Friday, November 25, 2011

Premier League Opta Facts – November 26-28


Stoke City v Blackburn Rovers

Peter Crouch has scored four goals in his last four Premier League games against Blackburn combined.

Stoke have won four and lost none of the last five Premier League matches against Rovers and Blackburn have failed to score in all five matches in that run.

Prior to this run, Blackburn had won the previous five in a row against Stoke.

Blackburn have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 15 Premier League games.

The Potters have lost their last four Premier League games; they haven't lost five on the bounce since January 2005, when the fourth in that run was a defeat by QPR, just as this run.

Jonathan Walters has scored in four of his last five Premier League matches at the Britannia Stadium, including the last three in a row.

Yakubu has scored five goals in his last six Premier League starts for Rovers.

Stoke have conceded 14 goals in their last four Premier League games; as many as they had shipped in the previous 14 matches.

Stoke have scored just 10 goals in their last 14 Premier League matches.

Stoke have fired in fewer shots on target (33) than any other team in the Premier League.


Arsenal v Fulham

Fulham have won just one of the last nine Premier League games against Arsenal.

Robin van Persie has scored in five of his seven Premier League starts against Fulham.

Fulham have never won away against Arsenal in any competition in 25 attempts, losing on 22 occasions.

Bobby Zamora scored in the last match Arsenal lost at Highbury and the first that they lost at the Emirates Stadium.

The Whites have only scored 12 goals in 20 Premier League games against Arsenal and only more than once on two occasions. They have netted only six times in 10 Premier League away games against the Gunners.

Fulham have won just three out of 45 Premier League London derbies away from home and none of the last 34 since they beat Tottenham in August 2003.

Robin van Persie has scored 31 goals in 29 Premier League games in 2011 and seven in his last four appearances at the Emirates.

Van Persie is the fifth player in Premier League history to score 30+ goals in a calendar year (after Alan Shearer x2 (1994 & 1995), Les Ferdinand (1995), Ruud van Nistelrooy (2003) & Thierry Henry (2004).

92% of the goals Arsenal have scored have been netted from open play, the highest percentage in the top flight.

Fulham and Arsenal have scored the joint-fewest headed goals in the Premier League (1) along with Wigan.


Bolton Wanderers v Everton

Gary Cahill has scored in the last two matches for Bolton against Everton at the Reebok Stadium.

Ivan Klasnic has scored in each of his two appearances against Everton, both times after coming off the bench.

There has been a goal scored in the last five minutes of five of the last six matches between Bolton and Everton

There has also been a goal scored in the last five minutes in three of the last four matches at the Reebok Stadium, all three turning a draw into a win for the scoring team.

All seven of Leighton Baines' Premier League penalties have come in the closing 21 minutes of games.

Bolton have the worst defence in the top flight this season having conceded 29 times and only two teams (Barnsley, 35 in 1997-98 and Leeds, 31 in 2003-04) have shipped more after 12 games of a Premier League season.

Ivan Klasnic has scored six goals in his last seven Premier League starts for Bolton Wanderers.

Ivan Klasnic has scored six goals from just 10 shots on target in the Premier League this season.

Bolton have allowed their opponents more shots on target against them (72) than any other side in the top flight.

54% of the goals Everton have scored have come in the final 15 minutes, the highest proportion of any team in the top flight.


Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Chelsea won the first five Premier League meetings with Wolves, but Wanderers triumphed in their last meeting 1-0 at Molineux.

Florent Malouda has scored the opening goal in both of his matches against Wolves at Stamford Bridge.

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

This is Chelsea's poorest start to a Premier League campaign since 2002/03 (20 points after 12 games).

Chelsea have picked up more cards (33 yellow and three red) than any other team this season; on the Opta disciplinary points system of one point per yellow and two per red, only Everton (38 yellows, one red) in 1998-99 have ever had a worse record after 12 matches.

The Blues have lost back to back home Premier League games for the first time since May 2002. The last time they lost three at home on the trot was November 1993.

David Luiz has been booked in all three of his Premier League games this season.

Wolves are the only team in the Premier League yet to score a goal in the opening 15 minutes of a match this season.

35% of the goals Chelsea have conceded have come in the final 15 minutes, the highest proportion of any team in the top flight.

Wolves have won just one of their last 10 Premier League matches (W1 D2 L7).


Manchester United v Newcastle United

Both Newcastle and Man Utd have had two players booked in each of the last three Premier League meetings.

The Magpies have failed to win at Old Trafford in the Premier League, losing 11 of their 17 visits.

Michael Owen has scored 13 goals in 10 Premier league games against Newcastle.

Wayne Rooney has scored nine goals in 12 Premier League games against Newcastle for Manchester United.

Man Utd have won 13 and lost none of the last 17 matches against Newcastle in the Premier League.

Newcastle have scored just two goals and failed to score on five of their last seven visits to Old Trafford.

Man Utd have scored exactly one goal in each of their last five Premier League matches.

Manchester United have kept more clean sheets than any other team in the top flight (6), despite only five teams allowing more shots on target against them than the current champions (64).

Man Utd (W11 D3 L1) and Newcastle (W8 D6 L1) are both on a run of losing just one of their last 15 Premier League matches; both defeats were against Manchester City.

Javier Hernandez (32%) has the best conversion rate of any player with 10 goals or more in the last five seasons.


Norwich City v Queens Park Rangers

There have been just three goals scored in the last four league meetings between Norwich and QPR, with Rangers failing to score in the last three.

In contrast there were 26 goals scored across the six meetings between the two sides in the first three seasons of the Premier League.

QPR have had a player sent off in each of their last three visits to Carrow Road.

Rangers have won just one of their last 11 visits to Carrow Road (W1 D2 L8) and lost seven of the last eight (W1 L7)

Steve Morison has now scored in three successive Premier League games for Norwich and is the first player to score in three successive PL games for the Canaries since Dean Ashton in April 2005.

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

Norwich have yet to keep a clean sheet in the top flight this season, along with Blackburn they are the only two clubs without a shutout.

Norwich have won just one of their last 20 Premier League matches against London teams (W1 D4 L15).

QPR have not drawn any of their last 22 Premier League matches outside London (W9 L13).

Grant Holt (38) has given away more free kicks than any other player in the Premier League this season.


Sunderland v Wigan Athletic

Sunderland have won three, drawn three and lost three of their nine home games against Wigan in all competitions.

Mohamed Diamé has scored in each of his two visits to the Stadium of Light with Wigan.

Sunderland have only won two of their 10 Premier League games against Wigan, with the Latics winning five.

Wigan have opened the scoring on the last three Premier League games against Sunderland but earned just two points from a possible nine.

Steve Bruce joined Sunderland as manager after a spell as Wigan boss where he won 32% of league matches in charge of the Latics; he has won 28% of Premier League games as Sunderland's gaffer.

The Black Cats have won just one of their last seven Premier League games (W1 D3 L3).

Wigan have gone nine games without a win (D1 L8) or a clean sheet.

Robert Martinez's team have converted only eight per cent of shots in to goals, a lower percentage than any other team in the top flight.

Wigan have won none of their last six Premier League away matches and lost the last five in a row.

Sunderland have won just two of their last 14 Premier League games at the Stadium of Light (W2 D4 L8) and drawn the last three in a row.


West Bromwich Albion v Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham have won 99 Premier League away matches and drawn 99 too.

West Brom have only won two of the 10 Premier League matches against Spurs (W2 D4 L4), but both of those wins and only one defeat have come at the Hawthorns (W2 D2 L1)

Jerome Thomas has scored three goals in six Premier League games against Spurs.

West Brom have only won seven of their 29 Premier League home games against London clubs.

In their last eight Premier League matches, West Brom have either scored two goals (four games) or failed to score at all (four games).

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League games (W8 D1) and have scored at least two goals in each of those matches.

Tottenham and West Brom have scored the joint-most goals inside the first 15 minutes of Premier League games (5).

Spurs have conceded the joint-lowest percentage of goals inside the first 15 minutes (0%) and the highest percentage (40%) in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

West Brom have been caught offside 50 times this season, more than any other team in the top flight.

Younes Kaboul has made more headed clearances than any other Premier League player this season (79).


Liverpool v Manchester City

Manchester City have only won one of their last 12 Premier League games against Liverpool (W1 D5 L6).

The Citizens haven't won at Anfield in their last eight Premier League visits (D2 L6).

Andy Carroll has scored four goals in five Premier League games against Manchester City.

Man City have now scored two or more goals in each of their last 14 Premier League games, a record for the division.

Sergio Aguero has 10 goals in 11 Premier League appearances this season.

Excluding games against Manchester United, Liverpool have lost just one of their last 41 north west derbies at Anfield (W30 D10 L1).

Liverpool have allowed their opponents fewer shots on target against them than any other side in the Premier League (41).

Liverpool were the last team to stop Manchester City from scoring in the Premier League. Since then, City have netted in 18 consecutive games, accruing a total of 52 goals.

Liverpool were also the last team to score more than two goals against City, with Roberto Mancini's men shipping just 14 in their last 18 games.

Mario Balotelli has scored five goals in four Premier League starts this season.


Swansea City v Aston Villa

Swansea and Aston Villa last met in May 1983 when the Welsh side won a top flight home game 2-1 against the Villans.

Swansea have only won three of the 17 matches against Aston Villa in all competitions, with none ending as a draw.

Swansea have conceded 94 fouls this season, fewer than any other team in the Premier League.

Swansea have conceded just two goals on home soil, fewer than any other team in the top flight.

Defeat by Manchester United ended a run of 13 successive home games without a loss in league competition for Swansea (W9 D4).

West Brom have both scored (73%) and conceded (65%) the highest proportion of goals in the first half of Premier League games.

Aston Villa have dropped nine points from winning positions this season (the joint-most along with Blackburn).

Only Stoke (34%) have a worse shooting accuracy than Aston Villa this season (36%).

Stylian Petrov has made more interceptions (45) than any other player in the Premier League.

Aston Villa have blocked more opposition shots than any other team (60).