Premier League Opta Facts - 9 - 10

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Premier League Opta Facts - November 9-10

Stoke City v Birmingham City

• Stoke have failed to score in their last seven matches against Birmingham in all competitions.
• There have only been three goals scored in the last five meetings between Stoke and Birmingham in all competitions.
• Birmingham City have won none of their last 10 Premier League away matches.
• The Blues have only failed to score in two of their last 12 Premier League matches on the road.
• Stoke have only won three of their last 12 Premier League matches at the Britannia Stadium.
• Stoke have lost four successive league games within a single Premier League season for the first time.
• Birmingham have won only three of their last 21 Premier League games.

Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland

• Robbie Keane has scored five goals in eight Premier League games for Tottenham against Sunderland.
• Darren Bent has scored four goals in six Premier League games against Spurs.
• Sunderland have won none and lost seven of their last nine Premier League trips to London since their last victory which came in August 2008 at White Hart Lane.
• Spurs have only lost one of their last 16 Premier League matches at White Hart Lane.
• Five of Spurs' last six home defeats have all been by a 0-1 scoreline, including the last three in a row.
• Sunderland have won just one of their last 23 Premier League away matches.
• Sunderland have only had two players score for them in all competitions this season (excl. own goals) - Darren Bent (8) and Asamoah Gyan (4).

Aston Villa v Blackpool

• Away from home in the Premier League, Blackpool have won the three matches where they have scored and lost the three whey haven't found the net.
• Aston Villa have lost only one of their last 14 Premier League home matches, but have drawn nine of those including the last three in a row.
• If this game finishes 0-0, Aston Villa will equal the Premier League record for consecutive 0-0 draws at home (three in a row).
• Villa have kept four clean sheets in their last five home Premier League matches.
• Villa's last four league games have produced a total of only three goals.
• No Premier League team has won more away games this season than Blackpool (3).

Chelsea v Fulham

• Chelsea have won five and lost none of the last eight Premier League meetings with Fulham.
• Didier Drogba has scored in each of his last three appearances against Fulham.
• Chelsea have kept eight consecutive clean sheets at home, their longest ever run in the Premier league at Stamford Bridge and the joint-third best record in the history of the competition.
• Fulham have won none of their last 23 Premier League away matches.
• The Whites have won just three of their 42 London derbies away from home and none of the last 31.
• Chelsea have lost only three of their last 125 Premier League home games.
• Fulham have won only four of their last 43 Premier League away games.

Everton v Bolton Wanderers

• Bolton have lost their last four Premier League trips to Goodison Park without scoring a single goal.
• The Toffees have won six and lost just one of the last eight Premier League meetings with Bolton.
• Bolton's last three matches away from home in the Premier League have ended 1-1.
• Bolton have conceded exactly one goal in seven of their last eight Premier League away games.
• Everton have only lost one of their last 17 Premier League matches at Goodison Park.
• No team has collected more points over the past six Premier League games than Everton (12).
• Only Manchester United (0) have lost fewer Premier League away games than Bolton (1) this season.

Manchester City v Manchester United

• Michael Owen has scored seven goals in eight Premier League appearances against Manchester City.
• United have won five of the last six matches in all competitions against City.
• Manchester City have only kept two clean sheets in their last nine Premier League home matches.
• Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League away matches.
• United are unbeaten in their last 25 matches in all competitions.
• Over the past six Premier League games, no team has taken more points than Manchester City or Manchester United (12).
• City have only scored seven home goals this season, the same number as 19^th placed Wolves.

Newcastle United v Blackburn Rovers

• Rovers have won their last four away trips to St James Park.
• Rovers have only scored more than once in one of their last 18 Premier League matches on the road.
• Newcastle have won three straight Premier League matches for the first time since April 2008.
• The Magpies last won four in a row in April 2006.
• Only Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have scored more home goals than Newcastle this season (14), though only three teams have taken fewer points on their own turf (seven).
• Rovers have kept only one clean sheet in their last 10 league games.

West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion

• West Brom have failed to score in three of the last four Premier League meetings with West Ham.
• West Ham have scored exactly one goal in each of their last six Premier league matches at Upton Park.
• West Brom have only won one of their last 21 Premier League away games but that did come in London at Arsenal.
• There have been four red cards in the Baggies' last two league matches.
• WBA have only scored five goals in seven Premier League games on a Wednesday.
• West Ham are three points worse off than they were at this point last season, their previous worst start to a Premier League season.

Wigan Athletic v Liverpool

• Wigan's victory over Liverpool last March ended a run of nine without a win in the Premier League against the Reds.
• Dirk Kuyt has scored five goals in eight appearances against Wigan, more than against any other opponent.
• The Reds have won only four of their last 21 Premier League games on the road.
• Liverpool have not won back to back Premier League away games since this match.
• Wigan have only won one of their last seven Premier League matches at the DW Stadium.
• All three of Charles N'Zogbia's Premier League goals this season have come away from home.
• Only 16 of Fernando Torres's 60 Premier League goals have been scored away from home.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal

• Wolves have won none of the last 15 matches against Arsenal in all competitions and they have lost the last 10 in a row.
• Arsenal have won six and drawn one of their last seven trips to Molineux in all competitions.
• Wolves have conceded exactly one goal in six of their last seven Premier League matches at Molineux. Those seven games have either finished 1-1 or 2-1.
• Mick McCarthy's side have only lost one of their last nine Premier League home games.
• Arsenal have only kept one clean sheet in their last 12 Premier League away games, though that came last time out against Man City.
• Chelsea are the only team to stop Arsenal scoring away from home in the last 11 Premier League away games for the Gunners.
• Arsenal have received more red cards than any Premier League team this season (4).

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Championship Opta Facts -9-10 November

Burnley v Doncaster

• Burnley are unbeaten in their last four home matches against Doncaster in all competitions.
• The Clarets have had a man sent off in their last two meetings with Doncaster.
• Burnley have scored nine headed goals this season, more than any other side in the Championship, whilst Doncaster have conceded the joint-most headers (eight).
• Burnley have won just one of their last six league games.
• Rovers have scored two or more goals in their last five league matches.

Ipswich v Derby

• Ipswich are on a run of five straight wins against Derby.
• There have been five red cards in the last six clashes between the sides.
• Ipswich have not won three straight league matches since the last three games of the 2008/09 season.
• Derby are the top-scoring side at home in the Championship this season, but have scored fewer away goals than any team in the top half of the competition (7).

Leeds United v Hull City

• Hull are without a win in their last four trips to play at Elland Road.
• The Whites have won six of their last eight matches against the Tigers.
• Nick Barmby (two goals) is the only nominal "forward" to have scored for Hull in the league this season.
• Leeds have won their last three away games but lost their last three at home in the Championship.
• The Tigers have lost only one of their four away matches in the Championship.
• Hull had more points after 15 games in the Premier League last season (16) than they do this season (14).

Millwall v Norwich

• Norwich have scored just one goal in total in their last three matches at the New Den.
• Millwall have won four of their last six games at home to the Canaries.
• Norwich have hit just one goal in the first 30 minutes of Championship matches this season, fewer than any other side.
• The Lions have lost three of their last four league matches.
• Norwich's away games this season have produced only 15 goals: only Sheffield United's have seen fewer.

Nottingham Forest v Coventry

• Forest have won their last two matches at home to Coventry.
• Lewis McGugan has scored in four of Nottingham Forest's last five league games.
• Coventry have taken 10 points from the last 12 available on the road.
• Forest are one of only three Championship sides yet to be beaten at home this season.

Portsmouth v QPR

• Four of the last five meetings between Pompey and QPR have ended level.
• Portsmouth have only won two of their last eight matches at home to the Hoops in all competitions.
• The last side to go unbeaten in their opening 15 games in the second tier was Wigan in 2004.
• Pompey are on a run of four straight home wins in the league.

Preston v Barnsley

• The side playing away from home won both matches between the sides last season by a three-goal margin.
• The Tykes have scored at least twice on five of their last seven trips to Deepdale in all competitions.
• Preston have conceded three goals in their last two league matches at home.
• Barnsley have taken maximum points in only one of their last nine league games.
• The Tykes have only scored one goal in their last four matches in the Championship.

Scunthorpe v Middlesbrough

• Boro have won their last three matches against the Iron.
• Scunthorpe's last home win against Middlesbrough dates back to 1966.
• Scunthorpe have picked up fewer points at home than any side in the Championship this season (five).
• Middlesbrough have picked up just one point away from home this season, scoring just twice in seven games on the road.

Crystal Palace v Watford

• Palace scored three times against Watford in both meetings last season, winning 3-0 at home and 3-1 at Vicarage Road.
• The Hornets have failed to score on their last two trips to Selhurst Park.
• Palace have lost their last three matches at home in the league, scoring just one goal in their last four.
• Watford's last four league away games have produced 18 goals.

Wednesday, 10 November 2010

Leicester v Sheffield United

• Matty Fryatt scored in both matches against the Blades last season.
• United have scored in all but one of their last seven matches at Leicester.
• 10 of Leicester's 18 points this season have come in the five games since Sven Goran-Eriksson took over as manager.
• United are on a run of three straight defeats in the league.

Swansea v Bristol City

• There have been just two goals scored in total in the last six matches between these sides, with four ending goalless.
• Bristol City are unbeaten in eight matches at home to Swansea in all competitions.
• The Swans have conceded only two first half goals in the Championship this season.
• Swansea are unbeaten in their last seven league matches, winning five times.
• The Swans have gone 545 minutes without conceding a goal in the league.
• Eight of Bristol City's 14 points this season have come from their last four games.

Reading v Cardiff

• Three of the last four league meetings between the sides have ended in a draw.
• Cardiff are unbeaten in their last five games against the Royals in all competitions, winning twice.
• Cardiff and Reading are the only two sides not to have conceded a goal in the last 15 minutes of Championship matches this season.
• The Royals have won four of their last five league games at home.
• The Bluebirds have won their last three away matches in the Championship.

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SPL Opta Facts - November 9-10

Aberdeen v Inverness CT
Aberdeen have lost just one of their 10 matches at home to Caley Thistle in all competitions.
Having failed to take a single point in their first 12 SPL clashes with the Dons, Inverness have won two of their last four.
The seven matches between the two sides at Aberdeen have produced just eight goals in total.
The Dons have won just one of their last nine league matches.
Caley Thistle are unbeaten in their last 15 away matches in the league (includes Scottish First Division).
Adam Rooney has scored nine goals in his last nine league appearances away from home with Inverness.

Hearts v Celtic
Hearts have won just one of their last 12 encounters with Celtic.
However the Bhoys have been defeated nine times by the Jambos in the SPL, more than any other side apart from Rangers in the competition.
Celtic have won on only three of their last eight league trips to Tynecastle.
The Bhoys have won 18 of their 19 league matches under Neil Lennon.
Just five of the Jambos' 17 points this season have come from matches at Tynecastle.
Gary Hooper has hit seven goals in his last four league appearances with the Hoops.

Dundee Utd v St Mirren
United are unbeaten in their last 10 league meetings with St Mirren.
The last two meetings between the sides at Tannadice have ended in a 3-2 win for the Terrors.
The Saints are yet to pick up a point on the road this season.
David Goodwillie has scored in six consecutive league appearances for United.
Dundee United have won three of their last four league matches at home, only losing to Celtic.

Kilmarnock v Hamilton
Killie have won just one of their last eight clashes with the Accies.
Hamilton have picked up more SPL wins against Killie (five) than any other side.
Flavio Paixao has scored in his last two appearances vs Kilmarnock.
Killie are on a run of three straight home defeats in the league, all by a score of 2-1.
Both of Hamilton's away wins in the league this season have been by a score of 1-0 thanks to a goal scored in the first 15 minutes.

Motherwell v St Johnstone
Motherwell have lost three of their last four SPL games at home to St Johnstone, drawing one.
However, at all venues, the Steelmen have lost only one of their last six against the Saints.
Motherwell have not kept a clean sheet at home in 10 league matches since February.
The Saints have lost their last two SPL games 3-0.

Rangers v Hibernian
Rangers are unbeaten in their last 12 league games against Hibs.
The Hibees were the last side to win by a three-goal margin at Ibrox in the league, winning 3-0 in August 2005.
Rangers have only kept one clean sheet in their last nine league matches.
No side has ever picked up more points after 11 SPL matches than the Gers this season.
This is Hibs' worst-ever start to an SPL season: prior to this campaign they had never picked up fewer than 11 points after 11 games (currently eight).
Hibernian have lost their last five league matches on the road.

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09-11-2010 21:00 Tottenham Hotspur - Sunderland

Closer than you’d expect

Of the 104 meeting between these sides, Spurs have won 40, Sunderland 37, with 27 of the contests finishing in a draw.

Tottenham have scored a total of 148 goals against the Black Cats, while Sunderland have netted 139, giving this fixture an average goals to game figure of 2.8.


Lamb dressed as Hutton

Having joined Steve Bruce’s side on loan in the January transfer window, Alan Hutton looked to have played his last competitive game for Spurs - the Juande Ramos signing falling behind Vedran Corluka, another capture from the Spaniard, under Harry Redknapp’s regime.

Nonetheless, the Scotland International has returned to the Lane with increased determination, and his performances of late have seen him become the most consistent of Spurs’ patchwork backline. His goal against Bolton at the weekend was every bit as impressive as a marauding Gareth Bale attack.

TEAM NEWS

Tottenham

Tottenham could again be without the services of Dutch talisman Rafael van der Vaart for Tuesday’s clash with Sunderland, with the former Real Madrid man struggling to shake off his hamstring complaint.

Suffering from a similar problem is Aaron Lennon, which could see Niko Kranjcar given another opportunity on the right, unless Harry Redknapp saw enough if David Bentley’s appearance to warrant a selection.

Spurs will definitely be without long-term absentees Michael Dawson (knee) and Jermain Defoe (ankle), but Ledley King could be fit for the clash at White Hart Lane.

Probable starting XI (4-4-2): Gomes; Hutton, Kaboul, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto; Kranjcar, Huddlestone, Modric, Bale; Crouch, Pavlyuchenko.


Sunderland

Darren Bent is set to miss out on a return to his former club, but after last season’s meeting where he missed two penalties, the striker might not be so disheartened.

As a result, Asamoah Gyan is set to start back-to-back games for the Black Cats after scoring a brace against Stoke City at the weekend, while Titus Bramble is set to return from suspension.

Another striker who won’t feature against Spurs is Frazier Campbell. The forward spent a season on loan at Tottenham in the 2008-09 campaign, but is ruled out for a further six-months with a Cruciate Ligament injury.

Probable starting XI (4-4-1-1): Mignolet; Bardsley, Turner, Bramble, Onuoha; El Mohamady, Cattermole, Henderson, Malbranque; Welbeck; Gyan.

Prediction

Tottenham 3-1 Sunderland

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09-11-2010 20:45 Stoke City - Birmingham City

Five On The Trot?
 

Defeat at Sunderland made it four on the bounce in the Premier League, leaving Pulis' side balanced precariously above the drop zone, where the Potters could fall into if they are beaten by a wide margin on Tuesday night.

But the dismal run of results does not necessarily reflect a side playing poorly. Loss at the Stadium of Light aside, Stoke have looked solid in defeat to Bolton Wanderers, Manchester United and Everton, and have seen some dubious officiating count against them in recent weeks.

The home side's last win at the Britannia was at the beginning of October when, on an Autumnal afternoon, Walters' first Premier League goal capped off a confident team display against Blackburn Rovers.

However, that result stands out for its uniqueness as it was Stoke's one and only clean sheet of the campaign thus far and the single time that the unusually porous Potters have not conceded the first goal in a game this season.

History Repeating Itself?

Blues head north on the back of a poor run of form themselves, having won just once in their last nine Premier League games – a sequence of results that sees McLeish's side just two points above their rivals on Tuesday night.

Despite not picking up a win on the road this season, Birmingham have scored six times on their travels – the exact same number of goals that the Potters have conceded at the Britannia.

And Birmingham can point to history as a precursor to success on Tuesday: last season the visitors picked up a late Christmas present in the Potteries and it is at Stoke where Blues registered their record away win in the league, by seven clear goals, in 1997.

TEAM NEWS

Stoke City

Potters boss Tony Pulis will have to reshuffle his back four following the sending off of club captain Ryan Shawcross in Saturday's defeat at Sunderland. The dependable centre-back will likely be replaced in the middle by Robert Huth, with Andy Wilkinson slotting in at right-back in place of the versatile German.

Stoke should line up in a familiar pattern in midfield, with Pulis seemingly set on a balanced pack that sees two out-and-out wingers – Jermaine Pennant on the right, and Matthew Etherington on the left – defying the conventional wisdom that the Welsh manager is inherently cautious and prone to simply allowing his side to bypass the middle of the park.

Up top, it should be another familiar pattern with Jonathan Walters tucking in behind club record signing Kenwyne Jones, but don't be surprised if Turkish attacker Tuncay Sanli figures to provide more incision than the hard-working Irishman.

Possible starting XI: Begovic; Wilkinson, Huth, Faye, Collins; Pennant, Whitehead, Wilson, Etherington; Walters; Jones.

Birmingham City

Blues head to the Potteries after coming from behind to snatch a draw against West Ham United, but it was not until manager Alex McLeish hauled off the disappointing Alexander Hleb for top scorer Craig Gardner that Birmingham started to cause problems.

The Belarusian has been in erratic form since making the move to the Midlands and a trip to Stoke would hardly seem the sort of fixture in which the former Arsenal and Barcelona man would start.

McLeish is likely to adopt a more direct approach after admitting to reporters at St Andrew's on Saturday that his side lack the creativity to play a patient, probing game.

Possible starting XI: Foster; Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Gardner, Beausejour; Jerome, Zigic.

Prediction

Both sides head into battle at the Britannia Stadium low on form and with more than a point to prove, so a tough, physical clash should be on the cards. The two Midlands side are at their most potent when playing a direct game, and this ought to be the case on Tuesday, when the duel is likely to be won or lost by the effectiveness of the two teams' giant target men and the ability of both sets of defenders to deal with the long ball. Expect blood and thunder, if not many clear goalscoring opportunities, and for the away side to finally put an end to their abject form on their travels.

Stoke 0-1 Birmingham

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