#360stats: Facts & figures ahead of EPL games

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  • Confident: Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 10 games against Hull City in all competitions ahead of Saturday's fixture at Stamford Bridge.

    Ahead of every round of Premier League games, Sport360 – with some help from our friends at Opta Stats – will provide the pick of the facts and figures. Here are this week's highlights:

    Saturday December 13

    Burnley v Southampton

    • Burnley have never won a Premier League match in December (D4 L4).
    • Southampton are unbeaten in their last four games against Burnley in all competitions (W2 D2).
    • Saints have lost just one of their last six away games at Turf Moor (W2 D3 L1).
    • The Clarets have five points fewer after 15 games (12) than they did in 2009-10 when they were relegated from the Premier League at the season end (17).
    • Southampton are the only not to drop any points from a winning position in the Premier League this season.
    • Burnley have conceded a division-high nine headed goals this season, accounting also for a league leading 38% of all goals shipped.
    • Southampton have allowed the fewest shots on target (41) against them in the Premier League this season and have kept the most clean sheets (7). 

    Chelsea v Hull City

    • Loic Remy and Didier Drogba have both scored three goals in three Barclays Premier League games against Hull City.
    • The Tigers have never won away at Chelsea in any competition (L15 D5 W0).
    • Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 10 games against Hull City in all competitions (W8 D2), including all six in the Barclays Premier League (W4 D2 L0).
    • Mohamed Diame has scored four goals from just four shots on target in the Premier League this season.
    • Hull City have gone eight Premier League games without a victory (W0 D4 L4).
    • Allan McGregor has saved all three of the penalties he has faced in the Premier League – no goalkeeper has ever saved four consecutive penalties that he’s faced in the competition.
    • Hull have scored only two goals in their last seven Premier League games.
    • Only once before have Chelsea had more points after 15 games of a Premier League campaign (40 in 2005-06).
    • This is Hull City’s worst start to a Premier League season (13 points), even lower than the 16 they accrued after 15 games in 2009-10 when they were relegated.

    Crystal Palace v Stoke City

    • Crystal Palace have won just one of their last nine Premier League matches (W1 D3 L5).
    • Jonathon Walters has either scored or assisted six goals in his last seven Premier League games for the Potters (four goals, two assists).
    • 45% of the goals Stoke have shipped this season (nine of 20) have come from set plays, the highest proportion in the top flight.
    • Stoke have hit the target with just 36.7% of their shots this season, the lowest percentage in the top flight.
    • Only Crystal Palace (209) have committed more fouls than Stoke City (195) in the Premier League this season.
    • Of all regular goalkeepers, Asmir Begovic has the lowest saves to shots ratio in the Premier League this season, keeping out just 53.5% of opposition shots on target. 

    Leicester City v Manchester City

    • Manchester City have lost none of their last eight visits to Leicester City in all competitions (W4 D4).
    • Leicester have now taken only two points from the last 30 available in the Premier League (D2 L8).
    • Yaya Toure has now scored in three of his last four Premier League appearances for Man City – this after scoring just one goal in his previous 11.
    • This is Leicester City’s worst start to a Premier League season after 15 games; even lower than 2003-04 (16 points), 2001-02 (13) and 1994-95 (12) the three seasons they were relegated.
    • Manchester City have only had more points at this stage of a season in one previous campaign (2011-12 – 38 points).
    • Leicester have caught their opponents offside more often than any other team in the Premier League this season (46).
    • Wes Morgan has blocked more shots than any other player in the Premier League this season (22). 

    Sunderland v West Ham United

    • Kevin Nolan has scored six Barclays Premier League goals against Sunderland; only against Aston Villa (7) has he netted more often.
    • The Hammers have failed to score in four of their last six Premier League games against Sunderland.
    • Diafra Sakho has scored four headed goals from just five headers on target in the Barclays Premier League this season.
    • Stewart Downing has more Premier League assists this season (6 in 14 apps) than he managed in 65 games during his Liverpool career (5).
    • 27 points after 15 games is West Ham’s best ever return in Premier League history.
    • West Ham have 12 headed goals this season, twice as many as any other Premier League side.
    • Sunderland have been involved in five 0-0 draws this season in the Premier League; more than any other side.
    • The Black Cats have failed to find the back of net in seven of their last 11 Premier League games and three of their last four.

    West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa

    • Joleon Lescott has scored five Barclays Premier League goals against Aston Villa, making them by far his most favoured opponent in the top flight.
    • Four of the last five Premier League games between Villa and The Baggies have ended as draws with the other match being a Villa victory (4-3).
    • After losing six straight league games, Aston Villa are now unbeaten in their last five (W2 D3).
    • The Villans have won consecutive league games for the second time this season; they have not won three in a row since April 2010.
    • West Brom have failed to score in four of their last five Premier League outings.
    • Villa have scored the highest percentage of first half goals in the Premier League this season (80%).
    • West Brom have conceded the highest percentage of first half goals in the top flight this season (60%).
    • Alan Irvine’s side have netted 57% of their goals from set pieces, which is the highest proportion in the top flight.

    Arsenal v Newcastle United

    • Olivier Giroud has netted four goals in four Premier League appearances against the Magpies.
    • Newcastle United have won just one of the last 14 Barclays Premier League matches against Arsenal (W1 D5 L8) including losing the last five on the bounce.
    • 23 points is the second worst tally of points under Arsene Wenger after 15 games (2012-13 – they had 21).
    • Arsenal haven't scored in the first half of any of their last six Premier League matches. The earliest of their last 10 goals was a 60th minute strike.
    • The Magpies are the only team yet to score in the opening 30 minutes of their league matches this season. Their earliest goal this season has come in the 37th minute.
    • Papiss Demba Cisse has scored seven goals from just 10 shots on target in the Premier League this season.
    • Cisse has scored more goals as a substitute than any other player in the Premier League this season (4).
    • Since the start of last season, Newcastle have been shown more red cards than any other Premier League side (9).

    Sunday December 14

    Manchester United v Liverpool

    • Only Everton v Liverpool (20) has seen more red cards than Liverpool v Manchester United of all fixtures in Premier League history (15).
    • Steven Gerrard has scored more goals as an away player at Old Trafford than any other player in Premier League history (5).
    • Robin van Persie has netted six goals in his last nine Premier League appearances against Liverpool.
    • Juan Mata has scored four goals from just five shots on target in the Premier League this season.
    • Mario Balotelli’s only previous appearance in the league at Old Trafford saw him score twice in Man City’s 6-1 demolition of the Red Devils in October 2011.
    • Balotelli has had more shots (35 inc. blocked) than any other player without a goal in the Premier League this season.
    • Liverpool’s haul of 21 points is their fourth lowest in Premier League history at this stage of the season. They had 19 points in 1992-93, 2010-11 and 2012-13.
    • Manchester United have scored the most goals from outside the box in the Premier League this season (7).
    • Angel Di Maria has 20 goal assists in 2014; more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues.

    Swansea City v Tottenham Hotspur

    • Wilfried Bony has 19 goals in the Premier League in 2014, more than any other player. He has netted seven times in his last nine Premier League appearances.
    • Spurs have lost none of the six Barclays Premier League games against Swansea and have won the last five in a row.
    • This will be Tottenham’s 32nd Premier League game on a Sunday since the start of last season, more than any other side.
    • Gylfi Sigurdsson made 58 appearances in two PL seasons for Spurs, scoring eight goals and assisting four more. In two spells with Swansea he has played 33 PL games scoring nine and setting up 11 more. 
    • Jan Vertonghen has scored in two of his three Premier League games against Swansea.
    • Swansea have now thrown away 16 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season; more than any other team and with those points would be top of the table.
    • 21 points after 15 matches is Spurs’ lowest haul in the Premier League since the 2008-09 season (15 points).
    • Tottenham have conceded six goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season, more than any other club.
    • Swansea are the only side yet to concede a goal in the opening 15 minutes of a Premier League game this season.

    Monday December 15

    Everton v Queens Park Rangers

    • QPR have lost all seven Premier League away games this season, scoring just two goals.
    • Everton have won just six points from their last six Premier League matches (W1 D3 L2).
    • Roberto Martinez’s side have only won two of their last eight Premier League games at Goodison Park (W2 D3 L3).
    • Queens Park Rangers are only the second team in Premier League history to lose their opening seven away matches in a season, after Bolton in 1995-96 who lost their first nine.
    • Everton have made more errors leading directly to goals than any other team in the top division this season (8).
    • Romelu Lukaku has scored in his last four Premier League starts at Goodison Park and on three of those occasions it was the first goal of the game.
    • QPR have had just five different goalscorers in the Premier League this season, the fewest spread in the division and Charlie Austin who has scored half of Rangers’ 16 Premier League goals is suspended.
    • Rob Green has been forced into a save on average every 23 minutes which is a more regular rate than any other shot-stopper this season.

    All statistics and facts are brought to you by Opta Sports.

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