Premier League Matchweek 25: What the stats say

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leeds United
February 19, 2021

Wolves have won each of their last four league games against Leeds, last having a longer league winning run against the Whites between February 1958 and April 1960 (5).

Leeds have won two of their last three away league games against Wolves (L1), more than they had in their previous 16 visits to Molineux (W1 D5 L10). However, they lost their last such game 1-4 in November 2017.

Wolves haven’t lost any of their last eight top-flight home games against Leeds (W5 D3) since a 0-2 loss in September 1973.

Since losing their first three Premier League games on Fridays, Wolves are unbeaten in their last three such fixtures (W2 D1), keeping a clean sheet in the last two. They won their only Friday game in the 2020-21 season so far, beating Crystal Palace in October (2-0).

This will be the first top-flight campaign in which Leeds United have played as many as three times on a Friday, with the Whites winning at Aston Villa in October (3-0) and losing at home to West Ham in December (1-2).

Wolves are looking to win back-to-back league matches for the first time since October, with the second game in that run coming at Elland Road against Leeds.

Leeds United have won six of their last seven away Premier League matches not played in London (L1), with the other game a 6-2 defeat against Manchester United. Only Man Utd and Man City have won more away points in games not played in London this season than Leeds (18).

Marcelo Bielsa lost his first league encounter with Wolves in this season’s reverse fixture (0-1) – the Leeds United boss has only lost his first two league meetings with an English opponent on one previous occasion (vs Birmingham City).

Wolves forward Pedro Neto has scored five goals and assisted four goals in the Premier League this season – should he get an assist in this match, he’ll be the first player younger than 21 to both score and assist five goals in a Premier League season since Marcus Rashford in 2017-18 for Manchester United.

Patrick Bamford has scored six goals in five appearances for Leeds in Friday matches (1.20 per game on average); of players to play at least five games on a specific day of the week for Leeds, only Jermaine Beckford on Mondays (9 in 8 games, 1.13) has also averaged more than a goal per game on a day of the week for the club.

Southampton v Chelsea
February 20, 2021

Southampton have lost their last five home league games against Chelsea, their longest losing run against a specific opponent in their league history.

Chelsea haven’t failed to win either of their league meetings with Southampton in a season since 2014-15, when they drew 1-1 both home and away against them.

Southampton have lost 24 Premier League games against Chelsea; only versus Manchester United (28) have they lost more in the competition.

Chelsea have lost only two of their last 28 away Premier League games on the south coast (W21 D5 L2), with those defeats coming against Southampton in 2013 (1-2) and Bournemouth in 2019 (0-4).

Southampton have lost each of their last six Premier League games, conceding 20 goals in the process (3.3 per game) – it's their longest losing run in the club's entire Football League history.

Thomas Tuchel has picked up 13 points from his first five Premier League games in charge of Chelsea (W4 D1), level with José Mourinho’s first five with the club and bettered only by Carlo Ancelotti and Maurizio Sarri (15 pts each). Five of the last 10 managers to go unbeaten in their first six Premier League games have been in charge of Chelsea (Sarri, Ancelotti, Scolari, Mourinho, Gullit).

Chelsea have won both of their away Premier League games under Thomas Tuchel – the last Chelsea manager to win his first three away games in the competition was Carlo Ancelotti in 2009.

Ralph Hasenhüttl has lost more Premier League home games than any other Southampton manager (W16 D7 L20). In fact, the Austrian has lost 47% of his home games in the competition with Saints – only Stuart Gray has lost a higher share with the club (71% - 5 of 7).

Danny Ings has the best minutes-per-goal ratio of any Southampton player with 15+ goals in Premier League history, with the England striker averaging a goal every 161 minutes for the club in the competition.

Chelsea’s Timo Werner has been directly involved in more Premier League goals this season than any other player at the club (10 – five goals, five assists), while only Mason Mount (105) has had a hand in more shots for the Blues than the German in this season’s competition (73 – 52 shots taken and 21 chances created).

Burnley v West Bromwich Albion
February 20, 2021

Burnley have won just one of their seven Premier League meetings with West Brom (D3 L3), winning 2-1 at the Hawthorns in March 2018.

West Brom won their last away league game against Burnley 1-0 in August 2017. They’ve not won consecutive league visits to Turf Moor since a run of three between 1953 and 1956.

This will be the 133rd competitive meeting between Burnley and West Brom, with the Clarets losing 56 times in the process (W46 D30); only versus Wolves (66), Man Utd (63), and Preston (57) have they lost more in their history.

West Brom have won just two of their 24 Premier League games this season (W2 D7 L15) – eight of the 10 previous sides with two or fewer wins at this stage of a Premier League campaign were eventually relegated, with West Brom in 2004-05 one of the teams to escape relegation (also Fulham in 2007-08).

West Brom have conceded 55 goals in just 24 Premier League games this season, more than any other side across Europe’s top-five leagues. Indeed, 45 of those goals conceded have arrived in open play, 13 more than any other side in the Premier League.

Burnley won their last Premier League match on Saturday, winning 3-0 at Crystal Palace – the Clarets haven’t won consecutive top-flight games on Saturdays since February 2020 (vs Southampton and Bournemouth).

West Brom have recorded just two clean sheets from their 24 Premier League games this season – their lowest tally at this stage of a league campaign since 2010-11 (1).

West Brom manager Sam Allardyce has lost his last two meetings with Burnley, with Crystal Palace in April 2017 and Everton in March 2018. He’d only lost two of his first 15 against the Clarets in all competitions in his managerial career (W8 D5 L2).

There have been 153 Premier League goals scored on a Saturday by Burnley players, with Ashley Barnes (25) and Chris Wood (22) accounting for 31% of those strikes – however, Barnes’ last Saturday goal in the division came back in November 2019, while Wood last scored on Saturday in the top-flight in July 2020.

Mbaye Diagne scored his first West Brom goal against Man Utd last time out. Since he joined Kasimpasa in Turkey in January 2018, Diagne has been directly involved in 62 goals in 74 top-flight appearances (56 goals, 6 assists) across spells with Kasimpasa, Galatasaray, Club Brugge and West Brom.

Liverpool v Everton
February 20, 2021

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 23 meetings with Everton in all competitions (W11 D12), their longest unbeaten run against an opponent in their history.

Everton are winless in their last 20 Premier League games against Liverpool (D12 L8), their longest winless run against an opponent in the competition.

Liverpool vs Everton is the most drawn fixture in Premier League history, with 24 of the meetings between the sides ending level. The Merseyside derby has also seen more red cards than any other fixture in the competition (22).

Everton haven’t won any of their last 20 Premier League away games against Liverpool (D9 L11), last winning at Anfield in September 1999 thanks to a Kevin Campbell goal.

Liverpool haven’t lost four consecutive Premier League matches since December 2002 under Gérard Houllier.

Liverpool have lost five of their eight Premier League matches in 2021 (W2 D1) – as many as they lost in 72 matches in 2019 and 2020 combined (W54 D13 L5).

Liverpool have only lost four consecutive home league matches once previously, a run of four that ended on Christmas Day in 1923. The last reigning top-flight champion to lose four home league games in a row was Everton in the 1928-29 season.

Everton are unbeaten in each of their last seven Premier League away games (W5 D2); they last enjoyed a longer such streak in March 2016 (8 matches).

Mohamed Salah has scored in each of his last two Premier League appearances for Liverpool but ended on the losing side in both. The last player to score in three in a row in the competition but still lose all three was Michail Antonio in September 2016 for West Ham United.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored eight away goals in the Premier League this season; the only Everton player to score nine on the road in a single Premier League campaign is Romelu Lukaku, who did so in both 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Fulham v Sheffield United
February 20, 2021

Fulham have lost just one of their last eight league games against Sheffield United (W4 D3), going down 0-2 at Bramall Lane in January 2007 in the Premier League.

Sheffield United have won just one of their last 12 away league games against Fulham (D3 L8) and are winless in their last five visits to Craven Cottage since a 3-2 win in September 1985.

After a run of 196 consecutive home league matches without a goalless draw, three of Fulham’s last six home Premier League games have ended 0-0. They last had more home goalless draws in a single league season back in 2001-02 (5).

Sheffield United have only won two of their 27 Premier League games in London (D8 L17), winning at Chelsea in October 1992 (2-1) and Crystal Palace in February 2020 (1-0).

Fulham have scored just seven goals in 12 home Premier League games this season (W1 D4 L7), fewer than any other club. The only two teams with fewer goals after their opening 12 home Premier League games of a season were Everton in 1998-99 (3) and Huddersfield Town in 2018-19 (5).

Sheffield United have lost all seven of their Premier League matches played on Saturday this season; the only two teams to lose their first eight Saturday matches in a top-flight season are Man Utd in 1930-31 and Wolves in 1964-65.

Sheffield United have failed to score in 50% of their 24 Premier League games this season (12 matches) – their highest such share in a single league campaign in their history.

Fulham are yet to register a single Premier League win on Saturday this season in 10 attempts (D4 L6), playing more games on that day without winning than any other team has on a specific day this season without registering a win.

Among the 168 managers to take charge of least 10 home Premier League games, only Aidy Boothroyd (3 wins in 19 games with Watford in 2006-07, 15.8%) has a lower home win percentage in the competition than Fulham’s Scott Parker (3 wins in 18, 16.7%).

Bobby De Cordova-Reid is the only Fulham player with more than one Premier League goal at Craven Cottage this season (3), while the forward is just one goal shy from equalling his home total last term in the Championship (4).

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur
February 21, 2021

West Ham have lost each of their last three home league games against Spurs, their longest losing run at home against them in their league history.

Tottenham were 3-0 up with 10 minutes remaining in the reverse fixture against West Ham this season, but ended up drawing 3-3. They’ve not failed to win both league games in a season against the Hammers since 2013-14 (L2).

None of West Ham’s last 11 Premier League home meetings with Tottenham have ended level, with the Hammers winning four to Spurs’ seven.

West Ham have won 42 points from their 24 Premier League games this season, their best total at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1985-86 (48) when they finished in third place. The Hammers have won three more points in 2020-21 (42) than they did in the entire 2019-20 season (39).

Tottenham have lost four of their last five Premier League games (W1), as many as in their previous 28 (W14 D10 L4). In fact, Spurs have lost seven Premier League games this season; only in 2015-16 with Chelsea (9) has José Mourinho lost more in a single league campaign in his managerial career.

This will be José Mourinho’s 50th Premier League match in charge of Tottenham Hotspur (W23 D12 L14) – the Portuguese has averaged 1.65 points-per-game with the Lilywhites, which is the lowest such ratio at the club since Juande Ramos between 2007-2008 (1.17).

West Ham manager David Moyes has faced José Mourinho on more occasions in all competitions without ever winning than he has against any other manager (P15 W0 D6 L9), whilst this is also the most José Mourinho has ever faced another manager without ever losing.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane has scored 11 goals in 15 Premier League games against West Ham – he’s only scored more in the competition against Leicester (14).

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min has been involved in six goals in his last five Premier League games against West Ham (3 goals, 3 assists), assisting in each of his last three against the Hammers. He has provided more assists against West Ham (4) than versus any other side in his Premier League career.

West Ham defender Aaron Cresswell has provided six Premier League assists this season, including assisting the Hammers’ second goal against Sheffield United last time out – only in 2017-18 has he registered more assists in a top-flight campaign (7).

Aston Villa v Leicester City
February 21, 2021

Aston Villa are looking to complete their first league double over Leicester since the 2003-04 campaign, following their 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium earlier this season.

Leicester won this exact fixture 4-1 last season – they’ve not won consecutive top-flight visits to Aston Villa since October 1960.

Aston Villa have recorded 12 clean sheets in their first 22 Premier League games this season – the most shutouts they’ve ever kept in the first 22 games of a league season in their history.

Leicester City have only lost once in their 12 Premier League away games this season (W8 D3 L1), with only Manchester United (0) registering fewer away defeats this term. Indeed, the Foxes are unbeaten in their last seven on the road in the top-flight (W4 D3).

Aston Villa have won only one of their last 20 Premier League matches against opponents starting the day of the game in the top three of the table (W1 D4 L15), with that sole victory coming against Liverpool in October 2020 (7-2).

Aston Villa have won five of their last seven Premier League games on Sundays (D1 L1), as many as they’d won in their previous 43 such matches in the competition (W5 D9 L29).

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has won all five of his away Premier League games against Aston Villa as a manager, his best such 100% record versus an opponent in the competition.

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has scored five goals in his last four Premier League appearances against Aston Villa, netting home and away braces against the Villans last term.

Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy has been directly involved in 99 Premier League goals since turning 30 years old (81 goals, 18 assists); only five players have registered 100+ goal involvements aged 30+ (Teddy Sheringham, Frank Lampard, Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, and Gianfranco Zola).

Emiliano Martínez has kept 12 clean sheets in 22 Premier League games for Aston Villa this season, the most by a Villa keeper in a single top-flight season since Brad Friedel in 2009-10 (15 in 38 apps).

Arsenal v Manchester City
February 21, 2021

Arsenal have lost their last seven league games against Man City – the Gunners have only ever lost more consecutively against Leeds (8 between 1973-1976).

Since losing 1-2 at the Emirates in December 2015, Man City are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League meetings with Arsenal, scoring at least twice in nine of those games.

Arsenal have failed to score in their last three home league games against Man City, losing each time. The Gunners have never failed to find the net in four consecutive home league games against an opponent in their history.

Manchester City beat Arsenal 4-1 at the Emirates earlier this season in a League Cup tie – only two teams have ever won away at the Gunners twice in the same season; Nottingham Forest in 1987-88 and Aston Villa in 1993-94.

Arsenal have won just three of their last 18 Premier League games against the side starting the day of the game in top spot (W3 D4 L11), winning last time out against Liverpool in July 2020 (2-1). They last won consecutive such games in August 2007, when the second win in that run came at home to Man City (1-0).

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last six home Premier League games (W3 D3), after losing each of the previous four such matches - the Gunners have scored 3+ goals in each victory in this run, while they have kept a clean sheet in three of the last four.

Manchester City have scored 3+ goals in each of their last three Premier League games against London sides (3 v Chelsea, 4 v Crystal Palace, 3 v Tottenham) - in the competition's history only Liverpool in 2001 and Sheffield Wednesday in 1994 have scored 3+ goals in four consecutive games against teams from the capital.

This will be Pep Guardiola’s 50th Premier League game played on a Sunday with Manchester City (W32 D8 L9), with the Spaniard winning 65% of those matches; the best win rate by a manager on this day of the week in the competition’s history (min. 10 games).

Man City’s Raheem Sterling has been involved in six goals in his last five Premier League games against Arsenal (4 goals, 2 assists), finding the net in each of his last three against the Gunners.

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored five goals in his last two Premier League starts, netting twice against Newcastle, followed by a hat-trick against Leeds. The last Gunners player to score 2+ goals in three consecutive league starts was Derek Tapscott in March 1956, who scored braces against Portsmouth, Everton and Preston.

Manchester United v Newcastle United
February 21, 2021

Manchester United have won four of their last five Premier League games against Newcastle (L1), winning the last two by a 4-1 scoreline.

Newcastle have won just one of their last 35 away league games against Manchester United (D9 L25), winning 1-0 at Old Trafford in December 2013.

Manchester United haven’t won three consecutive league games by a 3+ goal margin against a side since doing so versus Aston Villa between April 2013-March 2014.

Only against Liverpool (81) have Newcastle United lost more matches in their entire league history than versus Manchester United (80). The Magpies have lost 49 away league games against the Red Devils.

Manchester United have conceded the first goal in 11 different Premier League games this season (W7 D1 L3), winning a league-high seven times after conceding first.

Manchester United have won more Premier League points (529) and games (154) on Sundays than any other side in the competition’s history. The Red Devils have averaged 1.86 points-per-game on Sundays in the Premier League, the best such ratio on that day of the week (min. 3 games).

Newcastle have lost all three Premier League games without scoring when Callum Wilson has been absent this season – the forward has netted 40% of their Premier League goals this season (10 of 25).

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has taken just one point from 33 available in his Premier League visits to Old Trafford (D1 L10), drawing 2-2 with Sunderland in October 2009.

Luke Shaw has provided five assists for Man Utd in the Premier League this season; his best return in a single season in the competition, with the left-back assisting in each of his last three PL appearances (4 in total). Only three players have assisted in four consecutive Premier League appearances for the club (Ryan Giggs, 5 apps in 2003; Nani, 4 apps in 2010; Antonio Valencia, 5 apps in 2011).

Marcus Rashford has been involved in six goals in his six Premier League appearances against Newcastle (3 goals, 3 assists), scoring one and assisting two in Man Utd’s 4-1 win in the reverse fixture at St James’ Park this season.

Brighton and Hove Albion v Crystal Palace
February 22, 2021

Brighton have kept just one clean sheet in their seven Premier League meetings with Crystal Palace (W2 D3 L2), with that coming in a goalless draw in their first such meeting in November 2017.

Crystal Palace have won three of their last six away league games against Brighton (D1 L2), as many as they had in their previous 35 such visits (D10 L22).

Brighton have never won a Premier League game on a Monday (D6 L2) – only Hull City (10) have played more games on this day of the week without ever winning in the competition’s history.

Crystal Palace are without a win in each of their last nine Premier League games played on a Monday (D2 L7), since beating Arsenal in April 2017 (3-0).

Brighton and Hove Albion (W3 D3) have gone unbeaten in six consecutive top-flight games for the first time since a run of eight ending in November 1981. The Seagulls have kept as many clean sheets in this current six-game run (5) as they did in their previous 25 Premier League matches.

Crystal Palace have lost 18 of their last 20 Premier League games in which Wilfried Zaha hasn’t played, with the Eagles failing to score in 16 of those 18 defeats.

Crystal Palace have failed to score in a higher share of their away games in the Premier League this season (58% - 7 of 12) than they have in any other campaign in the competition’s history.

Brighton have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three home Premier League games – they have never registered four home shutouts in a row in the top-flight.

Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha has scored more goals in all competitions against Brighton than he has versus any other opponent in his English club career (7) – however, the Eagles could be without him owing to injury.

Robert Sánchez has kept a clean sheet in 46% of his 13 Premier League games for Brighton (6 of 13), while former goalkeeper Mat Ryan registered just two shutouts in 11 PL games for the Seagulls this term (18%).