Liverpool have had the 'best' start of all Premier League clubs this season according to new data

Liverpool have had the 'best' start to the Premier League season despite sitting in fourth place, according to new data.

The Reds drew 2-2 with Brighton on Sunday after coming from 1-0 down to lead heading into the closing stages.

But Lewis Dunk's late finish denied Jurgen Klopp's side victory, and they ended the weekend three points behind league leaders Tottenham as a result.

Arsenal also overtook them thanks to their 1-0 win over Manchester City, who are currently in third place.

That result means that Spurs and Arsenal are the only unbeaten sides left in the Premier League, with Liverpool having been defeated 2-1 by Ange Postecoglou's side in the previous weekend.

But according to football statistics website SoccerStats, it is the Reds that have had the best start to the campaign.

That is, at least, in terms of the Relative Performance Index - judged upon Liverpool's points per game multiplied by their opponents' points per game.

The Reds are deemed to have had the fourth-hardest start to the season - ahead of only Brentford, Bournemouth and Sheffield United - when it comes to points per game over the first eight matches.

Having played Newcastle, Spurs, Aston Villa and Brighton at the beginning of the campaign, it is hard to argue against the view that Liverpool have had a challenging start.

The Premier League top 10, as per the Relative Performance Index, is as follows:

• 1. Liverpool (3.38)
• 2. Aston Villa (3.08)
• 3. Arsenal (2.95)
• 4. Brighton (2.78)
• 5. Newcastle (2.51)
• 6. Manchester City (2.32)
• 7. West Ham (2.26)
• 8. Crystal Palace (2.22)
• 9. Manchester United (2.21)
• 10. Tottenham (1.98)
• 11. Fulham (1.82)
• 12. Nottingham Forest (1.64)
• 13. Chelsea (1.44)
• 14. Brentford (1.40)
• 15. Wolves (1.34)
• 16. Everton (1.13)
• 17. Burnley (0.77)
• 18. Luton (0.71)
• 19. Bournemouth (0.71)
• 20. Sheffield United (0.22)