PL stats: Ozil struggling; Mata on fire against Liverpool

Ian Watson

Ozil failing to supply Arsenal; Fabregas and Mata on fire

Mesut Ozil is stuck in a creative rut, while Cesc Fabregas and Juan Mata will be looking to continue their fine goalscoring runs against this weekend’s opponents.

Opta stats: Premier League matchday 8

Saturday

Chelsea v Leicester
Stamford Bridge, 12:30pm

Cesc Fabregas: Insists he remains committed to Blues

  • Chelsea are without a win in their last two Premier League meetings with Leicester (W0 D1 L1), after winning the six before that.
  • Leicester have registered just one win in their 10 Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge (D3 L6), with that win coming in September 2000 via a 2-0 scoreline.
  • This will be Claudio Ranieri’s third top-flight clash with Chelsea, with each of those meetings coming against a different manager (2-1 v Mourinho, 1-1 v Hiddink and this game against Conte).
  • Cesc Fabregas has netted three goals in Chelsea last two meetings with Leicester in all competitions, including a brace in a 4-2 EFL Cup win for the Blues in September.
  • Leicester City have lost on just one of their last five top-flight trips to London (W3 D1 L1), this after losing 17 and drawing three of their previous 20.
  • Leicester City have lost all three of their away league games this season. The last reigning top-flight champions to lose their opening four away games of the season were
  • Blackburn in 1995-96 (also Liverpool in 1964-65 – 4, and Arsenal in 1953-54 – 4).
  • Jamie Vardy has averaged a goal every 281 minutes in the Premier League this season (two goals in seven games), a significant drop from 2015/16’s 131 mins per goal average (24 goals in 36 games).
  • Since he joined Chelsea in July 2014, only Sergio Aguero (55) and Harry Kane (48) have scored more Premier League goals than Diego Costa (38).
  • Eight of Chelsea’s last 13 top-flight games at Stamford Bridge have ended in a draw (W3 L2).
  • Excluding penalties, Chelsea are one of just two sides yet to score a goal from a set-piece situation this season (also Sunderland).

 

Arsenal v Swansea,
The Emirates, 3pm

Mesut Ozil

  • Arsenal have enjoyed just one win in their last five Premier League meetings with Swansea, losing three and drawing one.
  • At the Emirates, Swansea are unbeaten on their last four visits in the Premier League winning three and drawing one.
  • Arsenal have averaged just 0.8 points per game at home to Swansea in the Premier League, their worst return on home soil against any side.
  • Conversely, the Swans’ average of 2.0 points per game away to Arsenal in the Premier League is the best return for any visiting side at the Emirates.
  • In each of Swansea’s last four league visits to the Emirates, the Welsh side have either won or drawn the game courtesy of goals scored in the 74th minute or later.
  • Bob Bradley is the first American manager to oversee a Premier League game.
  • Arsene Wenger has won six of his eight games against managers overseeing their first Premier League game (incl. caretakers), losing the last (v Slaven Bilic’s West Ham in August 2015) and the first (v Stuart Pearce’s Nottingham Forest in December 1996).
  • Leroy Fer has scored four goals in his seven Premier League appearances this season, as many as in his previous 26 in the competition.
  • Arsenal have been trailing for just 52 minutes in the top-flight this season, fewer than any other side. o The Gunners have now kept four clean sheets in a row in all competitions; they last enjoyed a longer run without conceding in February 2009 (six consecutive shutouts).
  • Mesut Ozil has provided just one assist in his last 16 top-flight games, after registering 11 in the 16.

 

Bournemouth v Hull
Vitality Stadium, 3pm

Yannick Bolasie: Watched by Jordon Ibe

  • Bournemouth have won just one of their last 12 league meetings with Hull (D4 L7), although their last clash came back in March 2005.
  • Hull are unbeaten on their last two league trips to Bournemouth, winning 4-0 in March 2005 and drawing 0-0 in December 2002.
  • This will be the 819th different match-up in Premier League history.
  • The Cherries have made the fewest changes to their starting 11s in total this season (4).
  • Eddie Howe’s side have suffered just one defeat in their last five league games (W2 D2), after losing six of the seven before that (D1).
  • Hull have lost each of their last three league games, shipping 11 goals in the process; they last suffered a longer losing streak in the league back in November 2014 (four defeats).
  • No team has used fewer players in the top-flight this season than Hull City (18, equal with Chelsea). o Callum Wilson has netted two goals in his last four Premier League games, the same number he managed in his previous 13 top-flight games.
  • A divisional-high 71.4% of Hull’s goals have come from dead-ball situations (5/7), including a joint-league-high three goals via corners.
  • Jordan Ibe is the only player to be subbed off in all seven Premier League games this season.
  • Bournemouth have started with 7+ English players in each of their last 13 Premier League games while Hull have never started a game in the competition with more than six.

 

Man City v Everton
Etihad Stadium, 3pm

Romelu Lukaku: Getting back to his best

  • Manchester City are unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings with Everton (W4 D2), conceding just four goals in that period.
  • Everton have managed just one goal in their last four top-flight clashes with the Citizens, courtesy of a Steven Naismith effort in 1-1 draw in January 2015.
  • At the Etihad, City are unbeaten in their last five top-flight clashes with the Toffees (W3 D2), after losing each of the four before that.
  • This will be the first meeting between Pep Guardiola and Ronald Koeman as managers in league football. However, they both played for Barcelona between 90/91 and 94/95, winning four La Liga titles and one European Cup.
  • Manchester City have shipped five goals in their last two games, having conceded six in the previous 10 matches under Guardiola.
  • Guardiola last lost consecutive league games as a manager in May 2015 with Bayern Munich (a run of three defeats).
  • Romelu Lukaku has bagged five goals in his last four Premier League appearances after a run of 11 consecutive appearances in the competition without a goal.
  • Only once before in the Premier League have Everton accrued more points from their first seven games of a season (16 in 2004/05) than in this campaign (14)
  • This season, the Citizens are running over 7kms more per Premier League game on average than last season (114.8km per game in 2016/17 compared to 107.2 in 2015/16).
  • The Toffees have picked up six points from losing positions in the top-flight this season, a joint- league-high along with rivals Liverpool.

 

Stoke v Sunderland, 3pm

Jermain Defoe: Misses good chance for Sunderland

  • Stoke are without a victory in their last five Premier League games against Sunderland (D2 L3), winning just one of their last 10 (D4 L5).
  • The Potters have bagged just three goals in their last five top-flight clashes with Sunderland.
  • On home soil, Stoke have lost just one of their eight Premier League meetings with Sunderland (W4 D3), with that defeat coming in February 2012 (0-1).
  • Mark Hughes has won just three of his 16 Premier League meetings as manager with David Moyes, drawing seven and losing six.
  • A red card has been brandished in five of the last nine top-flight meetings between the two sides.
  • Sunderland have used a Premier League-high 25 players already this season.
  • Only Jermain Defoe (3) and Patrick van Aanholt have scored for the Black Cats this season; only three sides have seen fewer goalscorers after the first seven games of a Premier League season (Everton in 05/06, Sheff Weds in 99/00 and Sunderland in 12/13 – all one scorer each).
  • The Potters have been leading for a Premier League-low 17 minutes this season.
  • Stoke are the only side this season yet to see any of their players provide an assist in the Premier League.
  • The Black Cats have failed to win any of their opening seven Premier League games in three of the last four seasons (and have gone eight without a win twice before – 2013/14 and 2015/16).

 

West Brom v Tottenham
The Hawthorns, 3pm

Son Heung-min: Key figure for Tottenham

  • West Brom have registered just one win in their last 13 Premier League meetings with Tottenham drawing seven and losing five.
  • At the Hawthorns, the Baggies are without a league win in their last six top-flight games against Spurs, drawing three and losing three.
  • 45% of the Premier League clashes between these two sides have ended level (9/20); only Everton v Leicester (13/20, 65%) has seen a higher proportion of draws (min 20 games).
  • Danish schemer Christian Eriksen has scored on two of his three visits to the Hawthorns in the league, although he failed to find the back of the net last time out.
  • This season, Eriksen has mustered 18 shots in the Premier League without scoring a single goal, more than any other player yet to find the back of the net.
  • Son Heung-Min has been involved in eight goals in his last seven PL games (six goals, two assists). o Only in their title-winning 1960/61 campaign (21 pts, assuming 3 points for a win) did Spurs make a better start to a top-flight league season than in this campaign (17 pts from opening seven games).
  • Nacer Chadli has been involved in five of West Brom’s last six Premier League goals (three goals, two assists).
  • Indeed, Chadli has scored three goals in four Premier League games for the Baggies, as many as in his previous 30 with Tottenham in the competition.
  • West Brom have posted the lowest passing accuracy rate in the top-flight this season (68%), as well as attempting the fewest passes (2055).

 

Crystal Palace v West Ham,
Selhurst Park, 5:30pm

Dimitri Payet: An obvious Saints threat

  • Crystal Palace have won just one of their last four top-flight meetings with West Ham, drawing one and losing two.
  • West Ham have won on each of their last two top-flight visits to Selhurst Park; they’ve never won three in a row away to Crystal Palace in the league.
  • There has been a sending off in each of the last three top-flight clashes between these two sides (Kouyate in Apr 2016, Gayle in Oct 2015 and Murray in Feb 2015).
  • Dimitri Payet scored in both the Hammers’ meetings with Palace last season, indeed against no other side has he scored more league goals (also two v Newcastle).
  • Manuel Lanzini also scored in both West Ham’s games against the Eagles last season (two goals in total); with Palace the only side he has scored more than one against in the top-flight.
  • Since Christian Benteke’s Premier League debut in September 2012, only Olivier Giroud (also 19) has scored as many headed goals in the competition as the Belgian striker.
  • The Eagles are unbeaten in five Premier League games (W3 D2 L0), their longest run without defeat since December 2015 (six games).
  • West Ham are without a win in their last five top-flight games (W0 D1 L4), their longest winless streak in the competition since December 2015 (eight games).
  • Crystal Palace have now gone seven games without a London derby win in the Premier League (W0 D2 L5), the longest run of any current top-flight club.
  • West Ham have picked up just four points from their opening seven Premier League games; their worst points tally in a top-flight season at this stage since 1988-89 (also 4 – and they were relegated at the end of that campaign).
  • Since the start of last season, Scott Dann has netted seven goals in the top-flight, more than any other defender.
  • Jason Puncheon has created more goalscoring chances than any other Premier League player in the opening seven matchdays of the 2016-17 season (24).

Sunday

Middlesbrough v Watford
The Riverside, 1:30

Troy Deeney: Wanted by champions Leicester

  • Middlesbrough are without a win in their last five league games against Watford, drawing two and losing three.
  • Watford have found the back of the net in 15 of their last 16 league clashes with ‘Boro.
  • At the Riverside, Middlesbrough have suffered just one defeat in their last five league meetings with the Hornets (W2 D2).
  • Troy Deeney has found the back of the net in each of the Hornets’ last four meetings with Middlesbrough.
  • Overall, Deeney has scored six times against Middlesbrough for Watford – only against Leeds United has he scored as many (also six) for the Hornets.
  • Deeney has netted 99 goals in all competitions for Watford. Only Luther Blissett, Tommy Barnett, Ross Jenkins and Cliff Holton have previously reached the century for the club.
  • Since the start of last season, none of Watford’s 44 Premier League games have seen them start more than two English players.
  • Middlesbrough have lost a league-high seven points from leading positions in the Premier League this season.
  • Only once before have Middlesbrough had fewer points after their opening seven games of a Premier League season (5pts in 06/07 when they still finished in 12th place).
  • Watford have conceded a league-high six headed goals in the top-flight this season, while only Crystal Palace (6) and West Ham (5) have scored more headers than Middlesbrough (4).
  • This will be only the fourth time in Premier League history that Watford have played an away match on a Sunday, but they have lost their previous three and failed to score on each occasion (conceding 10 goals).

 

Southampton v Burnley 4pm
St Mary’s Stadium

Steven Defour: Man United move broke down

  • Southampton have lost just one of their last five league meetings with Burnley, winning two and drawing two.
  • On home soil, Saints have suffered just one defeat in their last 14 league clashes with Burnley (W7 D6).
  • Saints have kept six consecutive clean sheets in all competitions. They’ve only enjoyed a longer run once in their history (eight, ending in August 1922).
  • Burnley have enjoyed just two victories in their last 15 Premier League away games, drawing three and losing 10.
  • Southampton have unbeaten in eight Premier League games on home soil (W5 D3) a run bettered only by Leicester (19) and Liverpool (10).
  • Indeed, Saints have scored in each of their last 13 Premier League games at St. Mary’s, the best current run in the competition.
  • In his two previous Premier League games against former club Burnley, Charlie Austin has scored twice and been sent off.
  • 10 Burnley players have appeared in all seven Premier League games this season, more than any other club.
  • Steven Defour has been directly involved in a Premier League-high 80% of his team’s goals this season, scoring one and assisting three of the Clarets’ five goals.
  • The Clarets have posted a Premier League-low 36.8% average possession figure this season.

 

Monday

Liverpool v Man Utd
Anfield, 8pm

Juan Mata: Not happy to go into the break after dropping points

  • Liverpool have lost more Premier League matches (27) and also the most league matches (67) against Manchester United than versus any other opponent.
  • Liverpool have lost each of their last four Premier League clashes with Manchester United, their worst league losing streak against the Red Devils since March 2008 (five defeats).
  • Liverpool have lost their last two league meetings with Manchester United at Anfield; they last lost three home league games against United in January 2005.
  • This clash has seen 16 red cards shown in the Premier League; only Everton v Liverpool (21) has produced more dismissals.
  • Jurgen Klopp has lost just one of his five meetings with Jose Mourinho (W3 D1), with that defeat coming in 2013 via a 2-0 home win for Real Madrid v Dortmund in the Champions League semi-final second leg.
  • Since Klopp was appointed as Liverpool manager in October 2015, they have scored more goals than any other Premier League team (73) and have the highest average possession figure (58.8%).
  • Juan Mata has had a hand in five goals in his last four appearances against Liverpool in the Premier League, scoring three and assisting two.
  • Only Steven Gerrard (8) has scored more goals in this Premier League fixture than Wayne Rooney (6 – level with Robbie Fowler).
  • Wayne Rooney currently has 87 Premier League away goals, the joint-most in the competition alongside Alan Shearer.
  • Manchester United had three points more at this stage last season under Louis Van Gaal (16) than they currently have after seven games of 2016-17 (13).
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic hasn’t scored in three league appearances – his worst run in league competition since January 2015 (four in a row for PSG).
  • Marcus Rashford has scored 12 goals since his debut for Man Utd on 25th February 2016 (all comps) – four more than any other player for Manchester United in this period. It’s also two more competitive goals than any player for Liverpool since his debut.