Thursday, January 24, 2013

FA Cup 4th Round Opta Facts


Millwall v Aston Villa 
Millwall and Aston Villa have met five times previously in the FA Cup, with Millwall progressing twice (both after replays) and Villa going through on three occasions.
They were last drawn together in the fourth round in 1986, with Millwall progressing after a replay following a 1-1 draw at Villa Park.
The Lions have only lost two of their last 17 FA Cup games on home soil (W10 D5).
Villa were eliminated in the fourth round last year, when they faced Arsenal at the Emirates losing 3-2.
Millwall have only won two of their last seven games (L3 D2), with both victories coming at the New Den.
Aston Villa have now progressed through each of their last 10 FA Cup ties against lower ranked sides.
Darren Bent has scored in four of his last five matches in the FA Cup.

Stoke v Man City
Stoke and Man City have been drawn together seven time before in the FA Cup, with the Citizens progressing (or winning the final) four times and the Potters progressing on three occasions.
The most memorable of these meetings was the 2011 final, where Man City secured the trophy with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a Yaya Toure goal.
When drawn at the Britannia, the Potters are unbeaten in nine FA Cup games, winning seven and drawing two.
The last time City travelled to the Britannia in the FA Cup, they were eliminated, losing 3-1 in a replay back in February 2010.
The Citizens are enjoying a five game winning streak, netting 14 goals and shipping just three in the process.
City have won just two of their last eight on the road in the FA Cup, drawing three and losing three.
Man City are unbeaten in seven against the Potters in all competitions (three home wins, one neutral win and three away 1-1 draws).

Bolton v Everton 
Bolton have not lost to Everton in the FA Cup since 1908, winning all three ties since then including in the semi-final back in 1953.
Overall, these North West rivals have been drawn together six times before, with Bolton progressing four times and Everton twice, both following a replay.
The Toffees are unbeaten in their last six away games in the FA Cup (W4 D2).
Everton have only kept three clean sheets in their last 14 FA Cup games, and only one on the road since 2009.
The Trotters are unbeaten in four games now (1W 3D), their second-longest run without defeat this season (six games in November).
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard netted on the last occasion these sides met, though Bolton still won 2-1 at Goodison Park.
There have been three red cards in the last five clashes between the Trotters and the Toffees in all competitions.

Brighton v Arsenal 
This will be only the fourth time the clubs have met in the FA Cup and the third time in the fourth round. Arsenal have won all three previous ties without needing a replay.
Their last meeting came in the fourth round in 1988, with The Gunners claiming a 2-1 victory.
Brighton have won their last two home FA Cup ties against Premier League opposition.
Arsenal are unbeaten in 33 games against lower ranked sides in the FA Cup, not losing since a 0-1 defeat at Sheffield United in 1996.
The Gunners have won none of their last three games on the road, losing one (v Chelsea) and drawing two (v Swansea in the FA Cup and v Southampton).
Brighton and Hove Albion defeated Newcastle United in the third round of the 1983 competition as they did earlier this campaign; they went on to reach the final 30 years ago.
The Gunners have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last seven away FA Cup games, shipping 12 in total in this away run.

Derby v Blackburn
The two sides have been played each on 10 previous occasions in the FA Cup, with both sides progressing five times apiece.
The last meeting between these Championship rivals came back in 2001 at this stage, when Blackburn won 5-2 away in a replay after a 0-0 draw at Ewood Park.
Blackburn have lost their last four away games in the FA Cup.
The Rams have won five and lost none of their last six home FA Cup matches against teams from the same division.
Overall, the Rams have suffered just one defeat in their last five games, winning two and drawing two.
Blackburn have won two and lost just one of their last four trips to the home of the Rams, drawing the other 1-1 earlier this season.

Huddersfield v Leicester 
Huddersfield and Leicester have never met in the FA Cup.
The Terriers have won four out of their last five home games in the cup (1L).
The Foxes have struggled of late on the road in the FA Cup, winning only once in nine games (D1 L7).
Jermaine Beckford has scored seven goals in his last five FA Cup appearances and 16 in 19 overall.
Simon Grayson’s Huddersfield side have won just one of their last 13 games (1-0 v Charlton in FA Cup), losing six and drawing six.
Leicester have won each of their last five games, netting 14 goals and conceding just one goal in the process, with that goal against coming in their 6-1 thrashing of Huddersfield on January 1st.

Hull v Barnsley 
The two sides met in the third round in 1958, with the tie going to a replay after finishing 1-1. The Tigers eventually progressed to the fourth round after securing a 2-0 victory.
The Tigers have reached the fourth round 23 times, progressing 12 times, including in three of their last four at this stage.
The Tykes have won just one of their last eight fourth round games on the road outright; though they have drawn five of these and gone on to win the replay on each occasion.
Barnsley are enjoying a three game unbeaten streak (W2 D1), their longest run without defeat this season.
On home soil, Hull have enjoyed just one win in their last four games, drawing two and losing one.
The last four clashes between these Championship rivals have all ended in home wins, while only one of the last eight has been won by the away side.

Macclesfield v Wigan
This is the first time in Macclesfield’s history that they’ve reached the fourth round.
The Latics and the Silkmen have never met in the FA Cup before.
Wigan haven’t advanced through the fourth round since 1987, where they claimed a 1-0 victory against Norwich City.
The Silkmen have never defeated top flight opposition in the FA Cup.
Despite enduring another difficult season, Wigan are unbeaten in their last three games on the road, winning two and drawing one.
Matthew Barnes-Homer has scored six goals in his last five appearances in all competitions for the Silkmen.
Wigan have won both previous competitive meetings with Macclesfield, beating them 1-0 away and 2-0 at home in the 1998/99 division two.

Middlesbrough v Aldershot
Boro and Aldershot will meet for the first time in the competition in this clash.
The Shots have scored eight goals in three FA Cup games so far this season, though they are yet to face a team from a higher division.
Aldershot have not won away from home against a side from a higher division since 1983, when they won 3-1 at Portsmouth.
‘Boro have won 11 of their last 15 home FA Cup ties against sides from lower divisions than them (D3 L1).
At the Riverside, ‘Boro have lost just one of their last six games, winning the other five.
Aldershot’s Danny Hylton has only scored one league goal in 19 games all season, but has netted seven times in three FA Cup appearances for the Shots.
Aldershot Town have made the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1987, when they lost to Barnsley.

Norwich v Luton 
This will be the fourth meeting between the Canaries and the Hatters in the FA Cup; the Hatters the first two, including the1959 semi, before Norwich won the most recent clash.
The last clash between these sides in the cup also came in the fourth round and Norwich won 2-0 (1976).
It’s the first time since 2007 that Luton have made it to the fourth round. That year, they were eliminated by Blackburn Rovers.
Luton haven’t beaten a Premier League side since 1993/94, when they defeated West Ham 3-2 in sixth round replay.
Chris Hughton’s Canaries have managed just one win in their last seven games (3-0 v Peterborough in the FA Cup), losing five and drawing one.
The Canaries have won their last three against Luton in all competitions, winning both meetings in 2006/07 3-2.

QPR v MK Dons 
The R’s and the Dons met for the first time in any competition in the FA Cup last season, where they drew the original fixture 1-1 before QPR won 1-0 at Loftus Road, courtesy of a Danny Gabbidon strike.
The R’s have not won an FA Cup tie without the use of a replay since January 1997, when they beat Barnsley 3-2 at this stage in 1997.
MK Dons have scored 10 goals in their last four FA Cup games and they have never helped them reach the fourth round for the first time.
The Hoops have been improving under Harry Redknapp and remain unbeaten in 2013, winning two, drawing three, scoring four and shipping just two in the process.
The Dons have won two and drawn two of their last four games, shipping a total of just two goals in those four fixtures.
Milton Keynes eliminated a higher ranked side for the first time in their history in the third round of this season, beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 in a replay.

Reading v Sheffield United
Reading’s only previous encounter against the Blades was back in 1998 and ended in a 1-0 home victory for the Sheffield side.
Reading have kept only two clean sheets in 15 home cup ties.
The Blades have only won once in their last 18 away FA Cup games to higher level opposition, drawing three and losing 14.
The Royals have won their last three games in a row, the first time they’ve managed consecutive wins this season, with Adam Le Fondre netting five goals in total in those games.
Reading have won five of their last six FA Cup games against sides from lower leagues, though they did lose their last one at home (0-1 v Stevenage last season).
The Blades are unbeaten in five against Reading in all competitions, winning four.
United have also won their last three at the Madejski Stadium, not tasting defeat there since the 2006/07 Premier League.

Man United v Fulham
The two clubs have met nine times before in the FA Cup, with United progressing through the last seven after elimination in the first two (1905 and 1908).
The last time they played each other in the fourth round was in 1979, when the Red Devils won 1-0 in a home replay after drawing 1-1 in London.
United have only lost twice in their last 18 FA Cup games at home, winning 14.
Fulham have won 10 out of their last 11 FA Cup fourth round ties, though they were eliminated at this stage last season (to Everton).
Robin Van Persie has scored in each of his last six games for United (seven goals in total) and has bagged 11 in his last 11 appearances.
Martin Jol’s Whites have registered just two wins in their last nine games, losing four and drawing three.
The Red Devils have won their last 10 at home to Fulham in all competitions, not even sharing the spoils with the Whites since a 1-3 defeat in October 2003.

Brentford v Chelsea
The only time the West London clubs have met in the FA Cup was in 1950, where Chelsea won 1-0 at Griffin Park.
The Blues have won 15 of their last 16 FA Cup fourth round ties, losing the other on penalties to Everton.
Chelsea have only lost one of their last 35 FA Cup games outright; 0-1 v Barnsley in March 2008 (W29 D5 L1).
The Blues have shipped just nine goals in their last 13 away FA Cup games combined, and never more than once in single match in this run.
The Bees have won just one of their last 13 FA Cup games against Premier League sides; beating Sunderland at this stage in 2006 (W1 D3 L9).
Juan Mata has now scored four goals and assisted five in just eight FA Cup appearances for Chelsea.
Frank Lampard has been involved in 10 goals in his last nine FA Cup appearances; scoring six and assisted four.

Leeds v Tottenham
The two clubs have faced each other five times in the FA Cup before, with Leeds winning just one tie (sixth round in 1972).
The most recent meeting came back in 2010, in the fourth round, when the original tie ended 2-2. The replay saw Spurs win 3-1 at Elland Road, courtesy of a Jermain Defoe hat-trick.
Spurs have kept three clean sheets in their last four away FA Cup games, but have failed to score in three of the four themselves.
Leeds have been eliminated by North London clubs in each of the last three FA Cups, losing to Tottenham in 2010 and Arsenal in 2011 and 2012.
At Elland Road, Leeds have lost just one of their last eight games (W6 D1), although that defeat came against another Premier League side, Chelsea, 5-1 in the Capital One Cup.
AVB’s Tottenham side are now unbeaten in eight games, winning five and drawing three.
After no goals in his first 13 games in the competition, Gareth Bale has scored in three successive FA Cup games.

Oldham v Liverpool
The two clubs met last year in the third round, in a one-sided match dominated by Liverpool who won 5-1.
Oldham have lost all four matches against Liverpool in the FA Cup.
The Reds have won five and lost just two of their last nine away games in the FA Cup (D2).
Oldham have won two of their last four FA Cup games against Premier League sides, including a win against Merseysiders Everton in 2008.
The Latics have lost each of their last four games at Boundary Park, conceding exactly two goals in each of those defeats.
Brendan Rodgers’ Reds are enjoying a good run of form, winning four of their last five (losing the other one), with Luis Suarez netting six goals in total in those games.
The Reds have won their last three against Oldham in all competitions, but did lose 2-3 at Boundary Park in the Premier League back in May 1993.