchester United's best player this season, averaging a higher weekly match rating than anybody else in Erik ten Hag's squad. How much higher would that average be if he'd doubled his tally of three goals for the campaign thus far? We'll never know for sure...

4. Erling Haaland - Manchester City - -3.89

The fact that Erling Haaland already has 18 Premier League goals to his name this season, and yet is still the fourth most wasteful player in the division is nothing short of remarkable. The Norwegian has uncharacteristically missed some absolute sitters in recent weeks, which has skewed his tally somewhat, but ultimately his inclusion here is a big reflection of just how many chances fall his way.

3. Nicolas Jackson - Chelsea - -4.19

It has not been an easy first season in English football for Nicolas Jackson, who has shown flashes of what he can do while still missing a whole host of golden opportunities. Eight goals is not a bad return, but 12 would be a much better one, and the hope will be that as he settles into his new surroundings, he will start to find the back of the net much more regularly.

2. Darwin Nunez - Liverpool - -4.26

How can you not love Darwin Nunez and his knack for scoring frequent screamers while missing certifiable tap-ins? The Uruguayan is a maverick in front of goal, and if the day ever arrives when he does start to bury the simple chances too, he could become one of the most impressive strikes in the Premier League - if he isn't one already.

1. Dominic Calvert-Lewin - Everton - -6.3

Everton have had no luck this season. Between their points deduction and the wastefulness of their centre forwards, it is little wonder that the Toffees are embroiled in a relegation dogfight. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a quality talent, but injuries have been cruel in recent times, and when he has been able to gain valuable minutes, he has looked rusty and out of rhythm. Three goals for the striker so far, but by rights, he should be closing in on double figures for the campaign.