Premier League late goals study reveals Arsenal and Chelsea fans are wasting money by leaving home games early

NEW research has revealed the average Premier League fan leaves home games seven minutes and 37 seconds early to avoid the hustle and bustle.

But the study also reveals that in doing so, they’ll miss an average of eight goals.

Calculated against their season ticket price, it’s an average wastage of £72.63 based on the share of goals missed.

Money saving website Voucherbox.co.uk found that, with the costliest season ticket and nearly one in five home goals taking place in the final seven minutes (18%), Arsenal fans might want to stick around for the full duration of games at the Emirates.

Early leavers wasted £185.77 through missed goals – over 15 times the wastage of Stoke fans who left the bet365 Stadium early.

The fans who wasted the most money on their season ticket by leaving 7.5 minutes early during the 2016/17 season were

1. Arsenal – missed 18% of home goals, accounting for £185.77 of the season ticket
2. Chelsea – 20% of goals, £150.00 wasted
3. Southampton – 24% of goals, £137.41 wasted
4. Everton – 24% of goals, £122.62 wasted
5. Swansea City – 24% of goals, £108.63 wasted

The fans who wasted the least amount of money on their season ticket by leaving 7.5 minutes early during the 2016/17 season were:

1. Stoke City – missed 4% of home goals, accounting for £12.25 of the season ticket
2. West Brom – 4% of goals, £14.78 wasted
3. Huddersfield Town – 15% of goals, £26.32 wasted
4. Newcastle United – 8% of goals, £26.86 wasted
5. Brighton – 7% of goals, £32.28 wasted

Chelsea fans who lasted the full 90 were able to celebrate the most late goals. Accounting for all goals from the 83rd minute onwards, the Blues scored 11 times last season. With a potential waste of £150, fans at Stamford Bridge might also want to consider the financial cost, as well as goals missed.

Chelsea’s defence was also the strongest in the Premier League late on. Along with Liverpool, they conceded just once in the final seven minutes of home matches.

Including goals scored by visiting teams, early-leaving supporters of Everton and Swansea missed out on the most action, with 13 goals being scored after the 83rd minute at both Goodison Park and the Liberty Stadium respectively. That being said, six of the goals at the Liberty Stadium were scored by the visiting team.

At the other end of the scale, Crystal Palace fans might want to duck-out early – they conceded more late goals (six) than any other side last year. However, given that they also scored 21% of their goals in the closing stages, an early leave would waste £87.50 over the season.

The findings also reveal that Stoke followers would lose the least by heading home early. Just 4% of all Potters goals were scored in the final seven minutes, which equates to a £12.25 loss based on the cost per goal.

West Brom supporters can also escape early to miss the traffic without too much fear of missing any action. The Hawthorns hosted just four late goals last season, three of which were scored by the opposition.

The early getaway won’t even put that much of a dent in fans’ wallets – Baggies fans skipping out five minutes early on average wasted just £14.78 of a season ticket across the season.