Thursday, April 5, 2012

Premier League Opta Facts 6th & 8th April


Swansea City v Newcastle United
Newcastle have won four and lost none of the last six meetings with Swansea in all competitions.
Swansea didn't manage a single shot on target in their 0-0 draw with Newcastle at the Sports Direct Arena.
Newcastle have kept just two clean sheets in their last 13 Premier League away games.
Swansea have only won two of their last seven home games and kept just one clean sheet in that run (W2 D3 L2).
Only Manchester United and Manchester City have picked up more points in 2012 than Newcastle.
The Magpies have cleared more shots off their own goal line than any other Premier League team this season, 10.
Swansea have completed 85% of their passes this season, only Man City (86%) have a better rate.
Newcastle haven't won four Premier League games in a row since April 2006.
None of Gylfi Sigurdsson's six Premier League goals have been scored at the Liberty Stadium.
Newcastle have won eight of their last 10 league games against Welsh sides

Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur
Sunderland have won just one of their last six Premier League games against Tottenham (W1 D2 L3).
Craig Gardner has scored in two of his last three Premier League appearances against Spurs.
Spurs have only won one of their last six Premier League visits to the Stadium of Light (W1 D2 L3).
Sunderland have won six and lost just one of their eight league games at the Stadium of Light under Martin O'Neill.
Tottenham have won none of their last six Premier League away games (W0 D3 L3) and failed to score in three of the last four on the road.
Gareth Bale is the only player to be booked twice for simulation in the Premier League this season.
Sunderland have scored three goals in each of their last two games. They have never scored 3+ goals for three successive Premier League games before.
The last time that Sunderland scored 3+ goals in three successive top flight games was February-March 1977.
If the Premier League had started on the day Fabio Capello resigned as England manager, Tottenham would be 13th, three points above the relegation zone.
Sunderland have won only 73 corners at home this season, only Norwich have a lower total.

Bolton Wanderers v Fulham
Bolton have failed to score in their last four Premier League games against Fulham.
Clint Dempsey has netted three goals in the last two games against Bolton.
Bolton have won none of the last nine Premier League matches against Fulham (W0 D 4 L5).
Fulham have won 11 matches against Bolton in the Premier League, more than against any other opponent.
In the last six meetings between Bolton and Fulham in all competitions, Bolton have only scored two goals, both netted by Ivan Klasnic.
Martin Petrov has scored three goals against Fulham, the only opponents in the Premier League he has more than one goal against.
Fulham have won just one of their last 10 Premier League away games and lost four of the last five.
Bolton have lost just one of their last six Premier League home games (W3 D2 L1).
Owen Coyle's side have kept just two clean sheets in their last 18 games at the Reebok Stadium.
Fulham have 498 points in Premier League history.

Chelsea v Wigan Athletic
Chelsea have won 10 and lost just one of the 13 Premier League meetings with Wigan.
The Blues enjoyed their record Premier League win over Wigan when they won 8-0 versus the Latics in May 2010.
Wigan have never kept a Premier League clean sheet against Chelsea and have lost five and won none of their six trips to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have lost just one of their last nine Premier League home games (W5 D3 L1) and kept three clean sheets in a row at Stamford Bridge.
Wigan have picked up seven points in their last three Premier League away games.
Fernando Torres needs one more assist to record a new personal best in a single season (currently he has four).
Wigan have lost 14 of their last 15 Premier League trips to London, conceding 46 goals in that period (3.1 per game).
The only two occasions in Wigan's history in the top four divisions where they've conceded eight or more goals have come away in London (1-9 v Spurs in 2009 and 0-8 v Chelsea in 2010).
Wigan are aiming to record an unbeaten run of five games for only the sixth time in the Premier League.
It is almost 10 years since Chelsea lost a Premier League home game in April (0-3 v Man Utd, 20 April 2002). Since then their record is W15 D8.

Liverpool v Aston Villa
Aston Villa have won just two of their last 20 Premier League games against Liverpool (W2 D6 L12.
Stewart Downing's last Premier League goal came in the Liverpool v Aston Villa match at Villa Park last May, while playing for the Midlanders.
Steven Gerrard has scored more goals against Aston Villa (9) than versus any other Premier League opponent.
Liverpool have won 21 Premier League games against Aston Villa, their joint-highest number of wins over any opponent in the competition (along with 21 wins over Newcastle).
Aston Villa have only lost two of their last nine Premier League away games but they have won none of the last four.
Liverpool have won just three of their last 12 Premier League matches at Anfield (W3 D7 L2).
Liverpool have had 30 shots more than Manchester United but have scored 40 goals fewer.
Liverpool have been involved in only five games with over 3.5 goals this season, only Everton have been involved in fewer (four).
Stewart Downing has hit more shots without scoring than any other player in the Premier League this season, 62 (including blocked shots).
Villa have conceded more goals from corners than any other side this season (13), while Liverpool have taken more corners than any other side (255).

Norwich City v Everton
Everton have won 99 Premier League games away from home.
Norwich scored from their only shot on target in the match against Everton at Goodison Park back in December.
Everton have won five and lost none of their last seven matches in all competitions against Norwich.
Norwich have lost just one of their last six Premier League games at Carrow Road (W2 D3 L1).
Everton have only scored seven goals in their last nine Premier League away games.
Norwich have had fewer corners at home than any other Premier League side this season, 59.
41% of Everton goals this season have been scored or assisted by a substitute, a higher proportion than any other Premier League team.
Six of Norwich's goals have been assisted by substitutes, only Man City (7) have a higher total.
Grant Holt's scoring rate of 0.41 goals per game puts him in the top 30 for scoring in the division's history (players with 10+ goals).
Everton are aiming to win three Premier League games in a row for the first time since January 2010.

West Bromwich Albion v Blackburn Rovers
There have been three red cards in the last two Premier League meetings between West Brom and Blackburn at the Hawthorns, one in each game for Rovers.
The Baggies have only won two of the 11 Premier League games against Blackburn (W2 D5 L4).
Blackburn have won just two of their last 15 Premier League away games (W2 D6 L7).
West Brom have lost six of their last nine Premier League games at the Hawthorns (W2 D1 L6), but have won two of the last three.
Blackburn haven't lost three games in a row since December, the third of which was a home reverse to Bolton which sparked the biggest fans revolt against manager Steve Kean.
If only home games counted, WBA would be 17th and clear of the drop zone on goal difference alone.
Almost a fifth (19%) of West Brom's goals this season have come in the opening 15 minutes.
Rovers have conceded more goals from crosses than any other side this season, 21.
Blackburn are one of only three teams not to draw a game 0-0 in the Premier League this season (along with Everton and Man Utd).
Blackburn's Paul Robinson has the lowest saves-to-shots ratio of any regular goalkeeper in the Premier League this season (56%) and the lowest pass completion of any player in Europe's top five leagues (25%).


Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Stoke have only lost one of the last nine matches in all competitions against Wolves (W4 D4 L1).
Kenwyne Jones has scored four goals in four Premier League games against Wolves.
Stoke's recent home results have seen a pattern of pairs of results LLWWDDLLWWD meaning if the pattern continues this game will end as a draw.
Wolves have won just one of the last 14 Premier League away games (W1 D5 L8).
Stoke have had fewer shots on target than any other Premier League side this season (76), and only 11 more than the leading player (Robin van Persie).
Since arriving in the Premier League in August 2008, Stoke have averaged 38.4% possession in their games.
At home, the Potters have averaged 39.8% possession since joining the Premier League in 2008.
Stoke have scored only 11 goals in their last 15 Premier League games.
Wolves have conceded at least two goals in each of their last seven games. The last time they did this in eight successive top-flight games was October 1964.
Wolves have taken seven points from their last seven away games, as opposed to no points from their last seven at Molineux.

Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers
Anton Ferdinand (now QPR) has scored own goals in his last two Premier League games at Old Trafford
Man Utd have won nine and lost none of their last 12 matches against QPR in all competitions.
QPR have picked up just two points form the last 27 available in Premier League away games.
Rangers have gone 12 away games without a clean sheet in the top flight.
Manchester United have won 32 and lost just two of their last 36 Premier League games at Old Trafford.
United have conceded just one goal in their last five Premier League home matches.
Antonio Valencia has 12 assists and four goals in 16 Premier League starts this season.
Manchester United have the best pass completion rate in the division since Paul Scholes returned in January, they were only sixth best before that.
United's total of 76 goals is the second-most of any team after 31 games in Premier League history (they had scored 78 at this stage in 2001/02).
Only three sides (Chelsea 04-05, Chelsea 05-06 & Man Utd 06-07 - all 25) have won more of their opening 31 games than Man Utd this term (24).


Arsenal v Manchester City
Manchester City are one of only three teams against whom Robin van Persie has not scored in the Premier League this season (along with Fulham and Wolves).
If he scores in this match, van Persie will become only the fourth player to score against 17 different teams in a Premier League season (after Cole 1993/94, Shearer 1994/95 and Wright 1996/97).
Arsenal have failed to score in five of their last six matches against Manchester City in all competitions, including the last three at the Emirates Stadium.
Manchester City have failed to score in three of their last four Premier League games against the Gunners and each of their last four visits to the Emirates Stadium.
There have been three red cards in the last three Premier League meetings between Arsenal and City.
After winning 18 and losing just one of the first 22 Premier League meetings, Arsenal have won just two and lost three of the last seven against City.
Arsenal have won 11 and lost one of their last 14 Premier League games at the Emirates.
Manchester City have won none of their last 26 away league games against Arsenal (W0 D8 L18), but did win there in the Carling Cup this season.
Since their last league win in October 1975, Man City have scored just nine goals in 26 visits to play Arsenal in north London.
Manchester City have scored just five goals in their last nine Premier League away games and won just two (W2 D3 L4).
Before Christmas David Silva scored five goals and provided eight assists. Since Christmas he has failed to score and provided only four assists.

Championship Opta Facts – April 6-7


Reading v Leeds
There has only been one goal in the last three meetings between Reading and Leeds.
Leeds have visited Berkshire just three times since 1987 to face the Royals, and all three have ended in draws.
Reading have scored a league-high 28 goals from crosses this term.
Reading have won their last six home league games.
Leeds have kept four consecutive clean sheets away from home.
The Whites have won three and lost just one of their last seven away games in the league.

Burnley v Brighton
Brighton had two sendings off inside 12 minutes in this season's reverse fixture with Burnley; a game the Seagulls lost 1-0.
Brighton are unbeaten in three trips to Turf Moor, however, winning one and drawing two.
The Seagulls have conceded just one goal in the opening 15 minutes all season, a league-low.
Burnley have only won one of their last nine league fixtures.
Brighton have drawn three of their last four away league games, losing the other.

Watford v Blackpool
Gary Taylor-Fletcher has scored on his last two trips to Vicarage Road with the Seasiders.
Blackpool are unbeaten in three trips to the home of the Hornets, winning one and drawing two.
40% of the goals Watford have conceded this season have come from set pieces, a league-high.
Blackpool have netted 25 goals in the final 15 minutes this season, equating to 36% of their total haul - both are league-highs.
Watford have taken more points from their last six games than any other team in the Championship (14).

Barnsley v West Ham
West Ham have won their last five meetings with Barnsley in all competitions, scoring 14 and conceding one.
Only two of the last 13 clashes between Barnsley and West Ham have ended in draws.
West Ham have scored a joint-league-high 25 goals from set pieces this season.
Barnsley have gained just one point from games in which they've conceded first this season, a league-low.
The Hammers are unbeaten in five away league games, the longest current run of its kind in the Championship.
Barnsley have only netted one goal in their last six games.

Southampton v Portsmouth
Both sides have found the net in each of the last five south coast derbies in all competitions.
After a run of five straight defeats at the home of the Saints, Pompey won 4-1 on their last trip to St Mary's Stadium, in the 2009/10 FA Cup.
Southampton have scored more goals from penalties than any other team in the second tier this season (nine).
Pompey have lost their last four league games away from Fratton Park.
Southampton ended a run of 12 unbeaten league games with a 0-3 drubbing at Blackpool last week.
At home, however, the Saints have won four and drawn two of their last six league games and kept four clean sheets in the process.

Birmingham v Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace have only scored one goal in their last four meetings with the Blues combined, but that earned them a 1-0 win in this season's reverse clash.
Birmingham have won seven of their last eight against the Eagles at St Andrews, losing the other.
Palace have conceded just 11 first-half goals all season, a league-low.
The Blues have lost 25 points after scoring first in the Championship this season, a league-high.
The Eagles have failed to score a first-half goal in any of their last six league games.

Coventry v Peterborough
Coventry have won their last four home meetings (in all competitions) against Peterborough and haven't lost at home to the Posh in any competition since September 1961.
Only one of the previous nine meetings between these sides in the Football League has ended in a draw.
Peterborough have conceded 24 goals from set pieces this season, a league-high.
The Sky Blues have netted 73% of their goals in the second-half this term, a league-high.
Coventry are unbeaten in five league games, their best run of the campaign and they have only lost one of their last nine at the Ricoh Arena.

Derby v Ipswich
Ipswich have won seven of their last eight games against Derby, losing the other.
The Tractor Boys have also won their last three trips to Pride Park, scoring six and conceding just two.
Ipswich have scored exactly one goal in each of their last four league games, and have only failed to score in one of their last 17 overall.
Derby have won four of their last seven league games, losing two.
Ipswich have only taken two points from the last 12 available on the road.

Leicester v Doncaster
Doncaster have only won one of their previous 14 trips to the home of the Foxes in the league, and that victory came back in December 1902.
Since that defeat, Rovers have conceded 40 goals in 12 trips to Leicester, losing 11 and drawing one of those games.
The Foxes have scored a higher percentage of first-half goals than any other team in the second tier this season (54%).
Doncaster have taken fewer points from their last six games than any other team in the division (two).
The Foxes are unbeaten in six league games at the Walkers Stadium, winning four and drawing two.

Middlesbrough v Cardiff
Boro have won their last three meetings with Cardiff, scoring seven and conceding two.
The Bluebirds have only won one of their last 10 league trips to Teeside, losing seven and drawing two.
Cardiff have scored a higher percentage of goals from set pieces than any other team in the Championship (44%).
The Bluebirds have drawn their last four league games.
Middlesbrough have also drawn their last four league games, all by the same scoreline (1-1).
The Teesiders haven't scored a first-half goal in any of their last nine league games.

Millwall v Hull
Millwall are unbeaten in four home meetings with the Tigers, a run that stretches back to August 1986.
Hull have netted just 10.5% of their goals from set pieces this season, a league-low.
Millwall, however, have lost their last four league fixtures at the New Den.
Hull have lost their last four league games, their worst run of the campaign.
The Tigers have shipped exactly two goals in each of their last four games.

Nottingham Forest v Bristol City
Forest are unbeaten in 14 home league meetings with the Robins, winning eight and drawing six.
Since their 2-0 win in 1955, the Robins have only scored seven goals in 14 league trips to the home of the Tricky Trees.
Forest have only lost one of their last six league games, winning three and drawing two.
Steve Cotterill's side have kept successive clean sheets for the first time this season.
The Robins have taken just three points from the last 15 available in the Championship.