The omens look good for Man Utd, Chelsea and Everton going into the weekend games, while Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez are chasing a record.
We take a look at the key Opta statistics ahead of another crucial weekend in the Premier League, with Manchester City's trip to Arsenal on Saturday evening and Liverpool's clash with Tottenham the following day potentially pivotal in this season's title race.
West Brom host Cardiff in the big game at the other end, the Bluebirds knowing an away win would draw them level on points with Pepe Mel's side.
Manchester United v Aston Villa, 12.45pm
Manchester United have taken more points against Aston Villa than they have against any other team in Premier League history (100).
The Villans have failed to score in four of the last five Premier League games against United.
Man Utd will be missing Robin van Persie, who has scored five goals and assisted two more in his last five Premier League games against Aston Villa.
There have been four braces and one hat-trick in the last four Premier League meetings between these two sides.
Man Utd have won 26 and lost just one of their last 36 Premier League matches against the West Midlanders.
Aston Villa have won just one of their last seven Premier League away matches (W1 D2 L4).
Villa have won just three of their last 60 league away trips against Man Utd, losing 42.
Wayne Rooney has netted 10 Premier League goals against Villa, his joint-highest haul versus any one opponent in the competition. He is in good scoring form, having netted four in his last five Premier League appearances.
Manchester United have lost more Premier League home games this season (6) than in the previous three season put together (5).
Manchester United have lost six home games in a Premier League season for only the second time (2001/02); they have never lost more.
Crystal Palace v Chelsea
The Eagles have won just five of their 25 Premier League London derbies at Selhurst Park.
Chelsea have won eight and lost none of the last 12 league meetings against Crystal Palace.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their nine Premier League London derbies this season (W6 D3).
2004-05 was the last time that Crystal Palace were in the top flight and they were relegated, while Chelsea won the title under new boss Jose Mourinho.
This is Crystal Palace's 50th Premier League London derby, but they have the lowest points per game of any of the capital clubs in local clashes (0.88 per game).
Palace have won just three points in their seven London derby games this season in the Premier League (L6 D0 W1), netting just three goals in the process.
Chelsea inflicted Tony Pulis' heaviest ever defeat as a Premier League coach - 7-0 versus Stoke City in April 2010 at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have conceded just three goals in their last seven Premier League away games and defeat last time out against Aston Villa ended a run of six without loss on the road (W4 D2).
Palace have failed to score in four of their last five Premier League games and have the worst chance conversion rate in the Premier League this season (7.5%).
Jose Mourinho's side have allowed fewer shots on target against them than any other team in the top division (95) and have kept the most clean sheets (14) this season.
Mile Jedinak of Palace has committed the most fouls in the Premier League this season (55), while Chelsea's Eden Hazard is the division's most fouled player (85).
Southampton v Newcastle United
Southampton have lost just one of their last 20 home league games against Newcastle United (W13 D6 L1).
Newcastle have won five and lost just one of their last nine Premier League games against Southampton.
Only Liverpool v Tottenham (8) has seen more own goals than Newcastle v Southampton (7) in Premier League history.
Southampton have won just two of their last nine Premier League home matches (W2 D3 L4).
Newcastle have failed to score in three of their last four away games in the Premier League and in nine of the last 13 overall.
Southampton have dropped more points from winning positions than any other team in the top flight this season (18).
Jay Rodriguez has scored in each of his last three Premier League matches and also netted Saints' goal at St James Park against Newcastle earlier this season.
Newcastle have fired in 198 shots at goal from outside the box this season, a higher total than any other team. Five of the first 10 goals they scored this season were from long range but just three of the last 28 netted have been from outside the area.
Only Liverpool (12) have scored more headed goals than Southampton (10) in the Premier League this season.
Newcastle have won all seven away Premier League games where they have been ahead and lost all seven where they have trailed away from home.
Stoke City v Hull City
There have been exactly two goals scored in each of the last four Stoke v Hull City matches at the Britannia Stadium.
Hull have won just one of their last nine league matches against Stoke (W1 D5 L3).
There has been a 90th minute goal scored in three of the last four Premier League meetings between Stoke and Hull.
Stoke City have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League games at the Britannia Stadium (W6 D5 L1).
Stoke have recovered more points from losing positions than any other team in the Premier League (15).
Nikita Jelavic has scored four goals in his last three Premier League appearances for Hull City away from home.
Despite only playing 10 PL games for the club, Jelavic is already their top scorer (4) and has had more shots on target than any other Hull player (17).
Mark Hughes' side have kept just one clean sheet in their last 15 Premier League outings.
Stoke have picked up more cards than any other team in the top division, 65 yellows and four reds.
The Potters have committed more fouls than any other team in the Premier League (408).
Swansea City v Norwich City
Swansea forward Michu has scored three goals in three games against Norwich City.
There have been 22 goals scored in just five Premier League meetings between Norwich and Swansea.
Robert Snodgrass scored in both Premier League games for Norwich against Swansea last season and also assisted two goals for the Canaries.
Snodgrass has scored in his last two Premier League appearances and has netted four in his last seven for the club in the competition.
Norwich have won three and lost none (D2) of the five Premier League meetings with Swansea, despite trailing in three of those games.
Swansea have won just four of their last 20 Premier League home games (W4 D7 L9).
Norwich have won none of their last seven Premier League away games, losing the last five in a row (W0 D2 L5).
Swansea's top scorer is Wilfried Bony with 11 Premier League goals and their next highest contributor is eight from own goals netted by their opponents.
Bony has scored eight goals in 13 Premier League appearances at the Liberty Stadium this season.
Swansea's goalkeepers (Tremmel & Vorm) have combined to give the Welsh club the lowest percentage of shots saved by goalkeepers of any team in the Premier League (62%).
West Bromwich Albion v Cardiff City
West Brom have won just one of their last 10 Premier League games at the Hawthorns (W1 D6 L3).
Peter Whittingham has scored in his last three league appearances against West Brom for Cardiff.
Cardiff City are unbeaten in their last five league meetings with the Baggies (W2 D3 L0).
Cardiff have won none of their last 12 Premier League away games and lost the last eight in a row (W0 D2 L10).
Cardiff City have scored 31% of their goals with headers, the highest proportion in the top flight.
The Welsh side have scored as many goals (7) in their last three Premier League matches as they had managed in the previous 12.
Cardiff City have shipped 34% of their total goals conceded in the final 15 minutes of match, a divisional high proportion.
The Baggies have benefited from more goals scored by substitutes than any other team in the top flight (10) including four of the last six they have netted.
No side have had more players score a Premier League goal than West Brom this season (16), although their top goalscorer (Berahino) only has four goals.
34% of Cardiff's attempts at goal have come from set pieces, the highest proportion in the top flight this campaign.
Arsenal v Manchester City, 5.30pm
There have been six red cards in the last seven Premier League meetings between Man City (4) and Arsenal (2). Five of those have come in the last three meetings at the Emirates.
Manchester City scored six goals from just seven shots on target when they beat Arsenal 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium last December.
There have been just four goals scored in the last five meetings in all competitions between Arsenal and Man City at the Emirates Stadium.
Victory at the Emirates last season ended a run of 27 league games without a win for Man City away against Arsenal (D8 L19).
Arsenal have won just three of their last nine Premier League games (W3 D3 L3), this after a run of five successive victories beforehand.
Man City have converted the highest percentage of shots into goals of any team in the Premier League (20%).
Olivier Giroud has scored five goals in his last three games at the Emirates in all competitions.
Manchester City have kept five consecutive clean sheets in the top-flight for the first time since 1915 but they have never kept six in a row in the top flight.
Yaya Toure has scored 12 goals in his last 15 Premier League games.
Edin Dzeko has scored six goals in his last seven Premier League starts for Manchester City.
Fulham v Everton, Sunday 1.30pm
Fulham have won just four of their last 19 Premier League matches at Craven Cottage (W4 D1 L14).
Everton have won six and lost none of the last eight Premier League games against Fulham.
The Toffees have won just one of their last eight Premier League matches in London (W1 D4 L3) and lost in London in both domestic cup competitions this season.
This will be the third meeting this season between Fulham and Everton with the Whites winning 2-1 in the Capital One Cup while the Toffees earned a 4-1 home success in the league.
Darren Bent has scored four goals in his last six appearances in all competitions against Everton.
Everton have won four Premier League games in a row for the first time since March 2008.
Romelu Lukaku has scored in three of his last four Premier League games.
Fulham have allowed their opponents more shots on target against them than any other team in the top flight (205) and kept the fewest clean sheets (4).
Everton have scored the highest percentage of second-half goals in the Premier League this season (70%).
The Toffees have scored 12 goals through their defenders this season, more than any other side in the Premier League.
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur, Sunday 4pm
Liverpool v Tottenham has seen more own goals than any other fixture in Premier League history (8).
Tottenham haven't lost three Premier League away games in a row since January 2009.
Tottenham against Liverpool has seen the joint-most penalties in Premier League history (17 along with Everton v Newcastle), with 11 of them coming at Anfield.
Spurs didn't manage a single shot on target in their 0-5 defeat to the Reds in December at White Hart Lane - the only game they haven't managed one this season. This result marked the end of Andre Villas-Boas' stint as Tottenham manager.
Liverpool have won 11 and lost none of their last 12 Premier League games at Anfield.
Daniel Sturridge has scored 11 goals in 11 Premier League appearances at Anfield this season.
Liverpool have only failed to score in one of their last 16 Premier League games at Anfield.
Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez are only the third pair to both score 20+ goals in a single season each (+ Andrew Cole and Peter Beardsley in 1993-94 & Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard in 2009-10).
Steven Gerrard has scored a league-high 10 goals from dead ball situations this season (eight penalties, two free kicks), while he also has the most assists from set pieces (7).
Liverpool have scored before half-time in their last 21 Premier League games, an all-time record.
Sunderland v West Ham United, Monday 8pm
Sunderland have won three and lost none of their last five Premier League games against West Ham.
Kevin Nolan has scored five goals in his last four Premier League games against Sunderland.
The Black Cats have kept four clean sheets in their last five Premier League games against the Hammers, conceding just one goal in the other encounter.
West Ham have won just four of their last 29 Premier League away games (W4 D7 L18).
Sam Allardyce's team have fired in fewer shots on target than any other team in the top flight (98).
Sunderland have netted a higher percentage of goals from set pieces than any other team in the Premier League (48%).
Only Everton (40%) have conceded a higher proportion of goals from set plays than West Ham (39%).
The Black Cats have scored the most own goals (5) and picked up the most red cards (7) this season.
Vito Mannone has saved a higher percentage of opposition shots on target than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League (80%).
The second best saves to shots ratio of Premier League goalkeepers has been registered by West Ham's Adrian (76%).
Print Article
Email Article
