THE PREMIER LEAGUE IN SIXTY SECONDS

CHRISTMAS CARDS

HEADING into the penultimate round of Premier League games before Christmas, 29 players stood on four bookings knowing they risked a one-match ban before St Stephen’s Day. Of those only Brighton’s Shane Duffy, Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure, Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke and Chelsea wing back Marcos Alonso saw yellow to land bans. With Chelsea facing Bournemouth in the EFL Cup this week, Alonso will be back for the final league game before Christmas, anyway.

...AND BIRTHDAY CARDS!

LEICESTER’S Wilfred Ndidi became the fourth PL player to be sent off on his birthday. The others were Dwight Gayle, Gerry Taggart and Les Ferdinand. 4 LIVERPOOL’S 4-0 win over Bournemouth means they are the first team in English top-flight history to win four consecutive away games by at least three goals. They have also beaten Brighton 5-1, Stoke 3-0 and West Ham 4-1 during this run.

DEENEY DIGS A HOLE

SINCE Troy Deeney told Arsenal they lack ‘cojones’ in October, Watford have lost six of the seven PL games in which their captain played. He has also received a threegame ban for gouging the cheeks of Stoke’s Joe Allen and was sent off against Huddersfield on Saturday.

MARK OF PROGRESS

Sprints per game by Marko Arnautovic this season

RARE BARRY CAMEO

GARETH BARRY came off the bench to score a Premier League goal for the first time since April 1999 for Aston Villa against Nottingham Forest. On both occasions he came on at half-time, replacing Dion Dublin 18 years ago and Claudio Yacob yesterday.