LONDON (REUTERS) - Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Conor Coady believes the absence of crowds at stadiums is a major factor behind the surprising scorelines seen in the Premier League this season.

Champions Liverpool were ripped apart 7-2 at Aston Villa and Manchester United were humiliated 6-1 at home by Tottenham Hotspur in the latest round of fixtures last Sunday, which saw a total of 41 goals - just three short of the Premier League record for goals in a single game week set last month.

"Honestly, they are mad, the scorelines," said Coady, whose Wolves side was one just four teams to keep a clean sheet over the weekend. "It's a tough one to put your finger on, it really is.

"You look at it at the start of the season, some teams are ahead of others in terms of fitness, in terms of having a pre-season. "The teams that have been in European competition obviously haven't had that ... so that might play a bit of a factor. I think fans play a big factor... I think we all want them back as soon as possible."

Wolves, who are 13th in the standings with six points from four games, face Leeds United on Oct 19 when they return to action after the international break.