Arsenal and Chelsea tear up the Big Four form book

Six stats about this weekend’s football

1. Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Arsenal yesterday was their first against a fellow Big Four side in the league all season, while it was the Gunners’ first loss. It also ended their 21-match league unbeaten run.

2. Arsenal lost just one home match in their first two seasons at the Emirates but they have been beaten there four times in this campaign. It was the first time since October 2002 that they have lost successive home games.

3. Hull have taken just eight points from their last 20 games, winning just once. Stoke have taken 23 over the same period and even West Brom have managed 19.

Posted: May 11th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Aston Villa remember how to win, good news for Sheff Utd

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. There’s no sign of any fight from the teams supposedly battling to avoid the drop. Over the last seven matches, the bottom five have produced just three wins between them - which have all come against one another (West Brom over Sunderland, Middlesbrough over Hull and Sunderland over Hull).

2. Aston Villa ended a 12-match winless streak by beating Hull last night but the sense of achievement was diminished by the fact Hull have won just two of their last 26 league games.

3. West Ham became the first team to beat Stoke at the Britannia Stadium in 2009 and joined Fulham as one of the only clubs outside the Big Four to keep a Premier League clean sheet there.

Posted: May 5th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

A point at Fulham will send Liverpool top of the league

Fulham/Liverpool, Sat 5.30pm, Setanta S1, Free Bets, Best Odds

If the international break has halted Liverpool’s momentum somewhat then Rafael Benitez will be hoping the same holds true for Fulham, who flew into the interval with their first consecutive wins of 2009.

POSITIVES FOR FULHAM
The main reasons for Liverpool to fear the trip to Craven Cottage are that they have lost two of their last three games there, while Fulham have already beaten Arsenal and Manchester United and held Chelsea there. In addition, the Reds haven’t won consecutive away league games since early December.

IGNORE THE DRAW
The two sides may have drawn 0-0 at Anfield but none of Liverpool’s last ten trips to the Cottage have finished level while Fulham are yet to draw a home game in 2009. The last time that Fulham and Liverpool drew both of their league meetings was in 1966/67.

Posted: April 4th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why Chelsea should go on to finish above Aston Villa now

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Aston Villa’s chances of finishing above Chelsea were severely damaged by the Blues completing the double over them. Not since 1993-94, when they beat champions Manchester United twice, have they finished below a team they’ve triumphed over home and away.

2. Blackburn may have ended Manchester United’s clean sheet record but after losing 2-1 they remain one of three clubs, alongside West Brom and Bolton, who have lost all their matches against the “Big Five” this season.

Posted: February 23rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Spurs need to avoid another late collapse away to Hull

Hull/Tottenham, 8pm, Setanta Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Tonight sees a team that can’t win away from home travel to one who can’t find three points anywhere. Here’s everything that you need to know:

SPURS DON’T WIN AWAY…
Tottenham have lost seven consecutive away games in all competitions and have won just two league games on the road all season. They have only kept one domestic clean sheet away from White Hart Lane all season and their last four Premier League conquerors haven’t exactly been world beaters: Newcastle, West Brom, Wigan and Bolton.

…BUT HULL DON’T WIN ANYWHERE
Since winning six of their first nine Premier League games, Hull have won just one of sixteen. They are on a run of nine games without a win but drew away to Chelsea in their last outing. The Tigers have the worst home record in the division having won just three of their twelve league games at the KC Stadium, only one of which has come in their last eight.

HULL ARE YET TO DO THE DOUBLE

Posted: February 23rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

A stat on each of the Premier League’s 3pm kick-offs

Liverpool could open up a four-point margin at the top

Aston Villa v Bolton
Martin O’Neill’s side have only won this fixture in one of the last five seasons. Villa have won just three of eight home games this season while Bolton have won three successive away league games, and four of their last five.

Liverpool v Hull
This game comes three days shy of the year anniversary of Liverpool’s last home league loss and the table-toppers haven’t conceded in four league games at Anfield but have drawn the last two 0-0. Hull have lost just one away game this season and are unbeaten in four matches.

Manchester City v Everton

Posted: December 12th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment