It’s another weekend of gripping Premier League action, so welcome to the stats zone.
Total Football’s Simon Wright gives background to each of the ten Premier League games this weekend and a flashback to one previous match between the two sides.
Saturday, 22 September
Swansea City v Everton (12.45pm), LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
• Swansea are unbeaten in their last five home matches. Newcastle were the last side to win at the Liberty Stadium on Good Friday.
• In 15 previous meetings, Swansea have never beaten Everton, drawing four and losing 11.
• Everton have had the most headers on target so far this season with seven.
• David Moyes’s side have only lost one of their last 13 Premier League matches, which was their last away trip to West Brom three weeks ago.
• Only Manchester United and Fulham have scored more goals so far this season than Swansea. The Swans have netted 10 in four games.
FLASHBACK: Swansea City 0-2 Everton – 24th March 2012
Swansea’s home record was excellent last season but they were breached by Everton back in March.
The Toffees produced one of their best away days of the season, hitting the front through a brilliant Leighton Baines free-kick on 59 minutes.
Nikica Jelavic missed a hatful of chances but he eventually converted one to seal an impressive 2-0 victory for the away side.
Chelsea v Stoke City
• Stoke have failed to score in each of their last four visits to Stamford Bridge in all competitions.
• Chelsea have lost just one of their last 11 games at the Bridge. Newcastle were the only side to beat them in this period back in May.
• Stoke are only the second team in Premier League history to have drawn their first four matches. The other side to do this were Crystal Palace in 1992-93 and they were relegated at the end of the season.
• The Potters have only scored three goals in eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea.
• In April 2012, Forbes magazine ranked Chelsea as the 7th most valuable football club in the world, at £743 million.
FLASHBACK: Chelsea 2-1 Stoke City – 17 January 2009
In the final dark days of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s tenure in west London, Chelsea stormed back to beat Stoke with two goals in the last three minutes.
Rory Delap had given the visitors the lead on the hour mark and the gloom remained at Stamford Bridge until the 88th minute.
Juliano Belletti equalised and Frank Lampard hit an outstanding victory to see the Blues snatch victory. Scolari was sacked just over three weeks later.
Southampton v Aston Villa
• Aston Villa have won none of their last 10 away games.
• Southampton have conceded the joint-most goals after four games in the history of the Premier League, tying on 14 conceded with Swindon Town from season 1993-94.
• With nine yellow cards and one red, Villa have the worst disciplinary record in the Premier League so far this season.
• Victory over Swansea last weekend ended a run of 13 Premier League games without a win for Villa.
• Southampton have allowed 28 shots against them so far, the most in the top flight.
FLASHBACK: Southampton 4-1 Aston Villa – 30 April 1994
Southampton survived relegation from the Premier League in 1993-94, largely through this win in their final home game of the season.
The messiah of the south coast, Matt Le Tissier scored twice and there were also goals from Ken Monkou and Neil Maddison.
Villa goalkeeper Nigel Spink was sent off for a challenge on Iain Dowie and away supporters were so disgusted, they ripped down a goal post at full-time, causing over £300 of damage.
West Brom v Reading
• This is the first ever Premier League meeting between the two sides.
• Reading are unbeaten in their last four meetings, winning two of these.
• Shane Long scored the winning goal when the sides last met, which was a 1-0 victory for Reading in the FA Cup in January 2011.
• Reading have won just one of their last 10 Premier League games.
• West Brom have kept seven clean sheets in their last nine league games at the Hawthorns.
FLASHBACK: West Brom 2-3 Reading – FA Cup fifth round replay, 24 February 2010
These sides have never faced each other in the Premier League but Reading came out on top in this encounter, winning 3-2 in an FA Cup fifth round replay in 2010.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, now of Tottenham scored a cracking winner in extra-time to take the Royals into the quarter-finals of the competition, where they would be knocked out by Aston Villa.
West Ham United v Sunderland
• Sunderland have won none of their last nine Premier League games, drawing five and losing four.
• All three of the Black Cats goals in the Premier League so far this season, have come through record signing Steven Fletcher.
• West Ham are yet to concede a goal at Upton Park in the Premier League this season.
• All seven of the goals scored by these two sides in the Premier League this season have come in the first half.
• West Ham have conceded more fouls than any other team in the top flight this season with 62.
FLASHBACK: West Ham United 2-0 Sunderland – 5 February 2006
Sunderland had a nightmare season in the Premier League in 2005-06 and that continued at Upton Park.
Stephen Wright was dismissed after only 26 minutes but the Black Cats held on until ten minutes from the end, when Dean Ashton scored his first goal for his new club.
Paul Konchesky sealed the points, which was the Hammers sixth consecutive victory in all competitions.
Wigan Athletic v Fulham
• Fulham have only conceded six goals this season, all of which have come before half-time.
• Since the start of last season, Wigan have conceded more penalties than any other Premier League side with 11.
• Fulham have hit the target with 71 per cent of their attempts on goal so far this season, a higher percentage than any other team in the Premier League.
• Fulham have not drawn an away match in the Premier League in 2012. They have won three and lost eight.
• At the DW Stadium, Wigan have lost just one of their last seven home Premier League encounters.
FLASHBACK: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Fulham – 15 January 2011
Wigan climbed out of the bottom three after this match, despite surrendering a second half lead.
Hugo Rodallega headed the Lactics infront on 57 minutes but the points were shared after Andy Johnson came off the bench to score his first goal in nearly two years, four minutes from time.
Sunday, 23 September
Liverpool v Manchester United (1.30pm) – LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
• Nemanja Vidic has been sent off in his last two appearances at Anfield. Three of his four red cards in Premier League history have come against Liverpool.
• In their last five Premier League meetings against one another, both teams have got on the scoresheet.
• Liverpool have had 75 shots on goal this season, which is the most in the division. However, only 15 of these have been on target.
• Javier Hernandez has scored in each of his two league appearances at Anfield.
• There have been 13 red cards in 20 seasons of Premier League head-to-heads between these teams. Only the Liverpool v Everton fixture has more.
FLASHBACK: Liverpool 1-3 Manchester United – 19 April 1997
The title decider in this particular season was settled by some calamitous defending and dreadful goalkeeping from the home side.
Gary Pallister headed in two first half goals for the Red Devils, to give them a 2-1 half-time lead.
John Barnes had cancelled out Pallister’s first goal but it mattered little in the final outcome.
David James misjudged another cross and Andy Cole was gifted a third goal to seal the victory.
As the banners said on that day, ‘M.U.F.C won the championship on Merseyside.’
Newcastle United v Norwich City
• In 12 Premier League games at home in 2012, Newcastle have won eight and only lost once.
• Norwich have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 35 away Premier League meetings.
• All five of Newcastle’s goals this season have come in the second half of games.
• The Canaries have not collected a single yellow card in their first four Premier League outings. The last team to do this were Blackburn Rovers in 1993.
• Norwich have won just one of their last eight Premier League away matches.
FLASHBACK: Newcastle United 2-2 Norwich City – 25 August 2004
Newcastle threw away a 2-0 lead to stutter to a 2-2 draw with newly promoted Norwich.
Craig Bellamy scored the opening goal against his former club and Aaron Hughes doubled the lead, with a rare goal for himself early in the second half.
Norwich showed great resolve though and rescued a point, courtesy of efforts from David Bentley and Gary Doherty.
It was Sir Bobby Robson’s final home match at St. James’s Park as he was dismissed by Freddy Shepherd just five days later.
Manchester City v Arsenal (4pm), LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
• Arsenal haven’t kept three consecutive clean sheets away from home in the Premier League since May 2005. Sunday gives them this opportunity.
• The defending champions have won 29 of their last 31 home matches in the Premier League.
• Arsenal have lost only one of their last 10 away games.
• Sunday’s referee is Mike Dean. He is a bad omen for Gunners supporters, as the north Londoners have only triumphed once in the last 14 games Dean has taken charge.
• Manchester City have scored only one goal in their last five Premier League clashes against Arsenal.
FLASHBACK: Manchester City 1-5 Arsenal – 23 February 2003
Arsenal were at their free-flowing best and crushed Manchester City on their final ever visit to Maine Road.
They scored four times in the first 20 minutes, through Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires.
Patrick Vieira added a fifth early in the second half, before Nicolas Anelka pulled back a scant consolation for the home side.
Tottenham Hotspur v QPR
• Tottenham have lost only two of their last 15 home matches.
• QPR have collected just three points from the last 45 available away from home in the Premier League.
• The Hoops have struck the woodwork four times this season. Only Newcastle with five attempts have been more unluckier.
• Spurs are yet to concede a goal in the first half so far this term.
• Jermain Defoe has fired more shots on goal than any other player in the top flight this season with 26.
FLASHBACK: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 QPR – 8 October 1994
Both teams were struggling in the league table when they met at White Hart Lane in October 1994.
The visitors took the lead when Andy Impey arrived at the far post to head home Trevor Sinclair’s cross.
Nick Barmby earned a point for Spurs in the second half. He beat goalkeeper Tony Roberts to a flick-on from Jurgen Klinsmann.
Ossie Ardiles was sacked at the beginning of November by Tottenham, replaced ironically in north London by QPR boss Gerry Francis.
By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88
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