After an international break, the Premier League returns to action this weekend and Total Football’s Simon Wright is ready to give some intriguing stats ahead of the 10 matches.
Saturday, 20 October
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea (12.45pm), LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
• Tottenham are currently on a nine match unbeaten run in all competitions. They haven’t tasted defeat since losing on the opening day at Newcastle.
• Chelsea have not won at White Hart Lane in their last six visits.
• The Blues have already kept four clean sheets this season. Last season, they managed just 10 all campaign.
• Spurs have won just three Premier League meetings out of 40 with Chelsea.
• Eden Hazard has been fouled more than anyone else this season. The Belgian has been unfairly challenged 21 times and won two penalties so far this term.
FLASHBACK: Tottenham Hotspur 1-6 Chelsea – 6 December 1997
This is a result that Tottenham fans would rather forget and one that Chelsea supporters always remember.
The score was 1-1 at half-time, with Ramon Vega’s header cancelling out an opening goal from Tore Andre Flo.
Under Christian Gross though, the home side crumbled horrendously in the second half.
Flo helped himself to a hat-trick from a rare start and there were also goals from Roberto Di Matteo, Dan Petrescu and youngster Mark Nicholls.
It was an emphatic victory for Ruud Gullit’s side but a realisation of the task that was ahead for Gross at White Hart Lane.
Fulham v Aston Villa
• Fulham have won nine and lost just two of their last 13 Premier League games at Craven Cottage.
• Five points from seven games is Aston Villa’s worst start to a Premier League campaign.
• Fulham have won none of their last six league clashes with Villa.
• Darren Bent has been caught offside 112 times since August 2010, the most of any player in the top division.
• Aston Villa have won only once on their last seven visits to the capital and have already lost this season at West Ham and Tottenham.
FLASHBACK: Fulham 1-1 Aston Villa – 6 November 2010
This was a match that Aston Villa largely controlled but failed to kill off.
Marc Albrighton broke the deadlock after 41 minutes but the away side blew chance after chance to close the game off.
Ashley Young was denied by Mark Schwarzer and Nathan Delfouneso was guilty of missing three great opportunities.
Then, with almost the last kick of the game, Brede Hangeland’s header rescued a point for the resilient Cottagers.
Liverpool v Reading
• The Reds have won just two of their 13 Premier League games in 2012 at Anfield (against Everton and Chelsea), drawing five and losing six.
• Reading have won just two of their last 23 away games in the Premier League, losing 15 games and drawing six.
• In his time in the Premier League with both Fulham and Reading, Pavel Pogrebnyak has had 11 shots on target and scored from eight of these.
• The Reds have scored more goals than any other team from outside the penalty area this season with five.
• Six points after seven games is Liverpool’s joint worst start to a Premier League campaign, along with 2010-11.
FLASHBACK: Liverpool 2-1 Reading – 15 March 2008
Liverpool have won both Premier League meetings at Anfield against Reading, although they had to come from behind in this match.
Marek Matejovsky smashed home a stunning opener for the visitors from the edge of the penalty area, before Javier Mascherano celebrated his permanent signature as a Reds player with a rare goal.
Fernando Torres powered home a Steven Gerrard free-kick to notch his sixth goal in nine games as Rafa Benitez’s side stretched a winning run in the league to five games.
Manchester United v Stoke City
• Javier Hernandez has scored four goals in four Premier League appearances against Stoke City.
• In nine previous Premier League meetings between the two sides, United have won eight and drawn one.
• Tony Pulis’ side have won none of their last 13 away games in the Premier League, only scoring six goals in the process.
• 67 per cent of Stoke’s league goals this season have come from set pieces.
• With five goals, the Red Devils have scored more from corners than any other side.
FLASHBACK: Manchester United 4-0 Stoke City – 9 May 2010
There was to be no dramatic final day twist for Manchester United, as this win was made academic by Chelsea’s 8-0 drubbing of Wigan on the last day of the 2009-10 season.
Darren Fletcher headed the Red Devils infront midway through the first half and Ryan Giggs doubled the lead before the interval.
An own goal from Danny Higginbotham and Ji-sung Park’s header made it a comfortable day for Sir Alex Ferguson but ultimately one of disappointment.
Swansea City v Wigan Athletic
• Having kept two clean sheets at the start of the season, Swansea have now conceded 11 times in their last five Premier League matches.
• All 12 of the Swans goals this season have come from open play.
• Six of Wigan’s seven league goals so far have come from Franco Di Santo and Arouna Kone.
• Wigan have conceded more penalties than any other top flight club this season with four.
• Roberto Martinez has played for and managed both teams.
FLASHBACK: Swansea City 0-0 Wigan Athletic – 20 August 2011
The first Premier League match at the Liberty Stadium ended in a goalless stalemate.
Wigan were denied the three points by Michel Vorm, who kept out Ben Watson’s second half penalty, the main highlight in an otherwise tepid encounter.
West Brom v Manchester City
• West Brom have been caught offside 18 times, more than any other club in the Premier League this season.
• The Baggies have won six and lost just one of their last eight home matches in the Premier League.
• Carlos Tevez has scored five goals in four Premier League outings against the Albion.
• Manchester City have fired in more shots on target than any other team in the top flight so far with 48.
• The home side have not scored in their last four Premier League games against Manchester City.
FLASHBACK: West Brom 2-0 Manchester City – 22 January 2005
At the 14th attempt of asking, Bryan Robson finally managed to spearhead West Brom to a Premier League victory.
Kevin Campbell opened the scoring after only four minutes with a low drive on his home debut and an excellent sweeping move in the last 10 minutes was finished off by Ronnie Wallwork’s diving header.
The great escape began for Robson and co, as they survived on the last day despite having been bottom of the Premier League on Christmas Day.
West Ham United v Southampton
• If he features in this match, Carlton Cole will make his 300th career appearance.
• Nigel Adkins is still looking for his sides’ first win on the road after losing all three matches away from home so far in the Premier League.
• With 18 bookings, the Hammers have picked up the most yellow cards so far this season.
• Southampton have trailed at some point in all seven Premier League matches so far this season.
• Adam Lallana has assisted four goals in the Premier League, which is a joint-top statistic with Eden Hazard and Juan Mata of Chelsea.
FLASHBACK: West Ham United 0-1 Southampton – 2 December 2002
Southampton produced a smash and grab performance at Upton Park in December 2002 to take the three points and leave the Hammers rooted to the foot of the table.
West Ham were the brighter side for much of the match and were on top for the first hour but failed to take their chances.
They were punished by James Beattie, as his scored in the 90th minute to leave the London club bottom of the league after a 10th league reverse of the season.
Glenn Roeder vowed to fight on but the club were relegated at the end of the 2002-03 campaign.
Norwich City v Arsenal (5.30pm) – LIVE ON ESPN
• Norwich will be aiming for their first win against Arsenal in 11 attempts.
• The Canaries have only won one of their last 12 Premier League games, losing seven.
• Steve Morison has a perfect track record against Arsenal, scoring in both Premier League matches last season against the Gunners.
• Arsenal have lost just one of their last 12 away Premier League matches.
• In the last five meetings between the two sides, there has been a total of 24 goals scored, an average of five goals per game.
FLASHBACK: Norwich City 1-1 Arsenal – 3 March 1993
The Canaries had a magnificent first season in the FA Premier League, finishing third and for a long while, looked like they could pinch the title away from either Aston Villa or Manchester United.
March was a turning point in the season as Mike Walker’s team began to feel the pace. It started with this draw against inconsistent Arsenal.
Ian Wright grabbed a point for the Gunners nine minutes from time, after Ruel Fox’s first half opener.
Sunday, 21 October
Sunderland v Newcastle United (1.30pm), LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
• Sunderland haven’t managed to keep a clean sheet against their rivals in 20 years.
• Newcastle will look to extend a five match unbeaten run at the weekend. Sunderland’s last victory against the Magpies came in October 2008.
• Martin O’Neill’s side have attempted the least number of shots on target in all the main leagues in Europe with 27.
• This match will be Newcastle’s 700th game in the FA Premier League.
• Shola Ameobi loves playing against the Black Cats, scoring seven goals in seven games against the opposition.
FLASHBACK: Sunderland 1-4 Newcastle United – 17 April 2006
Alan Shearer’s final ever Newcastle United game saw him score from the penalty spot in an impressive derby victory.
A woeful Black Cats side led before half-time when Justin Hoyte scored the opening goal.
The Magpies turned it around in the second half. Michael Chopra equalised and when Hoyte brought down Charles N’Zogbia, Shearer fired the Toon Army infront.
N’Zogbia added to the total with a brilliant individual effort to make it 3-1 and even Albert Luque got on the scoresheet before the final whistle.
Shearer got injured in the closing stages, bringing the curtain down on his remarkable career a few weeks prematurely but to score a goal in the Tyne and Wear derby was the perfect way for him to bow out.
QPR v Everton (4pm), LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
• In their last five matches at Loftus Road, QPR have only scored three goals.
• Everton have hit the woodwork more times than any other team so far this season, striking post/bar on eight occasions.
• The opening goals of both Premier League encounters last season came in the 31st minute.
• Sunday’s game will be David Moyes’ 200th away match as Everton manager.
• Tim Howard now holds the best current record for successive Premier League starts, with 190 consecutive appearances.
FLASHBACK: QPR 2-3 Everton – 18 March 1995
An Everton side that was struggling near the bottom four found three points against the run of play at Loftus Road.
Les Ferdinand’s weak shot beat Neville Southall to give the home side a half-time lead but the Toffees showed great character to fightback.
Stuart Barlow equalised, only for Kevin Gallen to restore the home side’s lead just two minutes later.
An own goal from Alan McDonald drew matters level again and it took a stoppage time looping free-kick from Andy Hinchcliffe to win it for Joe Royle’s side.
It was a dramatic win and the start of a positive run-in for the Merseysiders, which ended with victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88
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