Eye-catching stats show West Brom goalkeeper form and defender chance claim

The Irishman did not deserve to be on the losing side. O’Leary’s saves took the breath away from both sets of supporters inside Molineux, and those tuning in from afar.

It said much about the manner of his side’s limp performance that the visiting shot-stopper had to be at his outstanding best. Though he could do nothing about Fer Lopez’s winner, gifted on a plate by Nat Phillips.

For former Bristol City man O’Leary, who is 30 next month, it was a big opening few months of the season given some harsh question marks over his suitability as Albion No.1 after being handed a long-term deal during the summer.

O’Leary has delivered for James Morrison’s side, and then some.

Indeed there were a couple of excellent stops the previous weekend, in the 1-1 draw against QPR at The Hawthorns to ensure his side were not beaten on home turf.

But some of Sunday’s work was as good as it gets. Two first-half saves in the Molineux showdown, at times an onslaught in favour of Wolves, had some onlookers crowning them saves of the season.

The first was an incredible double stop. Initially to claw Nasser Djiga’s header on to the crossbar before getting down to turn Rodrigo Gomes’ rebound behind.

Moments later O’Leary readjusted his bodyweight to make an incredible near-post save from Marshall Munetsi’s header.

A one-v-one stop from Gomes in the second half, where the Wolves man should have done better, was also to be applauded.

Standout stat

Incredibly, statistics have recorded that O’Leary has so far prevented 6.2 goals from being conceded. Those figures are calculated by how much a goalkeeper saves versus whether the saves are ‘expected’ to be made, much in the manner of attackers’ expected goals (xG).

More startling still, the next nearest goalkeeper in the Championship have prevented 2.2 goals - Derby’s Jacob Zetterstrom and Federico Ravaglia of Watford. Then the ranking drops to 1.3 goals.

That is a phenomenal statistic in O’Leary’s favour and saves such as those against Wolves, and the outstanding stop from QPR’s Kwame Poku the previous weekend go a long way towards that.

It is also a worrying statistic for boss Morrison, given Albion have required such stunning form from the Republic of Ireland international. Odds are, at some point, his form could dip and the Baggies must stop being so reliant on world class saves.

O’Leary is third on save percentage, too, with 77.1 per cent, just a fraction behind keepers at expected strugglers Portsmouth and Lincoln.

Albion must protect him more.

Defender statistic

Another Albion international, defender Chris Mepham, is pushing for a regular place in Morrison’s side.

Wales regular Mepham, 28, has had to kick his heels so far this term behind Phillips and George Campbell.

He has started three games, recently against Watford and QPR, and at Newcastle in the EFL Cup. On all occasions he has performed well. Mepham, an eye-catching recruit from Bournemouth in 2025, has not enjoyed The Hawthorns career many would have predicted.

But he is pushing Phillips and Campbell hard for a start and many supporters feel the Welshman’s cool and calm stature merits a place.

Defensive stats with the ball would tally with that. From an admittedly small sample size, no Championship player has come close to Mepham’s 92.1 average passes per 90 minutes. The next most is 72.

Mepham is a very capable defender and his clearances and interceptions against Watford and QPR proved as much.

Pertinent to Morrison’s passing style this season, Mepham is clearly the most comfortable centre-back with the ball in Albion’s squad. It may give him the nod over his peers.