Championship Opta Facts – January 31

Leicester v Wolves

Wolves are unbeaten in four league games against Leicester City, winning two (including this season's reverse fixture) and drawing two.
Only Cardiff (37) have taken more home points than the Foxes in the Championship this term (32).
The Foxes have won their last four league games in a row, scoring 12 in total and conceding just once.
Leicester have already achieved five successive league wins this season, doing so between September and October in a run that started following defeat to Wolves.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are winless in six league games (D2 L4) and have netted just three goals in total during this run.
Since a 4-1 victory over Bristol City on December 1st 2012, four of the six goals scored by Wolves in the Championship have been netted by Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (one own goal, one by Roger Johnson).

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30.01. (Wed) 21:00 Real - Barcelona

PROBABLE LINEUPS

REAL MADRID
Adan
Arbeloa, Albiol, Varane, Marcelo
Khedira, Alonso
Ozil, Modric, Ronaldo
Benzema

BARCELONA
Pinto
Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba
Xavi, Busquets, Fabregas
Pedro, Messi, Iniesta


Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has a number of selection problems heading into Wednesday's Clasico showdown against Barcelona.

Iker Casillas (broken hand) and Pepe (ankle) are out, meaning Antonio Adan and new signing Diego Lopez battle it out in goal, while Sergio Ramos, Fabio Coentrao and Angel Di Maria all serve suspensions.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start despite hurting his ankle in Sunday's 4-0 win over Getafe.

Gerard Pique returns from suspension for Barcelona, who have a fully-fit squad at their disposal.

Jordi Alba, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas are all likely to be recalled to the starting XI after they were rested for the weekend victory over Osasuna.

DID YOU KNOW?

Real Madrid are on a 31-match unbeaten run at the Santiago Bernabeu in all competitions (W26, D5).

The Castilian side have won just one of their last eight home encounters against Barcelona (W1, D2, L5).

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th goal at the Bernabeu in the win over Getafe to take his overall tally for Real to 179 in 176 matches.

Barcelona have won eight of their last nine away matches across all competitions.

The Blaugrana ran out 4-3 aggregate winners in last season's Copa del Rey semi-final against Blancos.

Pedro is in line to make his 200th appearance for Barca.

Prediction
This is arguably Madrid's biggest game of the season so far. They have struggled to find any sort of consistency in La Liga and if they can beat Barcelona, it will provide a massive lift for the rest of their season. However, the visitors are in devastating form in front of goal and may prove too much for Blancos' second-string back line.
Editor's Prediction
Real Madrid 1-2 Barcelona

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30.01. (Wed) 21:00 Reading - Chelsea

PROBABLE LINEUPS

READING
Federici
Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Shorey
Leigertwood, Guthrie, McAnuff
Kebe, Pogrebnyak, McCleary

CHELSEA
Turnbull
Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole
Ramires, Lampard
Oscar, Mata, Bertrand
Torres

Reading boss Brian McDermott has an almost fully-fit squad to choose from, with just two notable absences. Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy (shoulder) is out, so Adam Federici will continue to deputise.

At the other end of the pitch, Jason Roberts (hip) remains sidelined, so Pavel Pogrebnyak is expected to start up front – the Russian striker was rested for the Royals' 4-0 FA Cup win over Sheffield United.

Chelsea are without Eden Hazard, who is serving a suspension for kicking a ballboy in the Capital One Cup; in the Belgian’s absence, Ryan Bertrand could be handed a starting berth on the left wing ahead of Marko Marin.

Nigerian duo Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel are both on Africa Cup of Nations duty, so remain unavailable for selection, while Oriol Romeu (knee) is the only long-term absentee.

John Terry started in the FA Cup against Brentford but is likely to return to the bench against Reading. David Luiz will not play, while Fernando Torres should keep his place up front after netting against the Bees.

Ross Turnbull is set to continue in goal following his appearance against Brentford, with Petr Cech (calf) still unavailable.

DID YOU KNOW?
Reading have lost just one of their last seven games in all competitions, and won their last four (scoring 12 goals along the way).

Only Leighton Baines (3.3) and David Silva (3) have played more key passes per game than Reading left-back Nicky Shorey (2.9). The 31-year-old has also averaged more accurate crosses than any other player.
The Royals, who sit in 18th place in the league, are one of just five teams yet to have a player sent off this season.

No team has conceded more shots per game (18.2) than Brian McDermott's side.

Only QPR (zero out of two) have won fewer matches when leading at half-time than Reading (one out of six); Chelsea have won nine of the 12 matches in which they've led at the break.

Chelsea have not lost a league game against Reading since March 1930, and have won six of their last seven matches against the Royals in all competitions.

The Stamford Bridge outfit have been in good form on the road under Rafa Benitez, recording four away wins on the bounce in the Premier League.

No side has been awarded as many penalties (eight) as Chelsea; only Phil Dowd (eight) has pointed to the spot more times than Wednesday's referee Mark Halsey (six).

The Blues had to come from behind against Reading at Stamford Bridge, overhauling a 2-1 deficit to win 4-2.

Only Arsenal's Lukas Podolski (nine) has more Premier League assists than Chelsea's Juan Mata (eight); the Spaniard is also the Blues' joint-highest scorer in the league.

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30.01. (Wed) 21:00 Manchester United - Southampton

PROBABLE LINEUPS

MANCHESTER UNITED
De Gea
Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra
Valencia, Jones, Carrick, Kagawa
Van Persie, Rooney

SOUTHAMPTON
Boruc
Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw
Schneiderlin, Cork
Puncheon, Ramirez, Guly do Prado
Lambert

Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Shinji Kagawa, Antonio Valencia and Robin van Persie are all likely to return to Sir Alex Ferguson's side, having been rested or deployed from the bench in their FA Cup tie against Fulham, at the expense of Chris Smalling, Anderson, Nani, Ryan Giggs and Chicharito.

Jones could be moved into a central midfield berth alongside Carrick, having started the last three games since his return from injury and impressed in a similar role against Tottenham, despite his side proving unable to see out the game.

Jonny Evans (hamstring) and Ashley Young (knee) are also both likely to be back in contention, though they are unlikely to start given their lack of match fitness.

Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, is likely to persist with the same team that earned him a goalless draw against Everton in his first game in charge of the side.

Norway international Vegard Forren is available to play after his move from Molde and the centre-back could make his debut against Manchester United, though Pochettino will no doubt be inclined to retain the same defence that earned a clean sheet against the Toffees.

The away side have received a boost with Adam Lallana returning from a knee injury, though he will likely be confined to the substitute's bench.

DID YOU KNOW?

Manchester United have never, in Premier League history, had more points at this stage of the season (after 24 games) than they do now (59 points).

The Premier League leaders have a seemingly unstoppable strike-force of late; Wayne Rooney has scored seven in his last eight games, Chicharito has got five in five while Robin van Persie has netted 10 in his last 10 Premier League appearances.

To add to those impressive goalscoring statistics, Van Persie is the first player in Premier League history to score 10+ away goals in three successive seasons; three of those away goals came in a match-winning hat-trick against Southampton earlier in the season.

At the other end of the pitch, David de Gea, despite receiving renewed criticism of late, has the joint second best saves-to-shots ratio in the Premier League this season - 76% (second only to Swansea's Gerhard Tremmel with 81%).

Southampton, meanwhile, have the lowest overall saves-to-shots ratio in the Premier League this season: 61%.

Morgan Schneiderlin has made two headed attempts at goal this season; he has scored both of them (one of the two was, in fact, against Manchester United earlier in the season).

The Saints have lost their five Premier League encounters at Old Trafford. Their last point earned at the 'Theatre of Dreams' stretches back to a draw in September 1999, a 3-3 thriller infamous for Massimo Taibi's Matt Le Tissier-induced clanger.

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30.01. (Wed) 20:45 Arsenal - Liverpool

PROBABLE LINEUPS

ARSENAL
Szczesny
Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs
Diaby, Wilshere
Walcott, Cazorla, Podolski
Giroud

LIVERPOOL
Reina
Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson
Allen, Lucas
Suarez, Gerrard, Sterling
Sturridge

Thomas Vermaelen should be back in the Arsenal defence after missing out against Brighton with an ankle injury.

Mikel Arteta (calf) is scheduled to return for the game, but either Abou Diaby or Aaron Ramsey may play instead with the Spaniard lacking full match fitness.

Francis Coquelin (hamstring) may well miss out for the hosts, as will reserve goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (ankle). Gervinho is absent as he is on international duty with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Some of Liverpool's younger players may be dropped by Brendan Rodgers after the manager said he felt "let down" by them during Liverpool's shock 3-2 FA Cup defeat away to Oldham on Sunday.

Jose Reina, however, is expected to return after a hip injury, so Brad Jones will most likely lose his place after making a bad mistake to gift Oldham their second goal.

Andre Wisdom will probably continue at right-back despite the probable return of Jose Enrique, with Glen Johnson filling in at left-back - although Johnson himself is struggling with a hamstring injury.

Martin Kelly (knee) is a long-term absentee, and is only expected back at the end of March.

DID YOU KNOW?

Arsenal beat Liverpool 2-0 earlier in the premier League season at Anfield, with goals from Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla.

The Gunners only have one win (West Ham) from their last four league games, drawing with Southampton and losing to Chelsea and Manchester United.

Arsene Wenger's side have also lost two of their past five league home games, but won the other three.
Theo Walcott  leads the club's goalscoring charts with 17 in all competitions, and has just signed a new deal with the club.

Liverpool's away league form has been poor this season, with three wins, four draws and four defeats.
Brendan Rodgers' side have lost three of their last five away games, but have won the other two.

Luis Suarez is integral to liverpool's goal output - he has 21 in all competitions, and his nearest team-mate is Steven Gerrard with just six.

Both Arsenal and Liverpool have conceded fewer goals than league leaders Manchester United, but are 19 and 22 points behind them respectively.

Liverpool won 2-0 at the Emirates in the league last season courtesy of an Aaron Ramsey own goal and a Luis Suarez strike.

Prediction
Both teams are desperate to qualify for the Champions league next season, and are struggling in their own ways. With the sides near to full-strength, it should be an evenly contested game. Arsenal have defended well this season but Luis Suarez has been in sensational form, and the hosts would do well to keep a clean sheet for 90 minutes. However, with Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud netting a few of late, there should be goals at both ends.
Editor's Prediction
 Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool

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