Previews of the Premier League matches this weekend
LONDON: Match-by-match facts and statistics ahead of round four of the English Premier League this weekend.
● Leicester vs Liverpool
Leicester have record three wins in their last four home meetings with Liverpool in all competitions, although they lost this fixture 3-2 last season.
Liverpool are looking to win their opening four games of a league season for the first time since the 1990-91 campaign under Kenny Dalglish.
Alisson could become the fourth goalkeeper in the Premier League history to keep a clean sheet in his first four starts, after Alex Manninger (first six), Anders Lindegaard (first five) and Jose Reina (first four).
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, who scored in both league games against Liverpool last season, will miss the weekend’s clash as part of his threematch suspension.
Liverpool are top of the league table after three matches. Leicester sit seventh.
● Brighton vs Fulham
This will be the first top-flight meeting between Brighton and Fulham.
Brighton have won just twice in their last 12 league matches, both home wins over Manchester United.
Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 15 goals since his debut for the club in February - no player has netted more in the top four tiers of English football since then. (Mohamed Salah also has 15) Brighton manager Chris Hughton has won all three matches against Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic, although all three meetings came in the Championship between April, 2016 and January, 2017.
Fulham’s Andre Schuerrle registered 11 shots against Burnley last weekend, the most by a player in the league this season. The German found the net with his 11th attempt in the match.
● Chelsea vs Bournemouth
Chelsea are aiming to win their opening four matches of the Premier League season for the sixth time, having also done so in 2004-05, 200506, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2014-15.
Over the last three seasons, no team has beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge more often than Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth. The Cherries have recorded two wins, the same as Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Manchester City.
Since the 2015-16 season, Bournemouth have won nine league matches from losing positions.
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has contributed a goal and two assists in his first three league matches under Maurizio Sarri.
Bournemouth are looking to win three consecutive Premier League games on the road for the first time.
● Crystal Palace vs Southampton
Roy Hodgson has suffered just one defeat in his seven managerial encounters with Mark Hughes, a 2-1 loss to Manchester City as Fulham manager in September, 2009.
Hughes is aiming for his first Premier League win at Crystal Palace at the seventh attempt.
Under Hodgson, winger Wilfried Zaha has contributed 11 goals and three assists in the Premier League, more than any other player at Palace.
Palace lost all of their league matches in September last season by an aggregate score of 11-0.
Palace and Southampton are both seeking to recover from 2-1 defeats, against Watford and Leicester respectively.
● Everton vs Huddersfield
Everton have won 17 of their last 20 home league matches against teams starting the day in the bottom half of the table.
Everton’s Theo Walcott is aiming to score in three consecutive league matches for the first time since May, 2013 when he was at Arsenal.
Huddersfield are looking to become the first Yorkshire side to win a league fixture at Goodison Park in 16 matches. Sheffield Wednesday won 2-1 at the venue in April, 1999.
Huddersfield have recorded 16 shots in the opening three league matches of the season and scored one goal.
Everton are on an unbeaten run under new manager Marco Silva, with two draws and a win.
● West Ham vs Wolverhampton
Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham are still searching for their first points of the season as they host Wolves, who held champions Manchester City to a 1-1 draw last weekend.
Wolves have won one of their last nine away games against West Ham in all competitions.
West Ham have lost their last two home league matches against promoted sides, having been defeated by Brighton and Hove Albion (3-0) and Newcastle United (3-2) last season.
Wolves have lost their last two away league matches by an aggregate score of 5-0 (3-0 v Sunderland, 2-0 v Leicester City).
Marko Arnautovic has scored the first goal in West Ham’s last two league matches but lost both of them. Only three players have scored the first goal in three consecutive league matches without winning any – John Spencer for Chelsea in 1996, Michel Ngonge for Watford in 1999 and Steven Fletcher for Sunderland in 2012.
● Manchester City vs Newcastle
City are unbeaten in their last 21 topflight matches against Newcastle, their longest unbeaten run against a single opponent.
Newcastle will be looking for their first point in 10 trips at the Etihad Stadium.
City’s Sergio Aguero has scored 14 goals in 11 league appearances against Newcastle.
Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle have recorded the lowest average possession figure in the Premier League this season, keeping 33.5% of the ball.
Newcastle completed 247 passes in their two league matches against City last season – only Huddersfield completed fewer.
● Cardiff vs Arsenal
Cardiff are winless in their last 13 matches against Arsenal in all competitions, since a 3-2 away win in 1961.
Neil Warnock won his last home match against Arsenal, triumphing 1-0 as Sheffield United boss in the Premier League in December, 2006.
Matteo Guendouzi could become only the fourth teenager to start each of Arsenal’s first four matches of a Premier League season, after Nicolas Anelka (1998-99), Cesc Fabregas (200405 and 2006-07) and Johan Djourou (2006-07).
Arsenal have faced more shots on target than any other team in the Premier League this season (24).
Cardiff are chasing their first victory of the campaign, while Arsenal are aiming to build momentum after their first win against West Ham United last weekend.
● Burnley vs Manchester United
Burnley are sitting in the bottom three of the league standings for the first time since August, 2016.
United have kept a clean sheet in nine of their last 10 visits to Turf Moor in all competitions.
United have lost two of their first three league matches of a season for the first time since 1992-93.
Since Jose Mourinho took charge of United, he has won all 11 of his away matches against teams led by English managers.
Sean Dyche’s Burnley are yet to make a change to their starting line-up this season, while United have made more changes than any other side, with nine.
● Watford vs Tottenham Hotspur
Watford are looking to win their first four league matches of a season for only the second time in their history. They previously achieved the feat in 1988-89 in the second tier.
Roberto Pereyra has scored seven goals and made two assists in his last nine league appearances at Vicarage Road. Tottenham have won more Premier League points than any other team in 2018, with 49.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs can win their first three Premier League away games for the second consecutive league season. They did not achieve this feat in any of their first 25 Premier League campaigns.
Lucas Moura has contributed four goals and four assists in his eight starts for Spurs in all competitions. — Reuters