21.05. (Sat) 21:00 Paris Saint Germain - Lille Metropole

DID YOU KNOW?

* PSG's hopes for qualification to next season's Champions League have taken a blow in recent weeks with the Parisien club winless in their previous three games.

* Antoine Koumbouare's side are fourth in the table, having amassed 58 points, two behind Lyon in third.

* The two sides met in last week's Coupe de France final, with PSG relinquishing their crown, going down 1-0 to Les Dogues.

* Les Parisiens were also comfortably beaten in their last league encounter, succumbing to a 3-1 defeat at Stadium Lille Metropole.

* They lost 1-0 away to Bordeaux on Wednesday, a result which denied them the chance to leapfrog Lyon into the coveted third and final Champions League spot.

* Lille only require a point to win their first Ligue 1 title since 1954 on Saturday evening.

* The Dogues have already managed to end a stunning 56 year wait without a trophy with a 1-0 win over Saturday's opponents in the Coupe de France final.

* Rudi Garcia's men narrowly edged Sochaux on Wednesday, to leave them six points ahead of current champions Marseille with only two games to go.

* Only shipping eight goals in the remaining games would deny Lille the title.

* Lille have never conceded more than one goal in their last 19 league games.

* Les Dogues, however, have not tasted success at Parc des Princes since 1996.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Paris Saint Germain (4-3-3)
Coupet; Ceara, Sakho, Camara, Armand; Makelele, Bodmer, Chantome; Nene, Erding, Hoarau

PSG coach Antoine Koumboure has the luxury of a near full strength squad. Peguy Luyindula (ankle) remains an absentee, and is unlikely to play again this season whilst Jean-Eude Marice also is a doubt for the visit of the champions-elect. Chairman Robin Leproux blasted his players after their defeat in midweek, citing a "lack of desire".

Lille OSC (4-3-3)
Landreau; Beria, Rami, Debuchy, Rozehnal; Cabaye, Balmont, Mavuba; Hazard, Sow, Gervinho

Lille coach Rudi Garcia possesses a full squad for the final push to claim the Ligue 1 crown, with Jerry Vandam, who has only made two league appearances all season, the single omission with a minor injury. Florent Balmont remains a doubt, but is set to take his place in midfield for the potential title decider.

Prediction

Lille are playing like winners, winning their last five games on the trot, and it would be hard to not see them crowned Ligue 1 champions on Saturday evening. PSG's recent lacklustre performances may see the Champions League beyond them. With Lille requiring a point, a draw is very much on the cards.

PSG 1-1 Lille

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21.05. (Sat) 20:00 Real - Almeria

DID YOU KNOW?

* Real Madrid have overtaken Barcelona as the league’s top scorers, though they will need to score six times on Saturday to break the 100 mark for the season.

* Cristiano Ronaldo became the top scorer in a single La Liga season ever last weekend, bagging his 37th and 38th of the campaign.

* In this tally, the Portuguese has converted eight penalty kicks – more than anyone else in the league.

* When los Blancos have taken the lead in matches, they’ve been irreproachable in La Liga, not dropping a single point after getting into the ascendancy.

* Against sides in the bottom half of the table, they’ve suffered two defeats and been held on four occasions this term.

* Almeria’s 3-1 over Mallorca last weekend was their first success in nine outings.

* Worse, it was the first time the already relegated basement side had found the net in five matches.

* Roberto Olabe’s men have picked up 11 of their 30 points this season on the road, but 10 draws in their set of home fixtures stifled any hopes of survival.

* When they last met Real Madrid, they were able to earn a 1-1 draw, Jose Ulloa having given them the advantage on the hour mark only for Esteban Granero to level.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1):
Casillas; Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Marcelo; Granero, Ozil, X. Alonso; Di Maria, Higuain, Ronaldo

There are no new injury issues in the home camp, though the familiar long-term issues, including Sami Khedira, remain.

It could be that Jose Mourinho uses this match as a chance to test some fringe players, but equally, los Blancos will be looking to raise Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal tally as much as possible.

Almeria (5-4-1):
Esteban; Silva, C. Garcia, Pellerano, Jakobsen; Luna; Ortiz, Juanito, Corona, Piatti; Uche

Young right-back Michel is a casualty of last weekend’s win over Mallorca, picking up an injury that will prevent him for training for around a month.

Modeste M’Bami continues to miss out due to injury, but Hernan Pellerano returns after serving a one-match ban.

Prediction

Real Madrid want goals, and they want plenty of them too. No matter what side Jose Mourinho sends out, they will be geared to attacking, and that must be a worry for the guests. Though they were held against Almeria away from home, expect nothing less than a comfortable home win on this occasion.

Real Madrid 4-0 Almeria

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21.05. (Sat) 18:00 Malaga - Barcelona

DID YOU KNOW?

* Malaga may be firmly in the heart of the Primera Division table, but they are top of the form charts, having won five of their last eight games.

* Despite this recent surge, the Andalusian outfit still haven’t fared well at home this season; only Almeria have won fewer points than their 24.

* Los Boquerones have lost 65 goals this season – the same number as Real Sociedad – and if they concede more than the Basques on Saturday, they could well finish as the league’s worst defensive side.

* In their last 10 matches, they’ve only lost six goals, winning five of their last six outings.

* Barcelona, though the league’s second top scorers, have only mustered 11 goals in their last eight fixtures.

* While the Blaugrana’s offence has been misfiring strangely, they’ve been robust at the back, conceding only five times during that period – fewer than any other side.

* In matches that are tied at half-time, Barca have gone on to win seven of their 11 fixtures, which is a better record than any team in the league.

* Pep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten against teams in the top half of the standings, yet they’ve twice been beaten when facing a lower 10 outfit.

* With only 16 goals conceded in 32 games, Victor Valdes will claim the Zamora Trophy ahead of Iker Casillas.

* Barcelona’s goal difference is an incredible +71, but at one stage earlier this season they were threatening to break the 100 barrier.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Malaga (4-3-1-2):
Caballero; Gamez, Stadsgaard, Weligton, Mtiliga; Fernandez, Camacho, Duda; Maresca; Baptista, Rondon

Having been dismissed last weekend, Argentine international centre-back Martin Demichelis will be banned from this encounter, while Eliseu’s yellow card against Athletic Bilbao also pushed him over the disciplinary limit. Ignacio Camacho and Duda will make returns from suspension, though.

Striker Julio Baptista is doubtful due to a muscular problem, while Rondon remains injured.

Barcelona (4-3-3):
Valdes; Alves, Mascherano, Pique, Abidal; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, Villa

After the wholesale rotation of last week, Pep Guardiola may choose to deploy his strongest XI so that no rustiness creeps in before next weekend’s Champions League final.

Everyone in the Catalans’ squad is fit to some extent, with Carles Puyol and Gabriel Milito both joining in Thursday’s training session, though the two centre-backs should still be considered doubtful. Adriano, meanwhile, shall be fit.

Prediction

This could prove to be a really significant test for Barcelona, particularly if thoughts are already drifting towards next weekend’s fixture in London. Indeed, after being held by Deportivo La Coruna at home last weekend, it would be little surprise to see the Catalans drop more points against a team who have been in excellent touch of late. Guardiola, however, will want to see a strong squad offer more, and a narrow away victory is probable.

Malaga 1-2 Barcelona

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21.05. (Sat) 16:00 Motherwell - Celtic

DID YOU KNOW?

Motherwell are looking to claim the Scottish Cup for the first time in 20 years, when they defeated Dundee United 4-3 after extra time.

The Fir Park side claimed a place in the Scottish Cup final after victories over Dundee, Stranraer, Dundee United and St Johnstone.

Striker John Sutton needs one more goal to become Motherwell’s top goalscorer this season, with the Englishman being tied on 10 goals with Nick Blackman, who left the Lanarkshire side in January to join Aberdeen.

A victory over Motherwell would give Celtic manager Neil Lennon his first trophy in charge of the Parkhead side after taking over from Tony Mowbray at the end of last season.

One more goal for striker Gary Hooper (pictured right) will see the Celtic striker join former Rangers frontman Kenny Miller on 21 goals for the season, in all competitions.

Celtic got into the Hampden showpiece by recording victories over Berwick Rangers, Rangers, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Aberdeen.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Motherwell (4-4-2)
Randolph; Hateley, Hutchinson, Craigan, Hammell; Humphrey, Jennings, Lasley, Murphy; Sutton, Jeffers.

After making several changes for last Sunday’s league game between the two sides, Motherwell manager Stuart McCall will welcome back all of his first team regulars, who he has been leaving out of the starting-up since they defeated St Johnstone in the semi-final.

McCall will be hoping that the final isn’t a repeat of last week’s fixture where they lost by four goals to the Parkhead side.

Celtic (4-4-2)
Forster; Wilson, Majstorovic, Loovens, Izaguirre; Commons, Brown, Ki, Mulgrew; Samaras, Hooper.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon is able to welcome back prolific midfielder Kris Commons, after the Scotland international was forced to sit out the victory over Motherwell due to suspension. Lennon may also hand a late fitness test to Joe Ledley, with the former Cardiff midfielder missing out since the semi-final triumph over Aberdeen.

The Parkhead side will still be without influential midfielder Beram Kayal, who fractured his wrist in the Hoops' defeat against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, while Anthony Stokes is also set to miss out, having been dropped from the squad last week due to an internal disciplinary action.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Motherwell: Jamie Murphy
The 21-year-old Motherwell youth product is coming off of his man of the match performance against St Johnstone in the semi-final. He also claimed April’s Scottish Premier League young player of the month award and he will be a key figure for Stuart McCall’s side if they are to claim the trophy.

Celtic: Emilio Izaguirre
The Celtic full-back has claimed a string of awards for his performances after joining the Parkhead side from Club Deportivo Motagua in his homeland of Honduras last August. He will be looking to use the width of Hampden Park to help his side to the trophy. Since arriving he has lit up Scottish football and been linked with moves away from Glasgow.

PREDICTION
With Motherwell resting many of their key men since their semi-final victory over St Johnstone, these players are bound to be rusty as a result. And with Celtic having lost the league title on the final day, their players will be looking to give boss Neil Lennon a trophy after he went through one of the hardest season’s ever for a manager.

Motherwell 1-4 Celtic

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Ligue 1 preview Round 37 - 21/05/2011

Saturday
21:00 Auxerre - Brest
21:00 Lens - Arles Avignon
21:00 Lyon - Caen
21:00 Marseille - Valenciennes
21:00 Montpellier - Monaco
21:00 Nice - Lorient
21:00 PSG - Lille
21:00 Stade Rennes - Nancy
21:00 Sochaux - Saint-Etienne
21:00 Toulouse - Bordeaux

Auxerre - Brest

* Auxerre drew 1-1 away to Valenciennes last weekend, with Jean Fernandez's men sitting in 11th in the table.
* Brest earned a credible 1-1 draw at home to Lyon on Monday evening and sit 15th, two points ahead of the relegation zone.
* AJA are unbeaten in their last eight league encounters.
* Previous meeting: Brest 1-1 Auxerre

TEAM NEWS

Auxerre
Jean Fernandez has been hit with the news that Ireneusz Jelen will miss the rest of the season after picking up a hamstring tear, with the Polish international almost certainly having played his final game for the club. Kamel Chafni, Jeremy Berthod and captain Benoit Pedretti make the injury issues for AJA all the starker ahead of the encounter.

Brest
Alex Dupont's side will be without Ahmed Kantari who is struggling with an Achilles injury. Omar Daf is ruled out for six months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, with the 34-year-old also missing a sizeable chunk of next season's campaign

Lens - AC Arles Avignon

* Lens were relegated to Ligue 2 last weekend after a 1-1 draw to fellow strugglers Monaco. They sit 19th, seven points from safety with only two games left.
* Already relegated Arles Avignon earned only their second win of the campaign with a shock 1-0 win over Toulouse, but still languish at the foot of the table.
* Faruk Hadzibegic and his side ended a stunning 24 match winless run with that victory.
* Previous meeting: Arles Avignon 0-1 Lens

TEAM NEWS

Lens
No other new injury worries for Laszlo Boloni's side except that Nenad Kovacevic could return after missing out for the last five weeks.

Arles Avignon
Gael Germany and Kaba Diawara both have long-term issues and remain sidelined. First choice goalkeeper Cyril Merville is struggling to shake off an injury meaning Vincent Plante will continue to deputise.

Lyon - Caen

* Lyon's hopes of securing Champions League football were dented after they were held to a 1-1 draw against Brest on Monday. However, PSG's failure to win sees them remain in third place.
* Caen boosted their hopes of survival after a comfortable 2-0 win over Montpellier. Franck Dumas' side sit 14th, three points ahead of the drop zone.
* Les Malherbes are yet to win at the Stade Gerland, drawing once and losing four times in five visits.
* Previous meeting: Caen 3-2 Lyon

TEAM NEWS

Lyon
Bafetimbi Gomis has been ruled out for the remaining games after it emerged that he suffered ligament damage in the draw against Brest. Fellow forward Lisandro Lopez could return for the final league match despite strugglking with a groin problem.

Caen
Gregory Proment and Gregory Tafforeau continue to be the only injury worries for Franck Dumas.

Marseille - Valenciennes

* Marseille's hopes of defending their Ligue 1 crown took a heavy hit as they were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw away to Europa League chasing Lorient.
* Didier Deschamps' men sit 2nd in the table, six points behind overwhelming favourites Lille, with only two games left.
* Valenciennes were held to a 1-1 draw against Auxerre last Sunday, with Phillipe Montanier's side occupy 12th position in the table.
* Previous meeting: Valenciennes 3-2 Marseille

TEAM NEWS

Marseille
Andre-Pierre Gignac will miss the club's remaining games with the French international going under the knife to correct a knee problem. Cesar Azpilicueta is set to return after six months, but may only make the bench. Gabriel Heinze and Benoit Cheyrou return to the squad after shaking off knocks, whilst Lucho Gonzalez remains a doubt.

Valenciennes
Phillipe Montanier has been boosted by the return of Rudy Mater who has been missing for a month. Vincent Aboubakar has recovered from his groin injury to also take his place against the outgoing champions. However, Steeven Langile (knee) and Rafael (back) are still out.

HSC Montpellier - Monaco

* Montpellier succumbed to a 2-0 defeat away to Caen, with Rene Girard's side sitting in 10th in the table.
* Strugglers Monaco limped to a 1-1 draw to Lens, a result which relegated their opponents. Laurent Banide's men are in the drop zone, sitting 18th.
* The 2004 Champions League finalists could be relegated this weekend if they are defeated, and other results go against them.
* Previous meeting: Monaco 0-0 Montpellier

TEAM NEWS

Montpellier
Karim Ait Fana is the only main injury worry for La Paillade, with only long term absentees on the treatmant table.

Monaco
Absent in recent weeks, Stéphane Ruffier could return for the trip to Montpellier. However the goalkeeper and captain of AS Monaco is still uncertain after his groin injury. A decision is expected this Friday. Several players are already sidelined leaving Laurent Banide with a selection headache.Vincent Muratori (adductor muscle), Igor Lolo (ankle) Pascal Feindouno (knee), with Mahmadou Diarra uncertain to return, having almost definitely played his last game.

OGC Nice - FC Lorient

* Nice's hopes of survival were dented after they were beaten 3-0 away to Nancy. Eric Roy's men are 16th, two points clear of the relegation zone.
* Europa League chasing Lorient held Marseille at home on Sunday evening, to remain in seventh, three points behind the final qualification berth.
* Les Merlus have drawn nine of their previous 13 league games, also winning only one of their last eight visits to Stade du Ray.
* Previous meeting: Lorient 1-2 Nice

TEAM NEWS

OGC Nice
No new worries for Les Aiglons, with Julien Sable (thigh) and Anthony Mounier still on the treatment table while the latter may return this week. Abdou Traore is also sidelined.

Lorient
Les Merlus have a number of fringe players out leaving their squad a little bare. Fabien Audard and Maxine Baca picked up injuries against Marseille and are set to miss out along with Franco Sosa.

FC Stade Rennes - Nancy

* Stade Rennes' woeful run ended on Sunday after a hard-fought 2-1 win against Saint Etienne.
* The result gave Les Rouge et Noir their first win in nine league games as they sit in fifth, also qualifying for next season's Europa League.
* Nancy comfortably saw off Nice 3-0, with Pablo Correa's men ending their own barren run of seven games without a win.
* Previous meeting: Nancy 0-3 Stade Rennes

TEAM NEWS

Stade Rennes
Alexander Tettey and Tongo Doumbia are set to miss the home encounter after picking up knocks in the win over Saint Etienne, whilst Sylvian Marveaux has been a long-term absentee. Jires Ekoko will also sit out the match after picking up an injury for Les Rouge et Noir in the defeat to Valenciennes.

Nancy
Pablo Correa's side have been boosted with the news that Marama Vahirua could return for the trip to Rennes. However, Samba Diakhite is ruled out.

FC Sochaux - AS Saint-Etienne

* Sochaux were defeated 1-0 by champions-elect Lille on Wednesday evening.
* Despite the defeat, Les Lionceaux remain in pole position to clinch the final Europa League berth, as they lie in sixth place, three ahead of nearest challengers Lorient.
* Saint Etienne were beaten 2-1 by Stade Rennes, with Les Verts lying in ninth place.
* Previous meeting: Saint Etienne 3-2 Sochaux

TEAM NEWS

Sochaux
No new injury worries for Europa League chasers Sochaux. Kevin Anin's season is over, while Jacques Faty remains a doubt, but with a couple of matches remaining, it is becoming increasingly likely that he won't feature again this term.

Saint Etienne
Les Verts have been dealt a blow with the news that Dimtri Payet is missing from the group after picking up a knee injury. Blaise Matuidi returns after recovering from a thigh problem

FC Toulouse - Bordeaux

* Toulouse were surprisingly beaten 1-0 by league minnows Arles Avignon last weekend. Alain Casanova's men sit 13th, three clear of a congested drop zone.
* Bordeaux beat Champions League chasers PSG 1-0 on Wednesday to retain their slim hopes of qualifying for Europe. Eric Bedouet's side are eighth.
* Les Girondins are winless in their last five away games in Ligue 1
* Previous meeting: Bordeaux 1-2 Toulouse

TEAM NEWS

Toulouse
No new injury worries to report from the Toulouse camp, who only have long-term absentees on the injury list. They are expected to line-up pretty much with the same starting XI as last time out.

Bordeaux
Les Girondins emerged from the match against PSG unscathed. The only absentees are Floyd Ayite, Yoann Gouffran and Abdoulaye Keita, who have all been long-term injury worries.

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Clausura Weekend Preview Round 15 / 21-23-2011

Game of the Week: River Plate vs. San Lorenzo

After last week's Superclasico disappointment Juan Jose Lopez and River Plate need an instant reply as they look to ease their relegation worries. Things do not get much easier for the Millo, however, as they face another Grande in the shape of Bajo Flores denizens San Lorenzo.

The Cuervo have not exactly been wowing the Clausura either, and after such a positive start find themselves coachless and down in 11th place. Recent on-pitch woes have not been taken well by the fans; following a home reverse to Argentinos Juniors last week irate members of the barra surrounded the dressing rooms, leaving certain members of the squad locked in for hours as they soaked up the insults and threats from outside.

The more conspiracy-minded will be watching intently for signs of a backlash from the AFA, after River president broke the Primera omerta and called on president Julio Grondona to resign as he fumed about a less-than exemplary refereeing performance on Sunday. If the Millo do lose though it will not be for some shady deals fixed by Don Julio, but their atrocious finishing; they have gone nearly 250 minutes without scoring, since Mariano Pavone struck home a penalty against Racing Club.

Prediction:
It will not be a pretty game, with both teams needing a win but more importantly desperate to avoid a loss. The best bet is for River Plate to take a tight victory, with goals at a premium.

Saturday's Action

After downing the leaders last week in the game of the year so far, Lanus have an excellent chance of making a bid for the title themselves. Gabriel Schurrer's team currently lie third, and visit Tigre as they look to cut down the deficit to one point with a win.

Argentinos Juniors are another of the many teams who still could lift the Clausura, but they will not find it easy hosting Olimpo. The Bahia Blanca team missed a golden chance to escape the promocion last week when they lost to Independiente, but a win in La Paternal could put River into serious danger at the bottom.

Huracan meanwhile need three points, but they will struggle against an Estudiantes side which, even without recording a win for 11 matches, are no pushovers. Independiente host the final game of the evening when they host Colon, and both teams will be feeling great after terrific wins last time round.

Sunday's Action

The fat lady has started to clear her throat for Ricardo Caruso Lombardi's Quilmes, and defeat at home on Sunday could see the club all but condemned to Nacional B football next year. Caruso takes on his former club Racing Club, who will also be searching for three points to both strengthen their bid for the Copa Sudamericana and keep alive slim dreams of the Clausura title.

Velez Sarsfield performed heroically midweek to pass into the Libertadores last four, but there is no rest as they take on a Gimnasia club fighting tooth and nail to stay in the league. The Lobo will be hoping their 'experienced' attacking duo- Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Claudio Graf have 73 years between them- can win them the game like against Arsenal de Sarandi. The Arse meanwhile host Boca Juniors and will hope to bring them back down to earth, after a week dominated by news of their River victory.

Full Fixtures and Predictions for Round 15

Tigre	0	2	Lanus	Sat 19:00
Argentinos	1	0	Olimpo	21:10
Huracan	1	1	Estudiantes	23:20
Independiente	1	1	Colon	Sun   01:20
Quilmes	0	2	Racing	19:00
Velez	1	0	Gimnasia LP	21:00
River Plate	1	0	San Lorenzo	23:10
Arsenal	1	2	Boca	Mon 01:20

Predicted scores in bold

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Premier League Opta Stats - 22nd May

Aston Villa v Liverpool

* Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven final day games, last losing to Chelsea in 2003.
* Liverpool have conceded seven penalty goals this season, more than any other side.
* Villa have won only one of their last 18 Premier League games against Liverpool.
* The Villans have not won a Premier League home game against the Reds since February 1998, and have scored just three goals in their last 11 home clashes v Liverpool.
* Villa have thrown away 26 points from winning positions, more than any other side.
* Liverpool's last three Premier League away games have seen a total of 12 goals.

Bolton Wanderers v Manchester City

* Wanderers have won four and drawn one of their six home games on the final day of a Premier League season.
* City have won none of their last five league trips to the Reebok, failing to score in four of those games.
* Bolton have failed to score in four of their last six Premier League games against Man City.
* Bolton have scored just 35% of their goals before half-time, the lowest proportion in the league.
* Since he joined Manchester City at the start of last season, Carlos Tevez has scored more goals than any other player in the Premier League (43).
* Bolton have won fewer points in North-West derbies in the Premier League this season than any other side (11).

Everton v Chelsea

* Everton have won their last three final day games in a row after winning none of the previous 11.
* Chelsea defenders have scored 11 goals in the Premier League this season, more than any other club's backline.
* Chelsea are the only Premier League team this season to record five wins in a row. Last season five clubs achieved this.
* Everton are the only side not to record successive defeats in the Premier League this season.
* Six of the last eight Premier League meetings between Everton and Chelsea have ended level.
* Chelsea have claimed more points from losing positions away from home this season than any other side, 12.

Fulham v Arsenal

* Fulham have never drawn a Premier League game on the final day of the season, winning five and losing four.
* Arsenal have only ever drawn one of their 18 games on the final day of a Premier League season (0-0 v Portsmouth in 2007).
* None of Fulham's nine home Premier League games against Arsenal have ended as draws.
* The Whites have failed to score in six of their last eight Premier League home games v the Gunners.
* The Gunners have scored exactly four goals on the final day in three of the last five seasons.
* Robin Van Persie has scored as many Premier League goals in 2011 as the entire Blackburn Rovers team.

Manchester United v Blackpool

* Manchester United have only ever conceded nine goals in 18 final day games.
* Only two away players have scored at Old Trafford on the final day of a Premier League season (Carlos Tevez in 2007 and Les Ferdinand for Spurs in 1999).
* Charlie Adam has scored or assisted 12 goals in his last 14 Premier League appearances for the Seasiders.
* Blackpool are on the longest current run without defeat in the Premier League, four games.
* The Tangerines haven't won at Old Trafford since January 1962 (1-0).
* Javier Hernandez has scored more goals as a substitute than any other player this season, five.

Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion

* Newcastle have won only one of their last eight Premier League final day games.
* Newcastle are unbeaten in nine home meetings with the Baggies, who haven't won at St James Park in the league since September 1977 (3-0).
* In the last 13 meetings between these sides combined, eight different players have netted braces but no one has managed a hat-trick.
* The Baggies have won way 26 points from trailing positions this season, more than any other top-flight side.
* Only players from six different nationalities have scored for Newcastle this season, a joint-low.
* No team has conceded more goals in the opening 15 minutes of games this season than the Baggies, 11.

Stoke City v Wigan Athletic

* Charles N'Zogbia has scored five goals in his last five Premier League appearances for Wigan.
* Four of the five Premier League meetings between these sides have been draws, with the Potters winning the other.
* The Latics are the only Premier League side to score their first goal, on average, after the half-time break, netting it in the 48th minute.
* Stoke have won six and drawn two of their last eight home games in the Premier League.
* No away team has kept a clean sheet at the Britannia Stadium in 2011.
* Wigan have not kept a clean sheet away from home in 2011.

Tottenham Hotspur v Birmingham City

* Tottenham have conceded more goals on Premier League final days than any other side (35).
* Birmingham have never kept a clean sheet on the final day of the season.
* Birmingham have now gone 60 Premier League games without scoring more than two goals in a Premier League game, the fourth longest such run in the division's history.
* Jermain Defoe has scored five goals in 11 games against Birmingham.
* Five of the last seven Premier League meetings between these sides have seen a goal netted in second half stoppage time, with nine goals being scored in the final 15 minutes of these seven clashes combined.
* The Blues have only kept one clean sheet in 13 Premier League games against Spurs.

West Ham United v Sunderland

* Sunderland have lost their last five Premier League final day games in succession.
* West Ham are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League final day fixtures.
* Since the close of the January transfer window, only six players have scored more goals than Demba Ba (7).
* West Ham have won their last six meetings with the Black Cats at Upton Park, keeping five clean sheets along the way.
* Sunderland have lost 27 of their last 37 Premier League games in London, winning only three of them.
* West Ham have won 14 of their last 19 Premier League home games against teams from the north east.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Blackburn Rovers

* Blackburn have kept a clean sheet on the final day of a Premier League season in six of the last nine campaigns.
* Steven Fletcher has scored in four of Wolves' last five Premier League games.
* Blackburn are the only Premier League side who are yet to win a game they've fallen behind in this campaign, claiming a league low two points from trailing situations this term.
* Wolves are yet to beat Rovers in the Premier League, although both their previous home meetings have ended in score draws.
* Wolves have won just eight points in their nine games against the five other sides in the bottom six of the Premier League table.
* Wolves have conceded eight goals in the 90th minute or later in the Premier League this season; more than any other side.

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League Two Opta Facts - Play-off Semis (Leg 2)

Shrewsbury v Torquay

* Torquay have appeared in the Playoffs at this level four times previously, winning promotion on just one occasion; they defeated Blackpool on penalties in 1991.
* This is the third successive odd year in which Shrewsbury have appeared in the League Two playoffs. The Shrews lost both the 2007 and 2009 finals.
* Since 1989, more than half (12 of 22) of the teams to have won the fourth division playoffs have finished the regular season in fourth place.
* The two previous years to have ended in one, however, have seen the seventh placed team in the league triumph in the playoffs (with Torquay doing so in 1991).
* Shrewsbury have won just one of their last 10 home games against Torquay.
* Jake Robinson, who is on loan from Shrewsbury to Torquay, attempted a third of Torquay's shots in the first leg (5/15).

Accrington Stanley v Stevenage

* Defender Phil Edwards has netted 11 penalties already this campaign for Accrington, and is his side's top scorer with 13 goals.
* Accrington's first leg defeat was their only loss in their last 14 games.
* Neither of these two sides have previously appeared in the Football League Playoffs, although Stevenage were twice defeated in the Conference Playoffs, in 2004/05 and 2008/09, before being automatically promoted last season.
* Stanley defeated Stevenage 1-0 at home in their league meeting earlier this season.
* Accrington managed just one shot on target and didn't have a corner in the first leg of this tie.
* Stanley's Jimmy Ryan attempted their only shot on target in the first leg and was responsible for four of their six shots overall.

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