Thursday 25 August 2016

Opta stats: Mignolet’s ropey run since penalty save

Simon Mignolet: In a bad run of form since opening day
Check out all the relevant stats ahead of the Premier League weekend, including a worrying run of form for Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Tottenham v Liverpool

Saturday, 12:30pm, White Hart Lane
Simon Mignolet: Saves Theo Walcott's penalty
  • Tottenham Hotspur are without a win in their last seven Premier League meetings with Liverpool, losing five and drawing the last two.
  • Liverpool have bagged 19 goals in their seven game unbeaten run against Tottenham, an average of 2.7 per game.
  • Liverpool are unbeaten in three league visits to White Hart Lane (W2 D1), scoring eight goals and conceding none.
  • This fixture has seen 136 goals scored in Premier League history, only three fixtures have seen more: Newcastle v Tottenham (138), Liverpool v Newcastle (138) and Tottenham v Arsenal (137).
  • There have been more own goals scored in Premier League matches between Tottenham and Liverpool than any other fixture (9).
  • Liverpool (31 games) and Spurs (26 games) have gone longer without a 0-0 draw in the Premier League than any other clubs currently in the competition.
  • Liverpool have scored the most Premier League goals in 2016 so far (45), but they have also conceded 33 (the sixth most).
  • Harry Kane has never scored a Premier League goal in the month of August, despite playing nine games and 545 minutes on the pitch in this month.
  • Simon Mignolet has conceded the last five shots that he has faced on target in the Premier League since saving the penalty from Theo Walcott against Arsenal on MD1.
  • Liverpool are the first team to play their opening three top-flight league games away from home since Chelsea and Bolton Wanderers in 1997-98.
  • Overall, there have been 12 previous cases of a team playing their first three league games away from home in the top-flight (Accrington & Burnley in 1888-89 had their first four away) and just four of these have been in the post-war era.

Chelsea v Burnley

Saturday, 3pm, Turf Moor
Diego Costa: Striker celebrates Chelsea winner
  • Chelsea are unbeaten in their four Premier League meetings with Burnley, winning three and drawing one.
  • Burnley have found the back of the net in all but one of their last eight clashes with the Blues in all competitions (a 3-0 top-flight defeat to Chelsea in August 2009).
  • Branislav Ivanovic scored in both league meetings in 2014/15, the last season the two sides met.
  • Chelsea have won the Premier League title in both of the previous seasons Burnley were in the division.
  • Burnley have conceded just one goal in their last five Premier League matches (three of which were in May 2015, the other two in August 2016).
  • The Blues have lost just one of their last 45 Premier League home games against newly-promoted opposition, but this came last season versus Bournemouth (0-1).
  • Diego Costa has scored seven goals in nine Premier League appearances for Chelsea in the month of August.
  • Costa is one of 38 different players to have scored 10+ goals for Chelsea in the Premier League, but he has the best minutes per goal ratio of all these players; netting a goal every 137 minutes on average.
  • Burnley have picked up just two points from 11 previous visits to London in the Premier League (W0 D2 L9), scoring six times and conceding 28 goals.
  • Antonio Conte is currently unbeaten in 29 successive league home matches as a club manager (W27 D2 L0), last suffering a home defeat in January 2013 (Juventus 1-2 Sampdoria).
  • George Boyd has run the furthest (24.9km) and made the most sprints (166) in the Premier League so far this season.

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth

Saturday, 3pm, Selhurst Park
Christian Benteke: Signs four-year deal with Eagles
  • Crystal Palace are without a win in their last four league meetings with Bournemouth, losing three and drawing one.
  • The Cherries have won on each of their last two league visits to Selhurst Park, winning 2-1 last season and 3-2 in the second-tier back in 1989.
  • Eddie Howe’s side have won three of their six away trips to London in the Premier League (W3 D0 L3).
  • Bournemouth are on the longest current run without a Premier League victory – seven games (W0 D1 L6).
  • Crystal Palace have won just two of their 21 Premier League games in 2016 (W2 D5 L14).
  • Bournemouth (22) have twice as many Premier League points from their 21 games in 2016 than Crystal Palace (11).
  • The Eagles have made the most tackles in the Premier League this season (56), six more than any other side.
  • Christian Benteke scored the winning goal in his only previous Premier League appearance against Bournemouth, as Liverpool prevailed 1-0 at Anfield in August 2015.
  • The Belgian striker scored on his Premier League home debut for both Aston Villa (September 2012) and Liverpool (August 2015), with the latter coming against the Cherries.
  • Should Benteke score on his debut for Crystal Palace, he’ll be the 14th player to score on their Premier League debut for the club.
  • Bournemouth currently find themselves bottom of the Premier League after two matchdays – they were not bottom at any point of 2015-16.

Everton v Stoke

Saturday, 3pm, Goodison Park
Romelu Lukaku: Looks set to stay at Everton
  • Everton have scored exactly three goals in their last two Premier League contests with Stoke but have won only once, losing the other 3-4 in this exact fixture in December.
  • Stoke have won three of their last five visits to Goodison Park in the Premier League, including the last two (L2).
  • Romelu Lukaku has scored three goals in his last two Premier League appearances against Stoke City, this after netting just one in his first six versus them.
  • Lukaku has not scored or assisted a single goal in any of his last 10 Premier League appearances for Everton, a run stretching back to March 19th.
  • In fact, this is Lukaku’s longest goal drought in his Premier League career (10 successive appearances).
  • Mark Hughes’ side have secured just two wins in their last 12 Premier League fixtures (W2 D4 L6), picking up only 10 points from a possible 36.
  • Jonathan Walters has appeared 11 times against Everton in the Premier League without scoring; his joint-longest such run against an opponent in the competition.
  • Stoke have scored just one first half goal in their last seven Premier League matches, with five of their six goals in this period coming after half-time.
  • Glenn Whelan could make his 250th Premier League appearance in this match – only the 18th Irish player to reach this landmark in the competition.
  • Kevin Mirallas has scored in three of his last five Premier League appearances for Everton; more than he scores in his previous 24 apps in the competition (2).

Leicester v Swansea

Saturday, 3pm, The King Power Stadium
Leonardo Ulloa: Celebrates his late penalty
  • Leicester City have won their last three Premier League matches against Swansea City, scoring nine and conceding none.
  • Swansea are winless in their last 12 games away to Leicester in all competitions (D3 L9), losing the last six in a row.
  • Riyad Mahrez scored in both Premier League meetings with Swansea last season, netting a hat-trick at Liberty Stadium in December 2015 and one goal at the King Power Stadium in April 2016.
  • Leonardo Ulloa has netted three goals in his last three Premier League appearances against Swansea City, all coming at the King Power Stadium.
  • Claudio Ranieri is still looking to secure his 100th Premier League win as a manager – he will be only the fifth non-British/Irish manager to reach this landmark if he guides the Foxes to victory in this match.
  • If Leicester City lose this match, they’ll be only the sixth defending top-flight champions to win just one point in their first three games of the following season (no sides have 0 points).
  • The previous lowest tally by a defending champion in the following season is one point, set by Sunderland in 1913-14, Portsmouth in 1950-51, Arsenal in 1953-54, Ipswich in 1962-63 and Arsenal in 1991-92.
  • Wayne Routledge has created more chances than any other player in the Premier League this season after two matchdays (9).
  • Jamie Vardy has only scored in three of his last 12 Premier League appearances for Leicester City.
  • Since 2007-08, 47 of Fernando Llorente’s 104 league goals have been from headers (45%).

Southampton v Sunderland

Saturday, 3pm, St Mary’s Stadium
Dusan Tadic Southampton
  • Southampton have won just two of their last 10 league games against Sunderland (D5 L3), although those two wins have arrived in the last four meetings.
  • Sunderland have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last seven Premier League matches against Southampton (15 conceded).
  • Southampton have seen a player sent off in two of their last three Premier League meetings with Sunderland (James Ward-Prowse in May 2015 and Jose Fonte in March 2016).
  • Dusan Tadic has had a hand in six goals in just three Premier League games against Sunderland, scoring two and assisting four more.
  • Saints earned their record top-flight victory in this fixture in October 2014, winning 8-0.
  • Sunderland registered three own goals in that defeat, a joint-record for a Premier League match (Sunderland also three against Charlton in February 2003).
  • David Moyes is unbeaten in his last eight Premier League games against Southampton, though five of these have been draws (W3).
  • Southampton have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 14 Premier League matches; a run stretching back to February. Before this run, they’d kept six in a row.
  • Sunderland have won just one of their 19 Premier League matches in the month of August since 2010-11 (W1 D9 L9).
  • This is the seventh successive season that Sunderland have opened a Premier League campaign without winning either of their opening two games.
  • Sunderland have failed to win a game in their opening three matches of a Premier League season in each of the last five Premier League campaigns.
  • Jermain Defoe has scored in five successive Premier League away apps – only five players have scored in 6+ away appearances in a row, with Robin van Persie’s nine game streak in 2010-11 the record.
  • David Moyes needs one more point to reach the 700-point mark as a Premier League manager. The only managers with more points in the competition are Alex Ferguson (1752), Arsene Wenger (1490) and Harry Redknapp (875).

Watford v Arsenal

Saturday, 3pm, Vicarage Road
Alexis Sanchez: Compared to Luis Suarez by Wenger
  • Watford have lost all six of their games against Arsenal in the Premier League, although they did beat the Gunners last season in an FA Cup quarter final match (2-1).
  • Arsenal have won seven of their last eight matches against Watford in all competitions (L1).
  • Indeed, Watford haven’t beaten Arsenal in league competition since a 1-0 win in April 1988, courtesy a goal from Rick Holden.
  • Alexis Sanchez has scored two and assisted one more in his two previous Premier League appearances against Watford.
  • Watford have been leading at some point in each of their two Premier League matches this season, but have won just a point from these games (W0 D1 L1).
  • Étienne Capoue has scored in both of Watford’s Premier League games this season – no Watford player has scored in each of their opening three top-flight matches within a season.
  • Arsenal have collected one point from their opening two Premier League matches of 2016-17; their lowest tally at this stage since 2011-12 (also one point).
  • The Gunners’ lowest points tally after three Premier League matches in a season is one point, also set in 2011-12. They finished that season in third place.
  • Watford have had the fewest shots on target (3), fewest total shots (11) and lowest number of touches in the opposition box (20) so far in the 2016-17 Premier League.
  • Only two Premier League starting XI’s have seen an average age of 30 or older in the Premier League this season – both by Watford: 30y 5d old v Southampton and 30y 12d old v Chelsea.

Hull v Manchester United

Saturday, 5:30pm, KC Stadium
Wayne Rooney: Can sense something special at Man Utd
  • Hull City have lost 10 and won none of their last 11 contests with Manchester United in all competitions. The Tigers’ last victory over United came back in November 1974 (2-0).
  • Man Utd have won three of their four previous Premier League visits to the KC Stadium (D1) but have had a player sent off in the last two.
  • Wayne Rooney has scored seven goals in his last five Premier League games against Hull City. Overall, Rooney has been involved in 10 goals in six league appearances against the Tigers (seven goals, three assists).
  • Hull City have won their opening two Premier League games of 2016-17 – the only newly-promoted side to have won each of their first three games in a Premier League season are Bolton Wanderers in 2001-02.
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic has ended on the losing side in just 19 of his 185 top-flight league appearances since 2010-11 (Milan, PSG and Man Utd combined). To put this in to perspective, Hull City lost 19 games in their last Premier League season in 2014-15.
  • Ibrahimovic has scored three goals in his first two Premier League appearances. The record for goals scored in a player’s first three PL apps is five – Pavel Pogrebnyak – while 8 players have scored four goals in their first three PL games.
  • Only eight players have scored in each of their first three Premier League appearances: Michael Ricketts, Brian Deane, Adrian Mutu, Dalian Atkinson, Mick Quinn, Diego Costa, Pavel Pogrebnyak & Michu.
  • 49 of Jose Mourinho’s 58 league defeats as a manager have come away from home (84%).
  • Mike Phelan was Manchester United assistant manager between September 2008 and May 2013 – during this time, United won three Premier League titles.
  • Ahmed Elmohamady has appeared in every one of Hull City’s 78 Premier League matches since the start of 2013-14.

West Brom v Middlesbrough

Sunday 1:30pm, The Hawthorns
Cristhian Stuani: Scored twice
  • West Brom have won their last four league clashes with Middlesbrough, scoring 11 and conceding none.
  • Middlesbrough have kept only one clean sheet in their last nine visits to the Hawthorns in all competitions – a 2-0 win in February 2006.
  • David Nugent has scored in both of his league games against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns (December 2006 and April 2015).
  • Cristhian Stuani scored twice on his Premier League debut for Middlesbrough last weekend – only Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, Alen Bokšić and Mido have scored on their opening two Premier League apps for the club.
  • Boro last won successive Premier League away games in February 2006, with back-to-back wins against Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion (who they face in this game).
  • Alvaro Negredo has been involved in all three of Middlesbrough’s Premier League goals so far this season (one goal, two assists).
  • Middlesbrough (634) have completed double the number of passes that WBA (317) have so far in the Premier League this season.
  • West Bromwich Albion have scored 55 goals in 58 Premier League matches under Tony Pulis (0.95 per game).
  • Saido Berahino has just one goal and no assists in his last 26 Premier League appearances for WBA (1420 mins played).
  • Middlesbrough have conceded only 33 goals in 48 league games since the start of last season – the fewest in the top four tiers of sides to play in both 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Manchester City v West Ham

Sunday, 4pm, The Etihad Stadium
Sergio Aguero: In deadly goalscoring form
  • Manchester City have lost only one of their last 10 Premier League meetings with West Ham on home soil (W8 D1), though it did come last time out in September 2015 (1-2).
  • West Ham have beaten Man City just twice away from home in the Premier League (D2 L11), 1-0 at Maine Road in 2003 and 2-1 at the Etihad in September 2015.
  • Sergio Aguero has been involved in eight goals in his last seven Premier League matches against West Ham United (six goals, two assists).
  • Aguero has scored 37 goals in 47 Premier League games against London teams and six in eight league apps against West Ham United.
  • The Argentine striker is the fourth player to score a penalty in each of the first two matchdays of a Premier League season (Duncan Ferguson in 2001/02, Frank Lampard in 2012/13 and Roberto Soldado in 2013/14). None of those players managed to continue the run into MD3.
  • Since the start of 2014-15 in the big five European leagues, only Lionel Messi (35) has provided more assists than Kevin De Bruyne (30) – Luis Suarez & Angel Di Maria also on 30.
  • West Ham have now scored in 15 successive Premier League matches – the longest such current run in the competition.
  • Michail Antonio has scored a joint-high seven headed goals in the Premier League since the start of 2015-16 (level with Olivier Giroud).
  • Since August 2015, West Ham have won 48.4% of their Premier League games (15/31) when Dimitri Payet has played compared to 22.2% when he’s been absent (2/9).
  • Pep Guardiola has only ever lost eight of his 128 top-flight home league matches as a manager, winning 110 and drawing 10 (win ratio of 86%).

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