Friday, November 18, 2011

Premier League Opta Facts - November 19 - 21


Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Seven of the eight goals scored by Everton against Wolves in the Premier League have been netted in the first half.

The Toffees have lost five of their last six Premier League matches, winning the other.

Everton and Wolves have both gone eight Premier League games without a clean sheet.

Wolves' victory over Wigan saw them end a run of eight Premier League games without a win.

Everton have only lost one of their last eight games against Wolves in all competitions (W4 D3 L1).

A league high 55% of Everton's goals have been scored in the final 15 minutes of matches this season.

Wolves have eight ever present starters in the Premier League this season, more than any other team.

The 11 points that Wolves have accrued is their best performance in the Premier League after 11 matches.

Wayne Hennessey has made the joint-most saves in the Premier League this season (46).

Tim Howard has made four saves and conceded just two goals from the last seven Premier League penalties he has faced.


Manchester City v Newcastle United

Man City have won seven and lost none of their last nine Premier League matches against Newcastle.

Man City have only been trailing in one match so far this season, fewer than any other Premier League side.

City have scored the highest percentage of second half goals in the top flight (77%), but have also conceded a joint league high 80% in the second half.

Samir Nasri and David Silva have a joint-league high six goal assists each this season.

A league-high 50% of the goals Newcastle have conceded have been from set pieces.

Mario Balotelli has scored five goals from just seven shots on target in the Premier League this season.

David Silva has created 33 chances from open play for team-mates, more than any other player in the top flight.

This match pits the two remaining unbeaten teams from the Premier League against each other, with City having won 10 of their 11 games and Newcastle seven of their 11.

Newcastle have conceded 496 goals away from home in the Premier League era.

Demba Ba has scored eight goals in his last six Premier League games.


Norwich City v Arsenal

Norwich have scored the joint-most headed goals (6), a figure that also accounts for a joint-league high 38% of their Premier league strikes this season.

Arsenal have conceded a league-high 29% of goals from shots from outside the box this season.

Arsenal have scored a league-high 91% of goals from open play in the Premier League.

Robin van Persie has scored 29 goals in 28 Premier League matches in 2011.

The last three Premier League meetings between Arsenal and Norwich have seen the Gunners score at least four times and concede one goal on each occasion.

Norwich have won none of their last 11 matches at Carrow Road in all competitions against Arsenal (W0 D7 L4).

Norwich have only won one of their last 20 games in all competitions against Arsenal (W1 D9 L10)

Arsenal ended a run of eight winless league games away from home with victory over Chelsea (5-3) in their last away trip.

The Gunners have shipped more goals away from home than any other team in the top flight (17), but only Man City (23) have scored more away goals than Arsenal (11).

Arsenal have only kept one clean sheet in their last 12 Premier League away games, but only one team has stopped them scoring in their last 15 away trips.


Stoke City v Queens Park Rangers

Stoke City have scored a league-high 75% of their goals from set pieces this season.

Tony Pulis' side have the worst shooting accuracy in the top flight, hitting the target with 35% of their attempts, while QPR have the second worst.

The Potters have also posted the lowest number of shots on target (28) and only bottom-placed Wigan (7) have scored fewer goals.

Stoke have won three and lost just one of their last five league matches with QPR.

There has been a red card in each of the last three league meetings between Stoke and QPR.

Heidar Helguson has scored in three of his four Premier League starts this season.

Stoke have won just one of their last seven Premier League matches (W1 D1 L5) and lost the last three in a row.

Stoke have only won six of their 17 Premier League home matches against teams from London.

Stoke have only ever lost back to back home Premier League games on three occasions and each time, one of the two defeats was by a London club.

Only Wigan (6%) have scored with a lower percentage of their shots than QPR (9%).


Sunderland v Fulham

Fulham have used just 20 players in the Premier League so far, fewer than any other team.

Sunderland have failed to score in five of their last six meetings with Fulham, including the last four in a row.

There have been just five goals scored in the last six matches between Fulham and Sunderland.

The Black Cats have only won three of the 14 Premier League meetings with Fulham and only scored in six.

Fulham have won just four of their last 42 Premier league away games.

Sunderland haven't had the same result in back to back Premier League games since they lost to West Brom and Birmingham in succession back in April.

Sunderland have kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 Premier League games at the Stadium of Light.

Clint Dempsey (28) has been fouled more often than any other player in the Premier League this season.

Four of the six goals scored direct from free kicks this season have come in Sunderland matches, two for and two against.

Fulham have conceded a joint-league high 33% of their goals in the final 15 minutes of games this season.


Swansea City v Manchester United

Manchester United are the only team in the Premier League who haven't had any player start all their Premier League games.

Manchester United have been the most clinical team so far, scoring with 22% of their shots.

Swansea have committed fewer fouls (88) than any other team in the top flight this season.

None of the 16 matches between Swansea and Manchester United have ever finished as an away win, with 12 home wins and four draws.

Swansea have conceded just one goal on home soil this season, fewer than any other Premier League team on their own ground.

Man Utd have only scored one goal in each of their last four Premier League matches.

Danny Graham has scored in four of his last five Premier League appearances.

Man Utd have only recorded a better start to a Premier League campaign on just two previous occasions, 1993-94 and 2006-07.

Swansea are currently unbeaten in 13 successive home games in league competition (W9 D4).

Man Utd are unbeaten in their last six Premier League away games, winning three and drawing three.


West Bromwich Albion v Bolton Wanderers

Five of West Brom's nine Premier League goals (a league-high 56%) have been scored in the opening 15 minutes of matches.

The Baggies have conceded a league high 63% of goals in the first half of Premier league matches this season.

Bolton have posted the best shooting accuracy in the top flight, hitting the target with 56% of their shots.

Bolton are the only team without a Premier League draw this season.

Ivan Klasnic has scored five goals from just eight shots on target in the Premier League this season.

West Brom have been caught offside more often than any other team (48), while Bolton have been flagged the fewest times (10).

Seven of the 10 Premier League meetings between West Brom and Bolton have been draws.

Five of the last six league meetings (including playoffs) between the two sides at the Hawthorns have been draws.

Bolton have the worst defence in the top flight this season having conceded 27 times and only two teams (Barnsley 28 in 1997-98 and Derby 28 in 2000-01) have shipped more after 11 games of a Premier League season.

The winning team in each of Bolton's last six Premier League away games has scored at least three goals.


Wigan Athletic v Blackburn Rovers

Wigan are the only team in the Premier League yet to score a headed goal this season.

Four of Wigan's seven Premier League goals have been scored from outside the box this season; only Man City (11) and Man Utd (6) have netted more.

Wigan have the worst conversion rate in the top flight, scoring with on average one out of every 16 attempts.

Blackburn have committed more fouls (157) than any other team in the top flight this season.

Jason Lowe has been booked in five of his last six Premier League matches and each of the last four.

Blackburn have scored three goals in four of their six Premier League away games against Wigan, but lost two of those four occasions.

This is Blackburn's worst points tally (6) after 11 matches of a Premier League campaign since 1996-97 (4).

Wigan are the only team never to be relegated from the top flight of English football, but have made their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign.

Blackburn have won just two of their last 18 Premier League away matches (W2 D5 L11) but their two wins were against teams whose names begin with a W.

Rovers have kept just one clean sheet in their last 24 Premier league away games.


Chelsea v Liverpool

Luis Suarez has won three penalties this season, more than any other player.

Fernando Torres has scored every 425 minutes for Chelsea compared to every 121 minutes for Liverpool and his accuracy is 38% compared to 49% at Liverpool and his chance conversion just 10% for the Blues compared to 22% with the Reds.

Torres has scored seven goals in eight games in all competitions for Liverpool against Chelsea but only one of those was at Stamford Bridge.

John Terry has scored in the 45th minute of each of the last two Premier League games at Stamford Bridge.

Daniel Sturridge has scored four goals from just six shots on target in the Premier League this season.

Chelsea have picked up more cards than any other team in the Premier League this season, 28 yellow and three reds.

Liverpool have allowed their opponents fewer shots on target against them than any other team in the Premier League this season (38).

Chelsea players have been credited with a joint-league high five errors leading to goals this season.

Chelsea have failed to score in five of their last seven Premier League games against Liverpool and three of the last four at Stamford Bridge.

There have been just nine goals scored in the last eight Premier League meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.


Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa

Aston Villa have dropped more points from winning positions than any other team in the Premier League so far this season (9), but have also recouped the joint-most (4).

Gabriel Agbonlahor has been booked in four of his five Premier League away appearances this season.

Both meetings between Spurs and Villa last season ended 2-1 to the Londoners with Marc Albrighton scoring for the Midlanders and all four Tottenham goals by Rafael van der Vaart.

Darren Bent scored twice in his last appearance against Tottenham and also netted in the last two Aston Villa v Tottenham games he played, while still a Spurs player.

Despite losing their first two games, this is Tottenham's best ever start to a Premier League campaign with 22 points from their opening 10 matches.

Tottenham have lost just one of their last 21 Premier League games at White Hart Lane, winning 12 and drawing eight.

Aston Villa have kept just one clean sheet in their last 25 Premier League away games.

The Villans have drawn four and lost one of their last five Premier League away trips.

Stylian Petrov has made more interceptions (43) than any other player in the Premier League.

Brad Friedel has made the joint-most saves in the Premier League this season (46) despite Spurs having played one game less than most teams.