Advertisement

Premier League Matchweek 31: What the stats say

football09 April 2021 08:09
Share
article image

Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers
April 9, 2021

Fulham have never lost a home Premier League match against Wolves in five previous meetings (W2 D3). Their last home top-flight defeat to Wolves was in August 1967.

Wolves have won eight of their last 11 league matches against Fulham (D2 L1), with their only defeat in this run a 2-0 loss in the Championship in February 2018.

After a run of seven straight home league wins in games played on Friday, Fulham lost their last such match 1-2 against Leeds last month.

After losing their first three Friday games in the Premier League, Wolves are unbeaten in their last four on that weekday (W3 D1), keeping a clean sheet in each of the last three.

Fulham have lost each of their last three Premier League games, having lost just two of their previous 10 in the competition (W3 D5). The Whites last lost four consecutive Premier League games within a season back at the start of this campaign, losing their opening four games, while the fourth defeat in that run came against Wolves.

Wolves have lost three of their last five Premier League games in London (W1 D1), having been unbeaten in their previous 10 in the capital since winning promotion in 2018 (W5 D5).

Wolves are winless in five Premier League games (D2 L3), and are looking to avoid suffering three consecutive Premier League defeats for the first time since November 2018.

Fulham have scored with just 24 of their 362 shots in the Premier League this season, giving them a league-low conversion rate of 6.6%. The last team to have such a low conversion rate across a full season and avoid relegation was Wigan in 2008-09 (5.8%).

There are two players to have had as many as 25 shots without finding the net so far in the Premier League this season – Wolves’ Adama Traoré (26) and Fulham’s André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (25).

Wolves’ Fábio Silva has lost all three Premier League games in which he’s scored – no player has a worse 100% loss record in games they’ve found the net in the competition’s history.

Manchester City v Leeds United
April 10, 2021

Manchester City are set to host Leeds for a match for the first time since February 2013, a 4-0 win in the FA Cup. In the Premier League, the sides have only met at the Etihad once, a 1-1 draw in December 2003.

Leeds have only won one of their seven away Premier League matches against Man City (D4 L2), a 4-0 victory at Maine Road in January 2001 with goals from Eirik Bakke, Lee Bowyer and a Robbie Keane brace.

Leeds enjoyed 52% possession in the 1-1 draw with Man City earlier this season – no team has ever had more possession in both top-flight league meetings in a season with a side managed by Pep Guardiola across his spells with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City.

Leeds United have won only one of their 19 Premier League games against the side starting the day top of the table (D9 L9), failing to win each of their last eight such matches since beating Middlesbrough in August 2000 (2-1).

Manchester City have gone unbeaten in each of their last 41 Premier League games against newly promoted sides at the Etihad Stadium (W36 D5), since a 0-2 loss to Reading in February 2007 under Stuart Pearce.

Manchester City have kept a league-high 17 clean sheets in the Premier League this season, just three behind their best tally of shutouts in a Premier League campaign (20 in 2018-19). Indeed, since the turn of the year, the Citizens have kept a clean sheet in 10 of their 17 league games, conceding just nine goals in the process (W16 L1).

Leeds United’s total of 42 points from 30 Premier League games is their best tally at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 2001-02 (51 pts), when they finished fifth. Indeed, their total of 47 goals is their highest return at this stage of a Premier League campaign since 1999-00 (49).

Man City boss Pep Guardiola has registered at least one win over 75 of the 77 opponents he has faced in his top-flight league managerial career – Leeds are one of the two he hasn’t beaten (P1 D1), along with Middlesbrough (P2 D2).

Man City striker Sergio Agüero netted a brace in his only previous appearance against Leeds, a 4-0 win in the FA Cup in February 2013. It would be his first Premier League game against the Whites, with the Argentinian scoring against 32 of the 33 previous opponents he’s faced, failing only against Bolton Wanderers.

No Leeds player has created more chances (55) or provided more assists (6) in the Premier League this season than Raphinha. The winger has been directly involved in 12 Premier League goals in 2020-21 (6 goals, 6 assists), only four Brazilians have registered more goal involvements in their first Premier League season: Felipe Anderson (13 in 2018-19), Roberto Firmino (17 in 2015-16), Elano (17 in 2007-08) and Robinho (19 in 2008-09).

Liverpool v Aston Villa
April 10, 2021

Liverpool have won their last two home Premier League meetings with Aston Villa, last winning more consecutively between 2003-04 and 2006-07 (four in a row).

Following their 7-2 win earlier in the campaign, Aston Villa are looking to complete a Premier League double over Liverpool for the first time since the inaugural season in 1992-93 under Ron Atkinson.

Liverpool have lost six home Premier League games against Aston Villa, only losing more against Manchester United (12) and Chelsea (7).

Aston Villa have already netted seven league goals against Liverpool this season, with only Man City in 2017-18 ever scoring more against the Reds in a single Premier League season (8). The last team to score as many as 10 goals against Liverpool in a top-flight season was Arsenal in 1952-53 (10).

Liverpool have lost their last six home Premier League matches, with Huddersfield Town the last team to lose seven in a row back in February 2019. Prior to this season, the highest a team has finished in a top-flight season when they’ve lost six or more home games in a row is ninth, achieved by Sunderland in 1946-47.

Aston Villa have only won one of their last 27 top-flight away games against the reigning champions (D6 L20), winning 1-0 against Man Utd at Old Trafford in December 2009. The last reigning champions Villa did the league double over was Arsenal in 1989-90.

No side has kept more away clean sheets in the Premier League this season than Aston Villa (8), while they have never kept more than eight shutouts on the road in a single top-flight campaign.

Sadio Mané has scored eight goals in seven appearances in all competitions against Aston Villa across spells with Southampton and Liverpool, netting in all three games for the Reds against Villa (four goals in total).

After a run of 32 shots without a Premier League goal since July, Aston Villa forward Trézéguet has found the net with two of his last three attempts in the competition.

Liverpool’s Diogo Jota has scored more Premier League goals as a substitute this season than any other player (4), while only Christian Benteke (6 in 2015-16) has scored more substitute goals for Liverpool in a Premier League campaign than the Portuguese forward.

Crystal Palace v Chelsea
April 10, 2021

Crystal Palace have lost their last six Premier League matches against Chelsea, their worst-ever losing run against the Blues in league football.

Chelsea have won eight of their last 10 away Premier League matches against Crystal Palace (L2), with those eight wins coming under seven different managers (Hoddle, Gullit, Mourinho x2, Hiddink, Conte, Sarri & Lampard).

None of the last 19 Premier League meetings between Crystal Palace and Chelsea have ended as a draw – only Newcastle vs Spurs between August 1999 and December 2010 has had a longer run of games without a drawn game in the competition (21).

Chelsea have won 1.82 points-per-game in Premier League London derbies, the best ratio amongst sides from the capital. In contrast, only Fulham (0.81) have averaged fewer points-per-game in such matches than Crystal Palace (0.93).

Chelsea are yet to lose on the road under Thomas Tuchel in the Premier League (W3 D2) – the only Blues manager to avoid defeat in his first six away games in the competition was Felipe Scolari (unbeaten in first 10).

Crystal Palace have kept five clean sheets in the Premier League at Selhurst Park since the turn of the year, two more than in the entirety of 2020 (3). The Eagles will be looking to keep four consecutive home shutouts in the top-flight for the first time since April 1992 (5).

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has lost six consecutive Premier League matches against Chelsea. The only opponent he has lost seven consecutive games against as a manager in the competition is Tottenham (between November 2011 – September 2019).

Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke has been directly involved in eight goals in his last 10 Premier League appearances against Chelsea (6 goals, 2 assists). He has scored in three home games against them and is yet to end on the winning side (D1 L2), with only Matt Le Tissier vs Nottingham Forest (five) and Jermain Defoe vs Man Utd (four) scoring in more home games against a team without ending on the winning side.

Chelsea’s third and fourth goals against Crystal Palace in a 4-0 win earlier this season were penalties by Jorginho – prior to this, only one of the 63 goals in Premier League fixtures between the sides had been a penalty. The last player to score three pens against an opponent in a season was Graham Alexander against Hull in 2009-10.

Timo Werner has been directly involved in more Premier League goals this season than any other Chelsea player (11 – 5 goals, 6 assists). However, the German striker has scored with just one of his last 42 shots in the competition, netting against Newcastle in February.

Burnley v Newcastle United
April 11, 2021

Burnley won 1-0 in their last home league game against Newcastle, last winning back-to-back home top-flight games against the Magpies in August 1968.

Following their 3-1 win over Burnley earlier this season, Newcastle are looking for their second Premier League double over the Clarets, previously doing so in 2018-19.

Burnley are winless in their last six Premier League games at Turf Moor (D5 L1), drawing each of their last five – they haven’t drawn six consecutive home league games since April 1936 in the second tier.

Newcastle have failed to win each of their last seven games in the Premier League (D4 L3), although they’ve avoided defeat in four of the last five (D4 L1). Last time out versus Spurs, the Magpies attempted 22 shots, their joint-highest tally in a Premier League game this term (also v Leeds in January).

Newcastle have picked up 29 points from 30 Premier League games this season – on three of the last four occasions the Magpies won 29 points or fewer at this stage of a top-flight campaign they were eventually relegated (2015-16, 2008-09 and 1988-89).

No side has registered fewer open play sequences of 10 or more passes in the Premier League this season than Burnley (123), while only West Brom (248) have completed fewer passes-per-game in the top-flight this term than the Clarets (258).

Burnley have scored a higher share of their Premier League goals in the opening 15 minutes this season than any other side (33% - 8/24), while they have also conceded a league-high share in the same period (25% - 10/40).

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has lost all three of his away Premier League matches against Burnley, losing in 2009-10 with Sunderland, 2014-15 with Hull and last season with Newcastle.

Burnley striker Chris Wood has scored in each of his last three Premier League appearances – the New Zealand international has only scored in four consecutive Premier League outings once before, doing so between July-September 2020.

Jonjo Shelvey (64) has had a direct hand in more shots in the Premier League this season than any other Newcastle player, with the midfielder attempting 35 shots and creating 29 chances for his teammates, although he’s only scored one goal and provided one assist.

West Ham United v Leicester City
April 11, 2021

Between 1994-95 and 2014-15, West Ham won seven of their eight home Premier League matches against Leicester (L1) – they are winless in five at home since then (D2 L3), losing 2-1 last season.

Leicester are one of six away teams who are yet to lose a Premier League match at the London Stadium, with the Foxes unbeaten in four (W2 D2). Only Man City and Liverpool have played more times at the stadium without losing (five games).

West Ham United are looking to record their first Premier League double over Leicester since the 1999-00 season under Harry Redknapp.

The away team has won four of the last eight Premier League meetings between West Ham and Leicester (D3 L1), though the away team hasn’t won both top-flight meetings between these sides in a season since the 1929-30 campaign.

Coming into this weekend’s games, West Ham have the second best home record in the Premier League (28 points), while Leicester have the second best away record so far this term (34 points). Both sides are second to Manchester City in each case.

West Ham have scored three goals in the first half in each of their last two Premier League games (3-3 v Arsenal, 3-2 v Wolves). In the competition’s history, only Manchester United in September 2011 have scored at least three goals before half-time in three consecutive matches before.

Leicester have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven Premier League games, doing so in a 5-0 win against bottom side Sheffield United. Meanwhile, West Ham have scored in 25 different Premier League matches this season, with only Manchester City finding the net in more.

Only Leeds (6) have scored more Premier League goals from fast breaks than West Ham so far this season (5). Four of the Hammers’ five such goals have come since Jesse Lingard joined the club in February.

Leicester’s Ayoze Pérez has been directly involved in six goals in his last seven Premier League starts against West Ham (3 goals, 3 assists).

Since his Premier League debut for West Ham in February, no player has been involved in more goals in the competition than Jesse Lingard (9 – 6 goals, 3 assists).

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United
April 11, 2021

Having beaten Manchester United 6-1 earlier this season, Spurs are looking to record their first league double over the Red Devils since the 1989-90 season under Terry Venables.

Manchester United have won just one of their last eight away Premier League matches against Spurs (D4 L3), a 1-0 win at Wembley in January 2019.

The record for goals scored against Manchester United by an opponent in a Premier League season is seven, achieved by four clubs. The last team to score more than seven in a top-flight season were Spurs in 1962-63 (8), while the last team to hit double figures were Aston Villa and Newcastle during 1930-31 (11 each).

Spurs could become the first team to record a Premier League double over Man Utd since Man City in 2018-19, while they could be the first side to do so against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Man Utd side. The last team to do a league double over Solskjaer were Ranheim against Molde in the 2018 Norwegian Eliteserien.

Tottenham have failed to win a league-high six Premier League matches this season in which they were leading at half-time, with the Lilywhites going on to draw all six such games.

Manchester United are unbeaten in each of their last 22 Premier League away games (W14 D8) – only Arsenal between August 2001-September 2002 (23 games) and April 2003-September 2004 (27 games) have registered longer such away runs in English top-flight history.

Tottenham have won their last three Premier League home games, while scoring two or more goals in each victory – they last won four in a row in this manner back in May 2017 (a run of 7), which included a 2-1 win against Man Utd.

Spurs boss José Mourinho is looking to become the first former Manchester United manager since Dave Sexton in 1981-82 with Coventry City to complete a league double over the Red Devils after leaving the club.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane (19) is looking to score 20+ goals in a Premier League season for the fifth different campaign (also 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16, 2014-15), and would become just the fourth player in the competition’s history to achieve this feat after Alan Shearer (7 times), Sergio Agüero (6) and Thierry Henry (5).

Mason Greenwood is looking to score in consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time since July 2020, while only Wayne Rooney (15) and Marcus Rashford (13) have scored more Premier League goals as a teenager for Manchester United than Greenwood (12).

Sheffield United v Arsenal
April 11, 2021

Sheffield United are unbeaten in all four home Premier League matches against Arsenal (W2 D2), winning their last two 1-0 in 2006-07 and 2019-20.

Arsenal have played more Premier League matches at Bramall Lane without winning than at any other ground (4). Their last away top-flight win at Sheffield United was in April 1991, winning 2-0 with goals from Kevin Campbell and Alan Smith.

London teams have won each of their last three Premier League visits to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane (West Ham, Tottenham, Chelsea), as many as sides from the capital had won in their first 24 visits to the ground in the competition (W3 D6 L15).

None of Sheffield United’s last 16 Premier League games have finished level (W4 L12), with only Manchester City (19) on a longer current run without a draw.

This will be Sheffield United’s 24th consecutive Premier League game starting the day bottom of the table – only six teams have ever had a longer such run in the competition, most recently Aston Villa in 2015-16 (28 games).

Arsenal have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last nine Premier League games. Only twice have they had a longer run without a shutout in the competition – 11 games between Dec 2017-Mar 2018 and 11 games between Dec 2001-Feb 2002.

Arsenal have conceded three goals in each of their last two Premier League games (3-3 v West Ham, 0-3 v Liverpool), having conceded just 3+ goals in two of their last 37 in the competition. The last time the Gunners conceded at least three times in three consecutive league games was in April 2019.

Sheffield United are the lowest scorers in the Premier League this season, netting just 17 goals in their 30 games. They’ve only scored more than once in a match on three occasions this term, with two of those coming against Manchester United (also 2-1 vs West Brom).

15 of Sheffield United’s 24 Premier League defeats this season have been by a single goal – no side has lost more games by a one-goal margin in a single campaign in the competition’s history.

Eight of Alexandre Lacazette’s 11 Premier League goals for Arsenal this season have come away from home – just nine of his first 37 in the competition across three seasons had come on the road.

West Bromwich Albion v Southampton
April 12, 2021

West Bromwich Albion have lost their last four Premier League matches against Southampton, as many as in their first 13 against the Saints in the competition (W5 D4 L4).

Southampton are looking to win three consecutive away league games against West Brom for the first time, having beaten them in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

All four of West Brom’s Premier League wins this season have come on Saturdays – on the other days of the week this term, their record is P18 W0 D6 L12.

Southampton have won just two of their last 16 Premier League games on Monday (D6 L8), though both of those victories came this season (2-1 v Brighton, 1-0 v Liverpool).

West Brom won 5-2 at Chelsea last time out, netting as many goals in that victory as they had in their previous 10 Premier League games combined. The Baggies last won consecutive top-flight games in May 2018.

West Brom have failed to score in six of their nine home league games under Sam Allardyce (W1 D3 L5), though the Baggies are unbeaten in the three home games in which they have found the net under Allardyce (W1 D2).

Southampton came from 2-0 down to beat Burnley 3-2 last time out, and are looking for consecutive league victories for the first time since December.

Over half of West Brom boss Sam Allardyce’s Premier League matches against Southampton have ended as a draw (10/18), with the other eight split between four wins and four defeats. Allardyce has only won one of his last nine against the Saints (D5 L3).

Matheus Pereira had a hand in four of West Brom’s five goals in their victory against Chelsea last time out (2 goals, 2 assists), as many as he had in his previous 14 appearances in the competition (4 goals).

Nathan Redmond has been involved in five goals in his last two games in all competitions for Southampton (3 goals, 2 assists), as many as he had in his previous 30 appearances (1 goal, 4 assists).

Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton
April 12, 2021

Brighton are unbeaten in all three home Premier League matches against Everton (W2 D1), last losing at home to the Toffees in the top-flight in 1982-83.

The home team has won six of the seven Premier League meetings between Brighton and Everton since a 1-1 draw in October 2017.

Brighton have won none of their nine Premier League games played on Mondays (D6 L3) – only three clubs have played more games on a specific day of the week in the competition without ever winning; West Brom on Tuesday (32), Norwich on Tuesday (14) and Hull on Monday (10).

Brighton have won two of their last five Premier League home games (D1 L2), as many as they had in their previous 23 at the Amex Stadium. The Seagulls are looking to pick up back-to-back home league wins for the first time since a run of three in November 2019, the second of which was against Everton.

Everton lost their last Premier League away game 0-2 against Chelsea, ending a run of nine games without defeat on the road (W7 D2).

Brighton have dropped more points from winning positions than any other side in the Premier League this season coming into this round of games (20), with the Seagulls losing against Man Utd having opened the scoring last time out.

Everton have scored a league-high 12 headed goals in the Premier League this season, while Brighton have conceded the highest proportion of headed goals in the competition this term (24% - 9/38).

Brighton’s Danny Welbeck has been involved in more Premier League goals against Everton than he has versus any other side (8 – 4 goals, 4 assists). His four goals against them have come with three different clubs (Sunderland, Man Utd, Arsenal).

Brighton’s Danny Welbeck has scored in his last two Premier League games, last finding the net in three straight appearances back in January 2014 with Manchester United.

Only Dominic Calvert-Lewin (14 goals) has been involved in more Premier League goals for Everton this season than James Rodríguez (10 – 6 goals, 4 assists). However, eight of those 10 goal involvements have come at Goodison Park.

Advertisement