Calvin Bassey Tops Premier League Error Chart Ahead Of Fulham’s EFL Cup Clash With Wycombe

Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey will be hoping to turn the page tonight when Fulham face Wycombe Wanderers in the fourth round of the EFL Cup, after finding himself at the top of the Premier League’s error chart following a difficult outing in his last league appearance.

The Nigerian international endured a rough night in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle United, where two costly mistakes directly led to goals.

According to football statistics site WhoScored, Bassey’s errors were the most in a single Premier League game this season and tied him for the highest number overall after nine rounds of fixtures.

His first blunder came when he was caught in possession by Jacob Murphy near his own box. Murphy made no mistake, racing forward to slot home a low drive off the post. Later in the game, a misplaced pass from Bassey around midfield allowed Anthony Elanga to start a move that ended with Bruno Guimarães scoring Newcastle’s winner.

The performance drew criticism from pundits, with former Watford striker Troy Deeney calling his mistake “really, really poor” during BBC’s Final Score.

“Calvin Bassey was dilly-dallying on the ball. You’re not going to catch Jacob Murphy in a foot race. It’s a wonderful finish, in off the post, and the goalkeeper has no chance. Newcastle deserved that goal,” Deeney said.

According to Statmuse, Bassey now shares the unwanted top spot for errors leading to goals this season alongside Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels, Wolves’ Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, and Luton Town’s Emmanuel Agbadou, each with two.

Fulham manager Marco Silva, however, has backed his player to recover quickly. “Mistakes are part of the game,” Silva said after the defeat. “What matters is how you react. Calvin knows what went wrong, but I was pleased with the way he responded afterwards. It’s about doing the basics right and staying composed under pressure.”

As Fulham prepare for tonight’s 20:45 kickoff against Wycombe at Adams Park, Bassey is expected to feature as the Cottagers aim to reach the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup.