Why Aston Villa still have more to offer as April arrives

A lot has been written about Aston Villa’s dreadful record in March but less well-known is the fact that some of their best Premier League form over the past 12 years has come in April. Villa might not be able to regain fourth place but an upturn in form could be terrible news for Manchester United, who host Martin O’Neill’s side in a fortnight.

Here is a table showing Aston Villa’s April record over the last 12 seasons:

That impressive record would look even stronger without the two exceptions - 2001-02 and 2005-06 - which were both World Cup years where players were perhaps saving themselves and didn’t want to risk injury. Without those flops, the latter of which contributed to David O’Leary losing his job, their April record since 1997-98 would read: P45 W22 D21 L2.

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

Liverpool’s goal difference, Spurs’ revival and Villa’s terrible record in March

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Ten days ago Manchester United’s goal difference was eleven goals superior to Liverpool’s, which was also worse than Chelsea’s. Over the course of just two games, there has been a 13-goal swing in Liverpool’s favour and the reigning champions now only have the league’s third-best goal difference.

2. Only once in the last ten years has the team with the best goal difference not won the league. That was in 2002-03 when Arsenal’s was superior to that of the champions Manchester United.

3. Tottenham’s six-match unbeaten league run is their strongest since the end of 2006-07, when they finished fifth. If they take a point at Blackburn in a fortnight it will be their longest since September-October 2005.

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