THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND A FINANCIAL TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES AND TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

‘The best book on football I have ever read’ - Daniel Finkelstein

‘Fascinating and educational. An enjoyable and informative read’ - Sir Kenny Dalglish

‘Deserves a place among the great modern books on football’ - Sam Wallace, chief football writer, Telegraph

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The insider account of the data revolution that has transformed modern football, written by one of its key architects, Ian Graham.

From 2012 to 2023, Ian Graham served as Liverpool FC's Director of Research. His tenure coincided with the club’s most successful period since the 1980s, including winning the Premier League in 2020 – Liverpool’s first league title in nearly thirty years.

For the first time, Graham uncovers the fascinating data behind some of the club’s most crucial moments over the past decade, from appointing Jurgen Klopp as manager in 2015 to signing Mohamed Salah in 2017. Along the way, he provides groundbreaking insights into modern football, including how a season played mostly behind closed doors changed our understanding of the home advantage, or why the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) might not be who you think. In a sport increasingly dominated by a select few, Graham explores a future where data-savvy competitors will always have an edge.

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‘A fascinating, witty and remarkably insightful account of Liverpool’s reinvention and a clear-eyed, detailed explanation of the inner workings of modern football. Nobody is better qualified to tell these stories than Ian Graham, one of the most (quietly) influential figures in the recent history of the club and the sport’ - Rory Smith, author of Expected Goals and Chief Soccer Correspondent, New York Times

‘Never before has the data revolution in football been described so well from the inside.’ - Christoph Biermann, author of Football Hackers

‘How to Win the Premier League offers three books in one: a look at the strange inefficiencies in European football, a guide to how thinking outside the box can help your childhood club become the best team in the world, and an explanation of how football truly works. If he wanted to, Ian could easily replace me in my job.’ - Ryan O’Hanlon, author of Net Gains and staff writer at ESPN

*A Sunday Times bestseller August 2024

Pages: 336, Year of Publication: 1118, Dimensions: 12.8x12.8cm