Premier League - Matchround 27 (27-28 February 2016) West Ham United Sunderland (27 February) Head-to-Head West Ham United are unbeaten in their last five PL matches against Sunderland (W2-D3), since the 3-0 away defeat on 12 January 2013. Sunderland have won only two of their 13 PL matches at West Ham (D3-L8), the 2-0 victory on 13 January 2001 and the 3-0 triumph on 22 May 2011. This exact fixture last season ended in a 1-0 win for Sam Allardyce's West Ham (goal by Diafra Sakho). It was Dick Advocaat's first match as Sunderland manager. The reverse fixture this season was Advocaat's final match as Sunderland manager. It finished 2-2 on 3 October. Steven Fletcher (10') and Jeremain Lens (22') scored for the Black Cats, Carl Jenkinson (45+1') and Dimitri Payet (60') for West Ham. Sunderland also had Lens sent off (57'). These teams have never drawn both matches in a single league season (all divisions). West Ham United West Ham have 40 points after 26 PL matches this campaign. Sam Allardyce's Hammers had 39 points at the same stage of last season. Their 27th fixture was a 3-1 home defeat against Crystal Palace. West Ham lost their opening two PL home fixtures this season, but are unbeaten in all 10 PL matches at Upton Park since (W5-D5). Only once before have West Ham had a longer PL unbeaten home run (14, Sep 1997 to Apr 1998). West Ham could score multiple goals in five consecutive PL home matches for the first time since the joint-club PL record run of six in a row from April to September 2008. Stoke City are the only visiting team to keep a PL clean sheet at Upton Park this season. Dimitri Payet has not scored a PL home goal since he netted both goals in the 2-0 win against Newcastle United on 14 September. His last four PL goals have all been scored away from home. Michail Antonio has scored three goals in his last four PL home appearances. Sunderland If Sunderland lose they will be guaranteed to begin March in the bottom three. On the three previous occasions they have begun March in the relegation zone, they survived only once (2013/14). Sunderland could score in nine consecutive top flight away matches for the first time since a run of 10 in a row from April to October 1956. Sunderland have conceded 50 PL goals this season, a joint-league high with Norwich City. Sunderland could concede multiple goals in seven consecutive top flight away matches for the first time since September to December 1982. Sunderland's only PL away clean sheet this season came in London, in the 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on 23 November. That victory is Sunderland's only win in their last 14 PL matches against London opposition (D4-L9). Only Sergio Agüero (7) has scored more PL goals than Jermain Defoe (6) in 2016. Defoe scored 18 goals in 74 PL appearances for West Ham (2001-2003). He scored in both of his PL appearances for the Hammers against Sunderland at Upton Park. Sam Allardyce has lost only one of his 11 PL matches as a manager against West Ham (W6-D4), when his Bolton Wanderers lost 2-1 at Upton Park on 11 May 2002. +31 (0)30-60 71 700 www.gracenote.com/sports-demos
Page 2 Southampton Chelsea (27 February) Head-to-Head In the reverse fixture this season, Southampton won 3-1 on 3 October with goals by Steven Davis (43'), Sadio Mané (60') and Graziano Pellè (72') after Willian (10') had given Chelsea the lead. Southampton could win consecutive PL matches against Chelsea for the second time, after April to December 1993 (both home victories). Southampton could do the top flight double against Chelsea for the first time since 1987/88. No team has done the PL double against Chelsea since Liverpool in 2011/12. If Southampton avoid defeat they will have remained unbeaten against Chelsea in three of the last four PL seasons (lost both PL fixtures versus the Blues in 2013/14). Southampton have won only one of their last seven PL home matches against Chelsea (D2-L4), the 2-1 victory on 30 March 2013. Chelsea have scored in each of their last 10 PL matches at Southampton, since a 1-0 defeat at The Dell on 29 December 1997. Ronald Koeman and Guus Hiddink will be opposition managers for the first time since 24 October 2004 when Hiddink's PSV won 2-0 at home against Koeman's Ajax in the Eredivisie. Koeman was Hiddink's assistant manager when Netherlands finished fourth at the 1998 World Cup. Koeman succeeded Hiddink as PSV manager in 2006. Southampton Southampton have won 16 PL points in 2016, a joint-league high with Tottenham Hotspur. Southampton's sixth place coming into this matchround is their best rank this season so far. Southampton could do the top flight double against the reigning champions for the first time. Southampton could win five consecutive top flight home matches without conceding a goal for the first time since a run of five 1-0 victories in a row from October to December 1984 (one of those wins was against Chelsea). Southampton could equal the club top flight record of seven consecutive clean sheets, set from January to March 2001. No team has kept seven consecutive PL clean sheets since Manchester United set the PL record of 14 in a row from November 2008 to February 2009. Fraser Forster has kept a clean sheet in all six of his PL appearances since he returned from injury. The last player to score a PL goal against Forster was Diego Costa in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea on 15 March 2015. Since they both netted in the reverse fixture this season, Graziano Pellè has scored one goal in 12 PL appearances and Sadio Mané one goal in 17 PL matches. Southampton have scored 11 PL headed goals (excl. own goals) this season, a league high. They scored a league low three PL headers in 2014/15. Ronald Koeman is unbeaten in all four matches as a manager against Chelsea (W1-D3), for Valencia CF and Southampton. Chelsea If Chelsea win, they will have a chance of being in the top half of the Premier League table for the first time since they were in 10th at the end of matchround three in August. Chelsea could win consecutive PL matches for the first time this season. Aston Villa are the only other team who have failed to win consecutive PL fixtures this campaign. Chelsea are unbeaten in 10 PL matches (W4-D6), since the 2-1 defeat at Leicester City in José Mourinho's final fixture as Blues manager. It is the longest current active unbeaten run in the PL.
Page 3 Chelsea could keep five consecutive PL away clean sheets for the first time since the club top flight record run of seven in a row from September to December 2008. The last player to score a PL home goal against Guus Hiddink's Chelsea was Kenwyne Jones in Sunderland's 3-2 defeat at Stadium of Light on 24 May 2009. Diego Costa has scored seven goals in his eight PL appearances with Hiddink as Chelsea manager, compared to only six goals in his last 21 PL matches with Mourinho in charge. Only one of Costa's 10 PL goals this season was not scored in London. It came in the 3-2 victory at West Bromwich Albion on 23 August, his first PL goal of the campaign. Eden Hazard has failed to score in his last 26 PL appearances. Hiddink has lost only one of his 22 PL matches as Chelsea manager (W14-D7), the 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on 21 March 2009.
Page 4 Manchester United Arsenal (28 February) Head-to-Head Manchester United (49) are one short of becoming the first team to win 50 top flight home matches against Arsenal. In the reverse fixture this season, Arsenal won 3-0 on 4 October with goals by Alexis Sánchez (6', 19') and Mesut Özil (7'). That win is Arsenal's only victory in their last nine PL matches against Manchester United (D3-L5). Arsenal could equal Liverpool as the only clubs to do four PL doubles against Manchester United. In two of the previous three seasons Arsenal have done the PL double against Manchester United they have gone on to win the league (1997/98 and 2001/02). They finished fourth in 2006/07. In all three seasons Arsenal have done the PL double against Manchester United they won 1-0 away. Those three 1-0 wins are Arsenal's only three PL victories at Old Trafford (D6-L14). Arsenal have scored more than one goal in only one of their 23 PL matches at Old Trafford, in the 8-2 defeat on 28 August 2011. Manchester United Manchester United's tally of 41 points after 26 matches is their lowest at this stage of a top flight season since 1990/91 (also 41). They lost their 27th fixture of that campaign 3-2 at Chelsea on their way to finishing sixth. Manchester United's lowest PL position at the beginning of March is sixth in 2013/14. If the Red Devils lose, and Southampton and West Ham United both avoid defeat, they would drop to seventh. Manchester United could win consecutive PL home matches for the first time since September. Manchester United have won only one of their six PL matches against London opposition this season (D4-L1), the 1-0 home victory against Spurs in the opening PL fixture of the campaign (8 August). Manchester United have never won fewer than four matches against opponents from the capital in a single PL season (they have four more PL fixtures versus London teams this campaign). Old Trafford (20) is the stadium to have had the fewest PL goals this season (Vicarage Road next 24). Louis van Gaal is winless in all three home matches as a manager against Arsenal (D2-L1) for FC Barcelona and Manchester United. Arsenal The three times Arsenal have won the Premier League, they led the table at the beginning of March only once (2003/04). They were third at that stage of 1997/98 and 2001/02. Arsenal have won only two of their last seven PL away matches (D3-L2), 2-0 victories at Aston Villa on 13 December and AFC Bournemouth on 7 February. Arsenal could keep three consecutive PL away clean sheets for the first time since April to May 2013. Arsenal have kept 12 PL clean sheets this season, a joint-league high with Manchester United and Southampton. Alexis Sánchez has failed to score in 19 of his last 22 PL appearances. His six PL goals in that period came in a three-match run from September to October 2015, including a double in this reverse fixture. Mesut Özil has provided 17 PL assists this campaign, a league high (Riyad Mahrez next 10). Last season's leading PL assist maker was Cesc Fabregas with 18. Olivier Giroud has scored in only one of his last nine PL appearances, a double in the 3-3 draw at Liverpool on 13 January. Danny Welbeck scored 20 goals in 92 PL appearances for Manchester United (2008-2014). Welbeck could score in consecutive PL appearances for the first time since netting in three in a row for Manchester United from December 2013 to January 2014.
Page 5 Welbeck's last away goal for Arsenal came at Old Trafford in the 2-1 victory on 9 March 2015 in the FA Cup quarterfinal. Petr Cech could become the first visiting goalkeeper to keep three PL clean sheets at Old Trafford. Manchester United are the only opponent Arsène Wenger has lost more PL matches against than he has won (W11-D11-L17). Arsenal (699) are one short of conceding 700 PL goals with Wenger as manager. Vinny Jones was the first player to score a PL goal against Wenger's Gunners, for Wimbledon in a 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park on 2 November 1996.
Page 6 Miscellaneous Manchester City and Liverpool are not in Premier League action as they will contest the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium on 28 February. Manchester City have won the PL title twice (2011/12 and 2013/14). In those seasons the League Cup was won by Liverpool (2012) and Manchester City (2014). If Leicester City beat Norwich City they will be guaranteed to be top of the PL table at the beginning of March. Only twice in the last 12 seasons has the team leading the PL at the beginning of March not gone on to be champions Arsenal in 2007/08 (third) and Chelsea in 2013/14 (third). Leicester have scored 48 PL goals this season, a joint-league high with Manchester City, while Norwich have conceded 50 PL goals this campaign, a joint-league high with Sunderland. If Leicester (53 points) win they will set a new club PL record for most points in an entire single season (55 in 1999/2000). Leicester could lose consecutive PL matches for the first time since a run of four in a row from January to February 2015. Leicester could equal the club PL record of nine consecutive home matches unbeaten (December 1997 to August 1998 and May to November 1999). Leicester could keep five consecutive top flight home clean sheets for the first time since February to March 1973. Leicester are unbeaten in eight PL home matches against promoted opposition (W4-D4), since a 5-0 defeat against Bolton Wanderers on 18 August 2001. Jamie Vardy (19) is the leading PL scorer this season (Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku both 16). Vardy could become the 11th player to reach 20 PL goals after 27 PL matches of the season. Vardy has failed to score in only three of his 12 PL home appearances this season (total 11 goals). Vardy has won six PL penalties this season. That is more than any of the other 19 teams have been awarded in total this campaign (Spurs, Swansea City and Watford all five). Riyad Mahrez (14 goals/10 assists) has been directly involved in the most PL goals this season, just ahead of Vardy (19/3). Norwich are the only team who have not kept a PL away clean sheet this season. Norwich could equal the club top flight record of conceding multiple goals in seven consecutive matches. They have done this twice before, most recently in April 1985. The last four PL matches between Stoke City and Aston Villa have been won by the away team (three of those were at Villa Park). Odion Ighalo (14) and Troy Deeney (8) have scored 22 of Watford's 29 PL goals this season. Crystal Palace could remain winless in 10 consecutive PL matches for the first time since November 2004 to January 2005. The Eagles are the only team without a PL victory in 2016. Emmanuel Adebayor could score in consecutive PL appearances for the first time since February 2014 when he found the net for Tottenham Hotspur against both Everton and Newcastle United. Spurs are unbeaten in all 17 league home matches against Swansea City (W15-D2). The Swans only avoided defeat in 1-1 draws in the old Division Two on 23 March 1929 and 15 November 1930. White Hart Lane could join Etihad Stadium as the only grounds Swansea have lost at in the league in all five of their PL seasons. Swansea's last win against Spurs was a 1-0 home victory in the League Cup second round first leg on 25 September 1991 (they lost the second leg 5-1). Spurs were leading the table at the beginning of March in both seasons they went on to be top flight champions (1950/51 and 1960/61). The last time Spurs began March in the top two of the top flight table was in 1984/85 (second). They went on to finish third. Spurs have not been leading the top flight table at the beginning of March since 1963/64. They went on to finish fourth behind Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton.
Page 7 Spurs could equal the club PL record of six consecutive wins, set from October to December 2011. Spurs have conceded 20 PL goals this season, a league low (Arsenal next 23). Harry Kane has scored 15 goals in his last 17 PL appearances. Kane (40) is two short of equalling Gareth Bale (42) in joint-fifth of Spurs' all-time leading PL scorers. Gylfi Sigurdsson has scored in each of his last three PL away appearances. Sigurdsson has scored in both of his PL appearances for Swansea at White Hart Lane.