Sunday, December 25, 2011

Premier League Opta Facts - December 26th-27th


Chelsea v Fulham

Fulham have failed to score in three of their last four Premier League games against Chelsea.

There have been five goals scored in the opening 10 minutes of the last six Premier League meetings between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge.

The last two goals Fulham have scored against Chelsea have both come at Stamford Bridge in the fourth minute of a game.

Fulham have won none of their last 35 Premier League London derbies away from home (D12 L23).

The Blues and the Whites have already met this season at Stamford Bridge in the Carling Cup where a 0-0 draw was won by Chelsea on penalties.

Didier Drogba has scored three goals in his last four Premier League starts against Fulham.

Fulham have won just one of the 20 Premier League games against Chelsea (W1 D7 L12) and none at Stamford Bridge (D3 L7).

Fulham's last (and only) top flight win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge came in March 1964 (2-1).

Fulham have won just four of their last 45 Premier League away matches (W4 D19 L22).

Fulham only have six different scorers this season, fewer than any other team.

Bolton Wanderers v Newcastle United

Newcastle have lost just two of their last nine Premier League away games (W3 D4 L2), but those two defeats have come in their last three road trips.

Bolton have lost nine of their last 10 Premier League games at home, winning the other match 5-0.

Newcastle had a player sent off in each of the Premier league meetings with Bolton last season.

Bolton are the first team to go 17 league games without a draw from the start of a season in the Premier League.

Bolton are the only side that have neither recouped any points from a losing position or dropped any after going ahead this season in the Premier League.

Demba Ba has scored 20 goals in just 24 Premier League starts.

The scorer of the first goal has won all 17 league matches involving Bolton this season.

Bolton have hit the target with a higher percentage of shots than any other team in the Premier League (55%).

Owen Coyle's side have kept just two clean sheets in their last 23 Premier League matches.

Bolton have won seven and lost 20 Premier League games since they last drew a Premier League match which was against Newcastle in February.

Liverpool v Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn have won just one of their last 17 Premier League away games (W1 D6 L10).

Rovers have kept just one clean sheet in their last 27 Premier League away games.

Blackburn have scored in their last 10 top flight away games.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games at Anfield, but have drawn four of the last five.

Liverpool have the worst conversion rate in the Premier League this season (8.6%).

Rovers have won just two of the last 25 Premier League games against Liverpool (W2 D11 L12), but they did earn all three points last time out at Ewood Park.

Blackburn have won none of their last 15 league visits to Anfield (W0 D5 L10).

Yakubu has scored 10 goals in his last 11 Premier League starts.

Blackburn have gone 20 Premier League games without a clean sheet and have conceded 42 goals in that run.

Only one team (West Brom in 2004-05) have been bottom of the table at Christmas and survived in the Premier League era.

Manchester United v Wigan Athletic

Wigan have won their last two away games 2-1 after conceding the first goal.

Wigan haven't won three away games in a row since November 2005.

Manchester United have won 34 and lost just two of their last 38 Premier League matches at Old Trafford.

United have won all 13 matches in all competitions against Wigan.

The Latics have failed to score in seven of their last eight Premier League games against the Red Devils, including the last four in a row.

Wigan have scored just one goal in six visits to Old Trafford, and none in the last four.

Wayne Rooney has scored 10 goals in 13 appearances against Wigan in all competitions.

Wigan have recovered the joint-most points from losing positions this season (8) in the Premier League.

Manchester United have conceded the highest percentage of second half goals (79%).

Ali Al-Habsi has now saved three of the four penalties he has faced in the Premier League this season.

United have scored more goals in their last three Premier League games (11) than they managed in the previous nine (10).

Sunderland v Everton

Sunderland have won just three of their last 16 Premier League matches at the Stadium of Light (W3 D4 L9), but have lost just one of the last six (W2 D3 L1).

Sunderland have failed to score in five of their last seven Premier league meetings with the Toffees.

Sunderland have won none of their last 14 games against Everton in all competitions (W0 D3 L11).

Sunderland have conceded the highest percentage of headed goals in the Premier League this season (38%).

Everton have scored the highest percentage of goals in the second half of Premier League games this season (71%).

The Toffees have allowed their opponents fewer shots on target against them than any other team in the top flight (54).

Martin O'Neill has already earned as many points with Sunderland (6) as the team had picked up in their previous nine Premier League games.

Sunderland have fired in the most shots on target direct from free kicks (7) and scored the most goals via this route (3).

Sunderland have made the most tackles in the Premier League this season (380) while Everton have made the fewest (253) but the Toffees have won the highest proportion (79.8%).

Everton's defeat to Newcastle in November ended a run of eight games without a loss away from home in the north east (W5 D3).

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City

West Brom have conceded a penalty in each of their last four Premier League matches at the Hawthorns.

The Baggies have lost five of their last eight Premier League games at the Hawthorns (W2 D1 L5).

West Brom are looking for their 50th league victory over Manchester City.

West Brom have won four of the last five home games against Man City in all competitions, though they lost the last Premier League home game against Roberto Mancini's visiting side.

There have been three red cards in the last three Premier League meetings between West Brom and Man City at the Hawthorns.

West Brom have scored the highest percentage of first half goals (63%).

The Baggies have also conceded the highest percentage of first half goals (58%).

Man City have the best conversion rate in the 2011-12 Premier League scoring with 22% of their attempts.

Mario Balotelli has scored six goals in his six Premier league starts this season.

West Brom have lost all of their five Premier League games on the 26th December before this match, netting only one goal in the process.

Stoke City v Aston Villa

Aston Villa have lost just two of their last nine Premier League away games (W2 D5 L2).

Six of the eight Premier League goals Stoke have scored against Aston Villa have been netted in the 80th minute or later.

Kenwyne Jones scored in both league meetings with Villa last season.

Aston Villa have only won one of the last eight league meetings with Stoke (W1 D4 L3).

Stoke have scored the highest percentage of goals from set pieces this season (61%).

The Potters have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine Premier League matches.

Aston Villa have failed to score in four of their last six Premier League games.

Villa have conceded the highest percentage of goals from set pieces in the Premier League (57%).

Alex McLeish's side are particularly susceptible from corners having shipped more than any other team (9).

Only Stoke (48) have fired in fewer shots on target than Aston Villa this season (52).

Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 17 matches against Wolves in all competitions (W15 D2 L0) and have won the last 12 in a row.

The Gunners have won the last seven matches at home against Wolves and haven't lost to the Midlanders since a 2-3 defeat at Highbury in September 1979.

Wolves have failed to score in four of their last five games against Arsenal in all competitions.

Wolves have won none of their last seven Premier League away games and lost the last six in a row.

The Gunners have won six and lost none of their last seven Premier League games at home and have never lost a midweek Premier League game at the Emirates (W10 D2).

Robin van Persie has scored eight goals in his last six Premier League games at the Emirates.

Wolves have won just two of their last 15 Premier League matches (W2 D3 L10).

Wolves have recouped the joint-most points from losing positions this season (8).

Arsenal have conceded the lowest percentage of headed goals this season (8%).

The Gunners have scored the highest percentage of goals from open play in this season's Premier League (85%).

Swansea City v Queens Park Rangers

QPR have scored 99 goals away from home in Premier League history.

Swansea have the best defensive record in the top flight on home soil, conceding just two goals at the Liberty Stadium so far.

The Liberty Stadium has only seen 12 goals scored this season, fewer than any other ground in the Premier League.

Swansea have lost just one of their last 16 home games in league competition (W10 D5 L1).

Scott Sinclair has scored in four of Swansea's last six Premier League home matches.

Swansea have failed to score in five of their last seven matches and in more matches this season than any other team in the top flight (9).

Heidar Helguson has scored seven goals in his last nine Premier League appearances.

QPR have the worst shooting accuracy in the top flight, finding the target with just 35% of attempts.

Swansea have conceded fewer fouls (149) than any other side in the Premier League.

Michel Vorm has kept the most clean sheets on any Premier League goalkeeper this season in the top flight (8).

Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs have only kept one clean sheet away from home in the league this season, but only one team (Manchester United) has stopped them from scoring on their travels.

Norwich are yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League this season.

Grant Holt has scored four goals in his last four games for Norwich at Carrow Road.

Norwich have failed to score in their last four Premier League games against Spurs.

The Canaries have won just one of the last 12 games against Spurs in all competitions (W1 D2 L9).

Tottenham have won five and lost none of their last six trips to Carrow Road in all competitions.

Norwich have won just two of their last nine Premier League games (W2 D4 L3).

The Canaries are one of only two teams in the top flight without a clean sheet (Blackburn are the other).

Norwich have scored more headed goals than any other Premier League side (11).

The Canaries have dropped the joint-most points from losing positions in the Premier League (12 along with Blackburn).